Back to Camp for Terry "Aislin" Mosher as Kanawana gets set to honour master cartoonist

Terry “Aislin” Mosher, the main editorial cartoonist for the Montreal Gazette, has received many well deserved honours in his lifetime. On Saturday August 8 he will go back to Camp Kanawana in the Laurentians for the first time in more than 60 years. There he will accept the 2015 YMCA Kanawana “Pip” Award. 

Terry Mosher

Mosher will be the eighth person to receive the award, established to recognize the contributions of distinguished Kanawana alumni.  He was a camper there in 1952 and 1953.

“Obviously I’m very pleased about all this, particularly given that my five grandchildren will be there for the presentation, all of whom have either attended, do presently attend or will attend Camp Kanawana,” Mosher share with me. “Kanawana was very important to me given that I remember the layout of the camp surprisingly well – and I haven’t been back since 1954! I am told that it has hardly changed. So, I am anxious to tour the camp next Saturday with organizer Andrew Caddell.”

Previous recipients of the award included Richard “Itche” Kerr, a Montréal volunteer working with the physically challenged; Richard Patten, former Ontario MPP and cabinet minister; Stuart McLean, broadcaster and author; Bruce Netherwood, YMCA leader and author; John Cleghorn, former CEO of the Royal Bank; ; the late Sam Lazarus, NGO volunteer, along with the Lazarus family, which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Kanawana in Sam’s memory; and Jeniene Philips Birks, a former broadcaster and community volunteer with the Oral School for the Deaf.  

James and Pip on Parliament Hill.

The “Pip” Award is given annually to a former camper, counsellor or supervisor at Camp YMCA Kanawana who best exemplifies the values of selflessness and contribution to the community. The award is a memorial to Philip “Pip” Caddell (1913‐2004), Second World War officer, executive and Montreal community volunteer, and his grandson, James Caddell (1973‐2005),  UN Peacekeeper, McGill graduate, NGO Worker and federal public servant. Both attended YMCA Kanawana – “Pip” as a camper in 1928 and James as a camper and counsellor in the 1980s and 1990s. The “Pip” Award Committee is composed of Kanawana alumni who were friends and family of “Pip” and James. 

“In his professional life, Terry Mosher has always taken seriously the journalist’s credo to ‘comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable,’” said award sponsor Andrew Caddell,  who grew up on Benny Farm in NDG and in Montreal West. “The purpose of this award is to recognize people who have taken the values they learned at Kanawana and applied them to the larger world. Terry Mosher has been a caring community volunteer who has dedicated himself to the disadvantaged. The ‘Pip’ Award Committee felt Terry Mosher’s volunteer work and professional accomplishments made him a very deserving recipient.”

Caddell calls  Mosher a great role model within the community as a director of the Old Brewery Mission as well as his remarkable career as one of Canada’s most respected cartoonists. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and received an honorary Doctor of Letters from McGill University, two National Newspaper Awards and five individual prizes from the International Salon of Caricature. He was inducted into the Canadian News Hall of Fame and the Canadian Cartoonist's Hall of Fame.  “I am delighted to have reached the point in my life where I can give back in my own way,” Mosher says. “However, the most satisfying way to do so, I have discovered, is anonymously. So, enough said."

Mosher lived in a lot of places growing up.  “As a youth, I attended fourteen different schools in Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City,” he says. “From the time I was seven until I was fourteen, we lived in Montreal in the upper part of a coach house  -a converted garage, really-  in an alleyway between Lincoln Avenue and Saint Luc (what is now called de Maisonneuve) between Fort and Chomedey. Being several blocks from the old Forum, those were the happiest years of my young urban life. John Little, the painter, was our downstairs neighbour, and I have included a sketch he did of our funky little building at the time.That’s me directing the neighbourhood hockey game below from the upstairs right-hand window. My parents, Jack and Norma (in respective windows) always tried to get me out of the city for a period of time during summers and sent me to a series of camps, Kanawana being my favourite. I attended Victoria School, King's School and Westmount Junior High during that period. I moved back to Montreal from Quebec City when I was twenty-two, and, despite periods of time abroad, I have been here ever since.”

Pip  was one  the leaders on the committee that built the Montreal West Arena and pool. “Like many of the greatest generation, my father did not seek the limelight for the things he did,” Andrew says. “ His grandson, James was very much that sort of person, and he wanted to have an award at camp that recognized those attributes of his grandfather.  So, not long before he died, we agreed the ‘Pip’ award should recognize people who are exceptional, but who make their contributions in the spirit of Non Nobis Solum.   When James died, it made sense to make the award in both their memories.”

James was a former Canadian Forces peacekeeper with a taste for adventure who did a tour of duty in Bosnia and performed tsunami-relief work in India. Ten years ago he was overcome by altitude sickness in Bolivia and died. He was only 32. His tremendous life story is told beautifully in this article. 

YMCA Kanawana has been contributing to the well‐being and success of hundreds of youth ages 7 to 20 for over 120 years. Children are invited to take part in a safe and unique outdoor experience while learning about the environment and sustainable development.   Established in 1894, YMCA Kanawana was the first summer residential camp in Quebec. It is accredited by the Association des camp du Québec and is a founding member of the Association. For more information, visit ymcakanawana.com.

Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz leaving Baily Shul for prestigious post in New York City

Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, who has served for 19 years as spiritual leader of Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem Congregation on Baily Road, will be leaving Montreal towards the end of the fall for a prestigious position in New York City.

As a friend, congregant and huge admirer of Rabbi Steinmetz, I write this story with a heavy heart. He is one in a million, one of the nicest and most compassionate individuals you will ever meet. During his nearly two decades here, he has made his mark not only at TBDJ but in the community at large. He assumed many leadership posts in the community and was never afraid to speak up on controversial issues. Articulate as they come, his sermons were always “must listen to” experiences. He came here with his wife Lisa Schwartz from New York. Together they raised their four children and adopted Montreal as their home. It was unthinkable that he would ever leave. Like many others, I joined TBDJ specifically because of Rabbi Steinmetz.

Rabbi Steinmetz

In everyone’s life there comes a challenge you cannot pass up. That is what happened to Rabbi Steinmetz when was offered the position of senior Rabbi of Kehilath Jeshurun, a distinguished and historic synagogue on Manhattan's Upper East Side. He will be succeeding one of the great leaders of the North American rabbinate, Rabbi Haskel Lookstein. “This appointment is both a great privilege and a great responsibility, and offers me the possibility of beginning a meaningful new chapter in my career,” he wrote to congregants.

Rabbi Steinmetz joined TBDJ in September 1996. Prior to that, he served congregations in Mount Vernon, New York, and Jersey City, New Jersey.He received his ordination from Yeshiva University, where he was a fellow of the elite Gruss Kollel Elyon. He has a M.A. in Jewish Philosophy from the Bernard Revel Graduate School, and a M.A. in Education from Adelphi University. He has completed Leadership Education and Development (L.E.A.D.) and Meorot Rabbinic fellowships. His articles have appeared in the Canadian Jewish News, The Gazette, The Suburban, the  Toronto Star and La Presse, as well as the The Jerusalem Post and the Forward and many other publications.. He also has an online blog of articles “The Happiness Warrior,” which is frequently updated.

Rabbi Steinmetz is the Past President of the Montreal Board of Rabbis, Past President of the Rabbinical Council of Canada, and past Vice President of the Quebec Region of the Canadian Jewish Congress, a has been a member of the executive of Quebec Israel Committee (QIC) and Hillel-Jewish Students Center of Montreal. 

“TBDJ has been an exceptional home for Lisa, myself and our family, and it has been a wonderful place to be a Rabbi,” he said.  “Deciding to leave was difficult, not just on a personal level, but on a professional level, because our synagogue is now so strong and dynamic. We have an exceptional president and lay leadership team, dedicated staff, and the nicest members in all of Canada. To leave all this was difficult; and to leave a comfortable home is risky, and we know it. But as someone once said ‘in the end, what we regret most are the chances we never took.’ For us, it was time to take on the challenge of a new shlichut, a new mission.”

 TBDJ president Judah Aspler said the very difficult task of finding a successor for Rabbi Steinmetz has already begun. “ Rabbi Steinmetz will be with us through the holidays, and we’ll soon share more detail regarding the exact date of transition and various ‘farewell activities’ that will be scheduled,” he said. “With regards to the future of TBDJ, it is bright. We are in a great position to maintain our growth, and will do our utmost not to miss a beat in terms of programming, services, and the strengthening of our institution and community. This includes the immediate initiation of a search process for our next Rabbi. We have already begun the formation of a search committee, along with defining the goals and parameters of our search.  

Neil Patrick Harris adds true star power to Just For Laughs galas

I caught the first of four Just For Laughs galas Monday night at the Place des Arts, hosted by superstar Neil Patrick Harris. He was essentially the ringmaster for what was called Circus Awesomeaus. Once again the folks at JFL came up with a pretty novel way to close out another successful celebration of comedy.

The star of the show, NPH.

Harris has hosted 10 televised awards shows over the past few years. Only a few months ago he was front and centre in Hollywood at the Academy Awards. Fast forward to Montreal, a city where he has shot a number of movies, and he did not disappoint as the common thread for a variety show which included a singing clown, a sword swallower, a magician/illusionist, an acrobat, a “little person” stand up comic and a female comic who would be better suited for the Nasty Show.

Local comic Ryan Willner opened things up with a great cross promotion for sponsor Air Canada.  Two spectators, Phillip and Carolina, were upgraded from their balcony seats to front row centre. They each got $250 AC gift cards and a chance to go back stage after the show. Following a short highlight reel of previous gala shows, Puddles the Clown made his way into the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, walked down a few rows and introduced Neil Patrick Harris.  This was one of those “feel good” moments as the capacity crowd of some 3,000 rose to their feet and gave him a loud and lengthy standing ovation. Since this was being taped for airing on a future CBC broadcast,  it made for a great TV moment.

“Montreal is my favorite city in all of Canada,” he said, “and I’ve been to Edmonton.”

Harris spoke about how exciting this past year has been for him. “I played a flamboyant transgender punk rocker in Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway, then I did something rash and I hosted the Oscars…then I got married,” he said.

Harris made several jokes related  to his sexual orientation, first praising Canada for marking the 10th anniversary since legislation was adopted legalizing same sex marriage. The United States only followed suit recently.  “America’s future is looking more like Canada’s past,” he said.

A funny bit had Harris promising to read the minds  of some audience members. Two pretty women came on stage with a large case. Inside were sealed envelopes.  His first question was to a man near the front, asking if they had ever met before. The man said “no.” Harris then showcased a small board with the word “no,” on it. He then asked a woman in the crowd who her favorite actor ever was. Her response was Red Skelton. Harris promptly displayed the photo of a baby. “Red Skelton at nine months old,” he quipped.

This might not have been up there with his performances at the Tonys or the Oscars, but I got the feeling that just about everyone in the room was so excited to see him live and in person he could just as well have sat there playing solitaire. 

Sammy J and Randy were the first acts to perform. Sammy (Sam McMillan) is an Australian musical comedian and writer who embraces a variety of media in his comedy, including the use of video and self-composed music. Randy is a purple puppet voiced by  Heath McIvor. They were quite funny.

Harris then brought someone out in a wheelchair, outfitted in a straightjacket. It was sword swallower and self confessed professional weird person Brett Loudermilk, who made everyone feel just a little bit uncomfortable.

Next came the true hit of the night – little person Brad Williams,  whom I would go back and see solo any day of the week.  A California native, he started doing stand-up at age 19 and has been touring ever since. He has appeared on numerous TV shows including Legit, Deadbeat, Dave Attell’s Comedy Underground, Sam and Cat, Live at Gotham, the Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Mind Of Mencia, and Pitboss. The late Robin Williams called him “Prozac with a head.” Brad’s ability to make humorous observations on disability, relationships, sex, and race are winning over audiences and proving that anyone can overcome their shortcomings. He joked about walking into a children’s hospital. A young kid ran up to him and said, “don’t worry, they will fix you.” One of his funniest lines was about the looks he gets at the grocery store when he buys Lucky Charms cereal (known  for their leprechauns).

Magician/illusionist Ed Alonzo got some giggles with his bit – swallowing a balloon, followed by some funny sound effects and then having it come out of his rear end. According to what I read on the web, Harris referred to Alonzo as his “best friend” during a 2008 interview on the Craig Ferguson Show. Harris asked for volunteers, as he was told by Alonzo to saw a woman in half. One lady obliged. When the deed was done, her upper torso was transported off stage to which Harris asked “What am I supposed to do with the bottom half of a woman?”   

Someone introduced only as Beardyman came on stage. He created some impressive sound effects with his mouth, from music to a baby talking. Harris then came forward with a fish bowl. Inside people made up the titles for some songs such as “My second boyfriend left me,” to “How did my daughter get lice again?” The bearded man turned these words into pretty good songs.

Acrobat Hugo Desmarais was not only impressive in his aerial cage, but when he seemed to have finished his act he signalled to Harris to come forward and together they flew through the air- a pretty impressive, but risky move for the very successful and wealthy Harris. One bad move and his career would have been mush. Referring to the handsome Desmarais, Harris shouted out, “I love my husband David! I love my husband David!”

What would a circus be like without a juggler. Nicolas Fontaine fulfilled that role

I am not sure anyone in the audience was ready for profanity laced Bridget Everett, a singer, comedian, actor and writer who performs regularly in New York City.   A plus size woman wearing an outfit which showed a lot of her anatomy, she went into the audience and actually convinced some men and women to repeat some very racy language.  Check her out in the new Amy Schumer movie Trainwreck

As the show drew to a close, Harris finally consented to give Puddles  The Clown the stage. Puddles belted out a pretty good rendition of the theme song from Titanic. As he concluded, a makeshift boat with the name “Titanic” written on the side containing Harris and  the evening’s performers appeared on stage. No question about it. This ended things off on a high.

The Titanic finale.

There are still some tickets left for the Tuesday, July 28 shows. Go to www.hahaha.com to do so.

Soleil d'Espagne – Vies et poésies de Lorca to kick off Laval cultural festival August 1

August will be an exciting month in Laval as Quebec’s third largest city marks its 50^th anniversary.

On August 1, the Maison des arts de Laval (1395 Concord Boulevard West) will kick off a unique array of summer programming under the theme Suburbs vs. The World. The former is actually a visual arts exhibition where multiple artists will express their views on the suburbs while the latter will be composed of a series of world music concerts, offered for free on the terrasse of the Maison des arts. Many artists from around the world will be performing traditional music on every Thursday and Sunday in August.  Opening night will feature Soleil d’Espagne - vies et poésies de Lorca (pictured above), with well known singer Richard Desjardins, vi violinist Alexandre Da Costa and guitar player Alexandre Éthier.

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For The Suburbs programming, guest artists will include Gwenael Bélanger, Stephanie Beaulieu, Andrée-Anne Carrier, Stéphanie Chalut, Kim Dorland, Hillerbrand & Magsamen, Emmanuelle Jacques, Labspace studio, Lagrange Emmanuel Paquet, Eric Lamontagne, Pierre Laroche, Laurent Lévesque, Anna Jane McIntyre, OBV, Jacinthe Robillard  and Michel Saulnier,  Invited authors are Simon Boulerice, Sébastien Dulude, Stéphane Larue, Bertrand Laverdure, Stuart Ross, Hector Ruiz and  Marie-Hélène Buckwheat.

 As for the music, eight free concerts are scheduled in a 5 a 7 format for Thursdays and Sunday afternoons in the privacy of an urban garden. Popular Quebec actress and singer Geneviève Néron, will serve as emcee. Guest artists slated to appear are Bomata Paul Deslauriers and Khurshid Anwar, Kabakuwo Ismail Fencioglu and Fenci's Ensemble, Kumbia Gypsy Orchestra, and Habana Café and Willie Rios,   In case of rain, concerts will be moved  indoors.

Log on to www.sortiesculturelles2015.laval.ca for more information. The Maison des arts de Laval is accessible via the Montmorency Metro. 

Montrealers Nic and Sabrina continue to thrive on Amazing Race Canada

Montreal couple Nic La Monaca, 22, of Anjou and Sabrina Mercuri, 32, of Lachine had another strong showing on  CTV's The Amazing Race Canada this week while Vancouver co-workers Susan Hayre and Sharnjit Gill became the second team eliminated.

Engaged couple Hamilton and Michaelia used their Express Pass to win the leg in Santiago, Chile, earning them premium economy tickets from Air Canada to Delhi, India, plus six months of free gas from Petro-Canada. Nic and Sabrina used their multilingual talents and ability to converse in Spanish to their advantage and came in fourth place.

For  Susan and Sharnjit, the most recent episode was an emotional one. The Vancouver-based correctional officers quickly found themselves in last place after losing their bearings during a mural road block in Santiago, Chile. They became the second team eliminated at the Pit Stop at one of the best views of the city, beautiful Cerro San Cristobal.

“This was the most amazing experience ever,” said Susan. “Today was just a day that we will take back home and never forget.” 

“I just hope we made our kids proud,” added Sharnjit. “I want our kids to look at this and say ‘yep, that’s my mom’ and ‘yep, that’s my aunt – and they did it.’” 

From the Pit Start in Toronto, 11 teams travelled more than 8,600 km to Santiago, Chile in hopes of winning two Express Passes. Once in Chile, teams travelled to the Geoaventura Parque for their first Road Block, a paragliding challenge. Teams then made their way to the San Miguel borough, where they took selfies in front of five murals spread throughout the neighbourhood. For the second part of the challenge, teams helped local children paint a mural. Hamilton and Michaelia successfully found a dancing couple in the Bellavista neighbourhood, earning them two Express Passes. Then, at the Detour, teams chose between learning a difficult dance routine or memorizing and reciting verses of a Spanish poem. Hamilton and Michaelia decided to use their Express Pass early, skipping the Detour, and ultimately winning the leg. Host Jon Montgomery greeted them at the Pit Stop in Cerro San Cristobal with their leg prize – premium economy tickets from Air Canada to Delhi, India, plus six months of free gas from Petro Canada™.

Next week teams race to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where racers begin at the Plaza Canada Totem Pole, before getting tripped up on the field in a game of blind soccer. That just happens to be Nic's sport. He has played professional in Italy and currently coaches an elite soccer club in Laval. Of course he does all this with his eyes wide open.

The episode will encore this Saturday, July 18 at 7 p.m. ET/PT and Sunday, July 19 at 5 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO – and is also now available on demand at CTV GO. All-new episodes  air Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CTV and CTV GO. CraveTV™ subscribers can stream new Season 3 episodes a week after the broadcast premiere. Previous seasons are also currently streaming on CraveTV.
 

Nic and Sabrina in the heat of the action.

Besides Nic and Sabrina and Hamilton and Michaelia from Centreville, NS, the 10 remaining teams competing for the biggest grand prize in Canadian television history are:

• Brent and Sean – Brothers –       Musquodoboit Harbour, N.S.
• Brian and Cynthia – Married – Winnipeg
• Dana and Amanda – Co-workers – St. John’s, N.L.
• Dujean and Leilani – Exes – Toronto and Halifax, N.S.
• Gino and Jesse – Brothers – Hamilton  
• Neil and Kristin – Father and daughter – Burlington, Ont.
• Nick and Matt – Wrestling Teammates – Newmarket, Ont. and Stouffville, Ont. 
• Simi and Ope – Father and daughter – Burnaby, B.C. 

Cheryl Besner to spice up Just For Laughs Relationship Show

In the early years of the Just For Laughs Festival I always had the Relationship Show on my radar screen. It was just one of the innovative themes Andy Nulman, Bruce Hills and their team thought up to go with the Nasty Show, the Bar Mitzvah Show, later the Ethnic Show and much more.

The 2015 edition takes place on July 21 and 22 at Metropolis with story tellers  Brent Morin, Orny Adams, Debra DiGiovanni, Tom Papa and host Jim Breuer banding together to recount everything from their most cringe-worthy dating experiences, to the highs and woes of marriage, to the inevitably hilarious moments that come with raising a family.  

Now enter Cheryl Besner and her popular weekly "relationship" show on CJAD called Solo in the City. On July 21 at the Quartier des Spectacles next to Place des Arts and close by Metropolis. Solo in the City and Just for Laughs will take the Relationship Show to the next level, with a night of schmoozing, speed-dating and laughter.

Cheryl Besner

JFL and Solo, along with many of Montreal’s matchmaking and dating companies, will welcome solos (and couples too!) to a 5à7 featuring a meet-and-greet with Relationship Show comedians, a round of live speed-dating featuring some of those comedians and a host of fun activities to tickle your funny bones, and maybe some other bones too.Some lucky audience members will even land a date with an eligible comedian – but they’ll have to let everyone in the Quartier de Spectacles VIP tent watch!

Guests will also be part of a Solo in the City Radio taping and will weigh in on the issue of the week during a round table discussion: Why laughter is an essential part of any relationship. Solo in the City takes a multifaceted approach to meeting new friends and potential partners. Besner, one of Montreal’s top socialists, a certified dating coach and motivational speaker, aims to take the pressure out of awkward blind dates by simply connecting Montrealers on a human level first, through events or designated meetup locations across the city.

Besner's motto is simple:  encourage singles to be, above all, sociable in order to  maximize their chances of making new friends and eventually finding love. The platform features weekly event listings, a dating app, blogs and content geared toward Montrealers looking for love. Solo in the City Radio airs on CJAD 800 on Saturdays at 10 pm and episodes are available on SolointheCity.tv as a podcast. 

Guests will  receive a 15 percent discount for The Relationship Shows by using a custom promo code for each dating company to help promote the community of Montreal to… Get up, Get out and Get Social!

For ticket information on the Relationship Show and others go to www.hahaha.com.

Nic and Sabrina survive week one in The Amazing Race Canada

Dating Couple Max and Elias were the first team eliminated in the Season 3 premiere of CTV’s  The Amazing Race Canada, seen by more than two million viewers.

It did not look good at the beginning for the only Montreal  team, couple  Nic La Monaca, 22, of Anjou and Sabrina Mercuri, 32, of Lachine. The 12 teams gathered at the foot of the historic Château Frontenac Hotel in Québec City. After heading to Quay 22 in Québec’s harbour for their first clue, teams had to search through hundreds of bikes to find the one that their combination unlocked, and take a ferry across the St. Lawrence River to the town of Lévis, before departing for Toronto.  Nic and Sabrina were virtually last in this competition. But they caught up with the rest of the gang as the teams headed towards Toronto on two separate flights.

Teams encountered a word scramble challenge inside the St. Lawrence Market, tested their broadcasting chops with TSN’s James Duthie on the set of Sports Centre , and then made their way to Ontario Place where they competed in a three-part water obstacle course.  Sabrina was a little hesitant on that one.

Brothers Gino and Jesse Montani arrived first at the Air Canada Centre, winning the first leg of Season three.  Nic and Sabrina ended up second. 

Host Jon Montgomery greeted them at the Pit Stop with their leg prize – two round-trip tickets from Air Canada to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and 2.5 million Petro-Points each from Petro-Canada, redeemable for six months of free gas.  Next Wednesday, July 15, teams break out their passports and race to exotic Santiago, Chile, where tensions run high and communication with the locals proves to be a challenge.

"It's as amazing as it looks!" Nic and Sabrina tweeted @Nic_SabrinaTARC. "And 1000x more stressful than 1 can imagine!"