Catch Me If You Can, The Musical run extended

Catch Me If You Can, The Musical has been extended based on popular demand. Jamie Orchard did a wonderful interview with Brandon Schwartz and myself on Global's Focus Montreal.  Brandon also appeared on the Barry Morgan Show on CJAD with our director Anisa Cameron, and will appear on Breakfast Television this Friday at 7:40 a.m.

Arts writer Heather Solomon says: "Catch Me If You Can is polished, non-stop entertainment with a gripping story and a top-flight band. Brandon Schwartz is astonishing." 

Stuart Nulman of the Montreal Times says: "Briskly paced with an energetic cast and the qualities of a major Broadway production."

Cecile Klein celebrating her 107th birthday with daughter Harriet Nussbaum, and cast members Mitchell Brownstein, Roger Strong; Brandon Schwartz, Frank Abagnale Jr.; Jason Szwimer, Agent Abbot; Craig Dalley, Agent Branton; and Mike Melino, Agent Carl Hanratty

In other news, Cecile Klein celebrated her 107th birthday at the matinee show on Sunday June 15th. Cecile is a regular at our shows and even attended our show last year at Wagar High School, where she easily climbed three flights of stairs to enjoy Fiddler on the Roof. The Cote Saint Luc Dramatic Society and the City of Cote Saint Luc wish her many more years of health and happiness and look forward to seeing her at future performances.

Shows are selling out fast.  Click here to select tickets.  If none are available for the show you wish to attend please come to the door at 5801 Cavendish, Harold Greenspon auditorium at City Hall one half hour prior to the show start time and unassigned seating tickets will be sold on a limited basis.

A week of remembrance: Victory in Europe Day and Yom Hashoah

Sunday, April 27th marked Côte Saint-Luc's annual Victory in Europe (VE  Day) remembrance at Veteran’s Park and City Hall.  The annual Yom Hashoah commemoration took place that evening at Cote Saint Luc's  Tifereth Beth David Jerusalem Congregation.  On Monday morning, April 28th I attended the Yom Hashoah commemoration at Montreal City Hall organized by B'nai Brith Canada Executive Director Harvey Levine and in the presence of Mayor Denis Codere, David Birenbaum, MNA and many other politicians and dignitaries.

With Mayor Housefather , Councillor Nashen and

 Veterans Sidney Barnet and George Nashen at  the VE Day commemoration.

See The Suburban article for more details by clicking here

Lighting a memorial candle with Councillor Berku at Montreal City Hall

Click here for more news on these events from Mike Cohen's blog

Click here for Glenn J. Nashen's informative video on Yom Hashoah

Click here for Glenn's excellent audio and video reports of the VE Day event.

Election results reaffirm Cote Saint Luc is the best place in the world to live.

CELEBRATING THE ELECTION WIN WITH MY DEMERGER CO-CHAIRS ANTHONY HOUSEFATHER, GLENN NASHEN AND RUTH KOVAC

I have always believed that the suburban city of Cote Saint Luc is the best place in the world to live.  We benefit from being part of the beautiful metropolis of Montreal, in the only province in Canada with a European flavour, in an internationally respected leading federal democracy with one of the highest qualities of life in the world.   I have been sending that message since first elected to Council in 1990, passing resolutions on Canadian Unity and the Charlottetown Accord in 1992, joining a Raise the Flag grass roots organization in 1993, followed by resolutions to remain a part of Canada in 1996 and speaking out against the most recent PQ Charter of Values in 2013.

I continue to tell my children, friends and relatives how lucky we are to live here and that as time goes on, Quebecers of all backgrounds are learning to appreciate all the benefits that exist right here in our community.  Where else can you live in a city like Cote Saint Luc with one of the best recreation, library, and emergency services, while at the same time being minutes from downtown Montreal, an hour from the lakes and mountains of the Laurentians and our United States border communities?  Where else can you find real estate whether housing or rental apartments of the calibre offered here at affordable rates? Where else can you have access to learning two languages with ease and run a business at affordable cost? As a Canadian Immigration attorney I only truly feel at home after travelling to Asia, Africa or Europe, when my final flight takes me from Vancouver or Toronto to my home right here where my family has now lived for four generations.

It is important to note that the 18 to 24 years old voters in this election voted 2 to 1 against the Parti Quebecois indicating a bright future for a strong Quebec within Canada.  Based on popular vote the Liberals received 41.5%, the CAQ 23%, the PQ 25% and the Quebec Solidaire 7.5% which indicates that if a referendum were held today approximately 65% of voters would vote to remain a part of Canada. There is a clear movement by young French Quebecers to become members of our global community and the old view of being insular is no longer attractive to our youth.  Although some soft separatists may like the idea of an independent Quebec, they do not want to deal with the issues of constitutional reform, borders, currency, passports or other issues that may effect their quality of life as it is today.  Their concerns are the economy and jobs and they feel comfortable in Quebec, Canada and in the global community at large.  Our future is bright.

Politicians, Mayors and City Councillors endorse Anthony Housefather for candidate of the Liberal Party of Canada

On Friday, March 14, 2014 Anthony Housefather held a press conference to officially announce his candidacy for Member of Parliament for the Liberal Party of Canada for the riding of Mount Royal. All eight Councillors for the City of Cote Saint Luc including myself, Mike Cohen, Steven Erdelyi, Alan Levine, Dida Berku, Glenn Nashen, Ruth Kovac and Sam Goldbloom showed our support for Anthony's candidacy.

Anthony Housefather	Mitchell Brownstein

Also present or sending a letter of endorsement were Lawrence Bergman, Member of the National Assembly for D’Arcy McGee, Philippe Roy, Mayor of Town of Mount Royal, Peter Trent, Mayor of Westmount, Benny Masella, Mayor of Montreal West, Bill Steinberg, Mayor of Hampstead, Jack Edery, Warren Budning, Leon Elfassy, Michael Goldwax, and Karen Zajdman, Councillors for the Town of Hampstead, Elizabeth Ulin, Councillor for the Town of Montreal West, Syd Wise, Angela Mancini and Marvin Helfenbaum, Commissioners for the English Montreal School Board.

Peter Trent	Philippe Roy	Sid Wise

I have known Anthony for more than the twenty years he has served as a City Councillor and Mayor. At the age of twenty-four he was first elected as a City Councillor for the City of Hampstead and not only did he serve his residents well, but he was a leader and an inspiration for many Mayors and Councillors to take stands on issues of Canadian Unity.  It was thanks to his involvement in a unity initiative that I presented, in November of 1996, the first of many Canadian Unity Resolutions in Cote Saint Luc.

Canadian Unity Initiative 1996

When Anthony was a City Councillor for the Borough  of Hampstead, Cote Saint Luc, Montreal West during the merger years and the Liberal Charest government gave municipalities the right to hold referendums on demerger, he stood by his promise to fight for demerger and I was honored to serve with him and Councillors Glenn Nashen and Ruth Kovac as co-chairs of the Cote Saint Luc Demerger Committee. He was also a member of the Hampstead Demerger Committee and a leader for all suburban municipalities during the demerger effort.

Anthony was elected as Mayor of Cote Saint Luc in 2005 and this is his third term in office. His accomplishments include the building of an Aquatic and Community Centre, saving our Emergency Medical Services, keeping Police Station 9 in Cote Saint Luc, spearheading environmental initiatives including composting and urban agriculture, and creating new programming in competitive swimming and theatre with the Cote Saint Luc Dramatic Society, to name but a few.  The Cavendish Mall redevelopment project as well as the townhouse projects that are being built in the city are a testament to the many young families that continue to move to Cote Saint Luc thanks to his leadership.

Anthony is a team builder and leader by example.  He participates in our programs including the masters swim team  and the dramatic society.  He won seven medals at this past summers Macabia games. Anthony not only inspires each Councillor to pursue our passions, but when we disagree he finds solutions and builds consensus that results in our ability to move forward and contribute in a positive way to our community.

Based on his twenty years of political experience, his extensive business experience as Vice-President of a multi-national corporation, Dialogic and his reputation of integrity and a defender of minority rights, Anthony is a star candidate for the Liberal party of Canada and will serve our country well.

Interfaith Celebration against Bill 60, Quebec's Charter of Values

Canadians for Coexistence presents "Interfaith Celebration" Sunday March 9, 2014

Reverend Darryl Gray, Ron Silverstone, President & Rabbi  Alan Bright, Shaare Zedek congregation, Bishop Thomas Dowd, Iman Azeddine Hmimssa, Hindu Priest Ramnaraine P. Tiwari Balbahadur,   Norman Simon, Mayor Anthony Housefather, Father John Walsh

On Sunday, March 9th I had the pleasure of attending an interfaith event opposing Bill 60, Quebec's Charter of Values.

Anthony Housefather wearing a kippah adorned with fleur de lys symbols, spoke of the inherent dangers of Bill 60, stating that the law would place the French language above freedom of expression, that the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms would be amended to place secularism above freedom of religion and that municipalities, and boards will have to pass a resolution within one year that they accept the values of Bill 60.  He emphatically stated that Cote Saint Luc will never pass such a resolution and that we would challenge the law vigorously before the courts.

Rabbi Lisa Grushcow, of the Temple Emanuel stated that everyone, whether religious or not has had moments in their lives where they have felt a connection to and received comfort from religion and that we must never allow the State to interfere with this most important freedom.

Bishop Thomas Dowd, auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Montreal, stated that this law provides a license for people to show intolerance and hate.

Iman Zijad Delic, Iman of South Nepean Muslim Community, came from Bosnia and then lived in Croatia, immigrated to Canada in 1995 after studying the benefits of immigration to the United States, Canada and Australia and chose Canada as the most open of countries.  He expressed how this law is the opposite of openness in so many ways and must be stopped.

Hindu Priest Pamnaraine P. Tiwari Balbahadur, of the Hindu Devotional Society, stated that not only is Bill 60 unconstitutional but it is wrong and sinful.  He further pointed out that the Federal soccer association recently ruled that turbans, kippahs and hijabs are allowed to be worn when playing socer and that if we can play together we can live together.

Darryl Grey stated that this law is reminiscent of the struggle for equality in the Black community. We are living in serious and dangerous times when we speak of justice and need security outside the place of worship where we congregate. He continued by stating that if government can tell us what to wear and how to wear it then we live in very serious times. He went on to say that just because a law is legal doesn't make it right and made reference to Hitler's laws and the segregation laws. He closed by saying that our leaders will not let us go. They will not let us leave Quebec as they will speak up on our behalf and insure that we all go to the polls to vote on April 7th

Rabbi Bright, of the Shaare Zedek congregation, stated that if you walk for just a few minutes in any major cosmopolitan city, you meet more people of different backgrounds than an 18th century anthropologist would meet in a lifetime.  He went on to point out that is the beauty of today's society. He closed by saying that we who had gathered there this day, must be a group a people who assembled for a certain purpose in order to create a team of builders to teach those who fear the stranger to love the stranger.

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