WRITER JEFF MAGUIRE REMEMBERS ME -- AND JOHN KENNETH GALBRAITH

The most pleasant surprises occasionally crop up when meandering though the Internet with the aid of my Google search engine.  Such was the case this past weekend when two names suddenly bounced out of my monitor screen -- Jeff Maguire and Dick Wright.  "What the heck (word to that affect)," I said in amazement. I remembered Jeff Maguire as a young reporter at the St. Thomas Times-Journal during my time as City Editor. Quickly hitting on the link, what to my wondering eyes should appear but an Inside Ottawa Valley.com story Jeff had written several years ago, recalling an assignment I had given him to cover a speech by the famed John Kenneth Galbraith in 1971. I'll let Jeff pick up his story from here. He makes liberal and kind mentions of me.

Jeff Maguire has been writing for community
and daily newspapers in Ontario since 1971 and
 contributes regularly to Ottawa Valley. com
online news site. 

By Jeff Macguire
Carleton Place Almonte Canadian Gazette

...I had just joined the newsroom staff at the daily St. Thomas Times-Journal in St. Thomas, Ontario. St. Thomas, a city of some 40,000 south of London, is the centre of government for Elgin County, an elongated jurisdiction of some 1,840 square kilometres that hugs the north shore of Lake Erie between Fort Erie and Windsor.

It was 1971 and I was a wet-behind-the-ears reporter who had just moved to the larger daily newspaper from the smaller (twice-weekly) Wallaceburg News in the town of the same name between Sarnia and Chatham.

The city editor was a happy-go-lucky guy named Richard ‘Dick’ Wright. He is long retired and lives in Southampton, Ontario on Lake Huron.

Dick had connections to Chatham where my late mother Molly and my wife Kathleen (Kathy was my girlfriend in 1971) were both born. He took me under his wing and helped “protect me” from the managing editor an English expatriate who was, to say the least, not an easy man to work for.

One thing Dick did for fledgling reporters was make sure we got a square meal as often as possible. The best way to ensure that was to send us to lunch meetings held by the local service clubs. We covered the guest speaker’s address and got a free lunch.

On this particular day the managing editor had a great deal of interest in the St. Thomas Rotary Club’s weekly lunch meeting. That’s because the guest speaker was world-famous economist John Kenneth Galbraith.

The boss would have preferred a more senior staffer covered the Galbraith speech, but no one else was available that day. He had no choice but to send the rookie. Dick told him, “Jeff will do just fine.”

John Kenneth Galbraith

I didn’t need any added incentive. I was already familiar with Galbraith who, to this day nine years after his death, remains one of the most highly regarded economists in world history. He was a best-selling author. Galbraith penned nearly 50 books along with several novels and hundreds of essays. He authored a famous trilogy on economics ‘American Capitalism’ (written the year I was born), ‘The Affluent Society’ (1958) and ‘The New Industrial State’ which was released in 1967.

Galbraith earned degrees from the University of Toronto and the University of California, Berkeley before starting his teaching career at famous Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1934. Later he briefly taught at Princeton University in New Jersey. But his longest tenure as an educator was at Harvard where he was named Professor of Economics in 1949 and was a highly respected faculty member for half a century.

Galbraith was an active Democrat. He served in the administrations of four presidents including Franklin D. Roosevelt (during the critical Second World War years), as well as assisting Roosevelt’s successor Harry Truman and then serving in the Kennedy administration as well as working for Lyndon Johnson who succeeded the assassinated JFK.

Galbraith was the American ambassador to India during Kennedy’s all too brief tenure. The list of national and international awards the economist received is lengthy.

So, why was he speaking in St. Thomas, Ontario in 1971?

The answer is easy. Galbraith was born in nearby Iona Station in 1908. He grew up in Dunwich Township near the village of Dutton (now part of Dutton/Dunwich) in Elgin County. He attended a one-room school and later received his secondary school education in Dutton and St. Thomas.

Galbraith became an American citizen in 1937, the same year he married Catherine Merriam Atwater, a Radcliffe grad. The couple was married for 68 years until his death in April 2006 at age 97.

He never forgot his southwestern Ontario roots. That’s why he came to St. Thomas in 1971 at the invitation of the Rotary Club. His speech was not focused on his outstanding careers as an educator, author and political advisor to four American presidents. Instead he talked about his formative years. What it was like to grow up on the family farm in rural Dunwich Township. That’s all he wanted to talk about during the interview I did with him afterwards as well.

Galbraith was impressive physically – he was six foot, eight – but what I recall was his very kind demeanour while speaking with a young reporter. He had been interviewed countless times by scribes from the world’s largest newspapers. But his friendly smile and attitude immediately put me at ease.

In his 1963 book ‘The Scotch’ Galbraith, whose parents Archibald and Sarah were Canadians of Scottish descent, wrote about growing up in a part of Canada that was more Scottish than Scotland.

I remember him telling me how tight the community was – in every sense. The Scots of course are not only famous for their contributions to the world but also for their frugality. Galbraith laughed when he said his neighbours “were as tight as bark to a tree.”

In fact in ‘The Scotch’ he recounts the legend of one John “Codfish” McKillop of Dunwich Township. It is said that when McKillop died and was being lowered into the grave he lifted the lid of the coffin and handed out his clothes.

What I remember most about that long ago interview with the famous man was his obvious affection for the place where he was born, raised and attended school. He had such vivid and fond memories of those who were part of his early life. Despite his impressive career and status (he won countless awards and honours in his lifetime) he never forgot his upbringing and happy home life. That’s why I will never forget my interview with John Kenneth Galbraith.

In conclusion, I’m happy to say that my hard to please managing editor was silently satisfied with the story I produced for the T-J. Dick Wright was good enough to tell me that later!

AUNT ANNIE'S HISTORIC METIS HOME IN SOUTHAMPTON

Aunt Annie's House has been remodeled over the years.

There's a little nondescript cottage near the harbour in Southampton that I passed dozens of times without really noticing it. As a matter of fact, it took a good 15 years for me to finally realize the historical significance of "Annie's House", one of the oldest homes in Southampton, built even before the community was surveyed for a town.

Angelique “Aunt Annie” Longe, was a Métis woman born on the banks of the Saugeen River in 1844 and she lived in the home most of her life. As a girl she sailed the Lake Huron shore with her family in a ship packed with chickens, supplies and furs for trade.

Aunt Annie sitting in front of
her home, circa 1900.

Annie spoke English, French, Anishinaabemowin and Gaelic and her home at the harbour became the hub in the community for many of the local settlers, Metis and others who sought to speak in their native tongues. She was also often consulted on traditional medicine and served as a midwife, helping bring many Metis babies into the world. In later years she always left a candle burning in her front window as a symbol of protection for the Metis fisherman who braved the waves of the "Sweetwater Sea" (Lake Huron).

A spinster, Annie died in November, 1934. Her parents were Joseph Longe Jr. and Christine Plante.

The Saugeen Metis have lived at the mouth of the Saugeen River since the early 1800's. They were fur traders, mariners and fisherman and continue to live in the area to this day.

Likewise, Aunt Annie's House remains in the Longe family after more than 160 years and is available for rent during the summer months. 

Historic Saugeen Métis (HSM) are hosting their 10th Annual Rendezvous this weekend and the house will be open for very rare guided tours...I plan to be there to see what else I've been missing.

JAYS CARE FOUNDATION HELPS WITH WALPOLE ISLAND FIELD OF DREAMS

Walpole fans get a hug from B.J. Bird

I stumbled across the following story quite by accident and thought that I would re-publish it on Wrights Lane for the edification of some old friends from my hometown of Dresden who, like me, spent many summers on nearby Walpole Island. I remember in particular one summer in about 1948, playing baseball on pasture-like grounds frequented by wild horses. Toronto Blue Jays fans may be interested too in how our favorite baseball team is reaching out to the community at large.

A future Blue Jay?
The stuff dreams are made of.

Up until last year, Lee Jacobs was embarrassed at the state of Walpole Island’s baseball diamonds on Austin Road. A dedicated volunteer, Jacobs was trying to get organized baseball and softball going on Walpole Island, but the diamonds were close to being unplayable.

“We had unsafe fences, we had pond sand in the infields which just hold water,” Jacobs said. A couple of years ago, Jacobs was forced to cancel 48 home games due to having a field that was destroyed after every rain storm.

With a $140,000 assist from the the "Jays Care Foundation" -- which is the Toronto Blue Jays charitable arm -- as well as contributions from other local sponsors, such as Union Gas and South Kent Wind Farm, the diamonds are now in tip-top shape due to major repairs and rehabilitation. Jacobs and other volunteers had worked tirelessly over the previous couple of years in the effort to upgrade the two baseball diamonds.

“My biggest concern was always the kids,” Jacobs said.

When he started minor ball on Walpole Island almost 10 years ago, Jacobs started with two lackluster diamonds and one team. Walpole Island minor baseball now has five teams and two top-notch fields. Jacobs said he hopes that the organization can only grow, especially with a dedicated group of volunteers that take care of a lot of the work in keeping the organization running.

The new diamonds were on display for the first time last summer during Walpole Island’s National Aboriginal Day Solstice celebrations on June 21. It’s a well-worn cliche, but for Jacobs, it was a field of dreams, as hundreds of people from Walpole Island and neighouring First Nations communities came out to the refurbished baseball fields to take part in a baseball clinic held by the Blue Jays organization.

Jacobs said it was like Christmas morning, as he was excited to see the baseball diamonds get their time in the spotlight.

“I grew up in these diamonds. I played on these diamonds when I was six, seven years-old. Me and my friends would meet up here every day in the summer and we would play games…,” Jacobs said.

Along with a new canteen and washrooms, the fields have been improved, fencing has been added, as well as other improvements. Jacobs said more improvements are in the works, including fixing up a third ball field in the park.

Robert Witchel, executive director for the Jays Care Foundation, said while the majority of young players eventually leave baseball for other pursuits in life, the game teaches "resiliency about ourselves and how to be better people,” adding that the Jays foundation was impressed with the Walpole Island minor baseball minor baseball organization and how the older players helped out with the young players.

Along with the baseball clinic, the Blue Jays welcomed close to 300 Walpole Island residents to one of their home games last June to celebrate National Aboriginal Day.

A most commendable initiative by Canada's one and only major league baseball organization. Makes me even more proud to be a Blue Jays fan!

Members of the Walpole Island Minor Baseball Association gather at home plate for a photo with B.J. Bird, the Toronto Blue Jays' mascot.

BLAME OUR TRIBAL INSTINCTS FOR POLITICAL VEXACTION

"It is easier to be uncomplimentary and argumentative when you are sitting at a computer keyboard than it is when sitting/standing face to face with another individual. Politics in general bring out the worst in people and social media has become a vehicle for venting previously suppressed frustration, anger -- and, yes, even hatred indicative of man's inbred inhumanity to man. This despicable trend will continue as long as an ill-advised public keeps jumping from the frying pan to the fire by electing combative leaders of questionable character and backgrounds in protest to the perceived performance of incumbent governments. Otherwise, Heaven help us, the attack mode now prevalent in political discourse will continue to fester and divide otherwise decent people."

I posted the above comment on a friend's Facebook timeline earlier today in response to his understandable dislike for unsavory and personally insulting responses to a politically-oriented item he had recently generated.

As the political parade passes, the troubling spectacle plays itself out on television and social media every day. Those who gather choose their sides of the avenue. In so choosing, they self-segregate. Tribal affiliations are on display. It’s a natural human tendency, with deep roots in our evolutionary past.

According to Sharon Begley, writing about the Kurzban-Cosmides-Tooby jersey experiment in which team colors seem to overcome racial biases, [Kurzban’s] basketball-jersey experiment and others who have confirmed its results, suggest that humans do have brain circuits for classifying people — but according to whether they are likely to be an ally or an enemy.

As I say, politics brings out the worst in us by tapping into those tribal tendencies. Sure, trading barbs is better than trading bullets. We all know really nice people who participate in stinging or acrimonious exchanges online. Maybe we get so uptight that we do it ourselves.

How about the oft-repeated: "Justin Trudeau is a joke and so are the people who support him."

Here’s a nice headline from the U.S. that you might have seen: “5 Scientific Studies That Prove Republicans Are Stupid.”

Or how about: “Yes, Liberalism is a Mental Disorder.”

Here we have someone calling hundreds of millions of people stupid or crazy. Never mind that the country can’t be so easily divided into two teams. It’s a two party system in the U.S. and three parties in Canada. So in that good old democratic operating system (DOS) you have choices of app, which means choices of tribe.

I wondered if anyone else ever sees this subject from my lonely distance. In this vein, I found some relevant thoughts from the Cato Institute’s Trevor Burrus:

Like any other game, the rules create the attitudes and strategies of the players. Throw two brothers into the Colosseum for a gladiatorial fight to the death, and brotherly sentiment will quickly evaporate. Throw siblings, neighbors, or friends into a political world that increasingly controls our deepest values, and love and care are quickly traded for resentment.

But it gets even worse. The first-past-the-post rules of our democratic politics turn a continuum of possibilities into binary choices and thus imposes black-and-white thinking onto a world made mostly of grays. Teams (politicians), cheerleaders (pundits), and fans (voters) galvanize around an artificially schismatic world view.

And then our biases take over. Now that we’ve invented a problem — “which group of 50 percent +1 will control education for everyone?” — imposed a binary solution — “we will teach either creation or evolution” — and invented teams to rally around those solutions — “are you a science denier or a science supporter?” — our tribal and self-serving brains go to work assuring us that we are on the side of righteousness and truth.

The shrillest and most dogmatic pundits and politicians become the most popular, feeding our sense of righteousness like southern Baptist preachers.

This could have been yet another of those articles which end with a call for reasoned discourse or more tolerance. Plenty of those articles have been written, and I conclude that they don’t do much good. Our tribal brain burns hotter than any intellectual plea for tolerance.

I agree also with futurist and theorist Max Borders who says "Politics sucks and democracy is overrated."

"Politics — especially elections — creates a system that brings out the worst in people. It poisons relationships. It pulls us in as spectators who stand agog at a completely inauthentic show of national politics (over which we have virtually no power). We end up mostly ignoring the local issues over which we could have considerably more influence. As a consequence, an entire nation falls under a particular kind of spell," Borders went on to state in a Foundation of Economic Education article.
  
As like-minded Jeffrey Tucker writes, "We are encouraged to believe that we are running the system. So we flatter ourselves that our opinions matter. After all, it is we the voters who are in charge of building the regime under which we live. But look deeper and you discover a truth that is both terrifying and glorious: the building of the great society can’t be outsourced. It is up to you and me.

"The only people to whom our opinions matter are the pollsters with their robocalls and their wet index fingers held aloft, and the media who hold up mirrors so distorted we can barely recognize ourselves."

People are different. They are going to have differences of opinions, they’ll hold different values, and run in different circles. But we expect that our opinions, values and circles should extend to nations of multi-millions of people; by brute force if necessary. And until they do we’ll just get on Facebook and sock them in the face until they stay plastered.

On Election Day, the team with the red jerseys will pull on their side of the rope. The team with the blue jerseys will pull on their side of the rope. In the end, both will end up in the mud — because they’ve been standing in it all along.

It was ever thus...and evermore shall be!

Too bad.

I don't like it, but I accept political verbal warfare between sides as an unfortunate fact of life that I prefer to view from a safe distance, often with a hint of humor and devil's advocacy.

TRUE LOVE OVERLOOKS THE IMPERFECTIONS OF TIME

Oh God...here I go again, shedding melancholia induced tears.  I'm trying to get over that!

I have lately been throwing out and giving away things that are just taking up space in my life or are no longer of value to me, having outlived their usefulness. In that vain I was about to toss a small notepad in a garbage can today when, flipping through the pages, I came across the following in my rather sketchy hand writing:

"Physical attractiveness diminishes with age. Love sees the imperfections that come with time and turns them into reasons to love even more.  God bless those who are able to share the intimacy of that love over the years. Life can be lonely otherwise." 

I can't remember when I jotted down that note, nor why, but something must have struck a chord within me at the time...It certainly had special emotional impact for me as I read those words today.

All I can add to that notation now is: It (life) is lonely because you are left with no one to share your imperfections with...I really miss that kind of love!

It's not nice knowing that you are imperfect...and not having someone to say "It is okay, I love you anyway!"

Advise to self:  Enough talk about imperfections.  Throw them in the garbage can along with the notepad that has now served its purpose. Love yourself anyway!

THE UNIVERSE DID NOT LISTEN TO ROSANNE

Rosanne was constantly praying...about everything. God bless her soul!

At one point a few years ago when we were having difficulty making ends meet, she told me that she had been asking God for help with our finances and in view of our health limitations, she thought lottery tickets would ultimately be the answer to her prayers.

I suggested to Rosanne that asking for money specifically was a rather selfish prayer that God may not answer.  "Why not, instead, put out a positive message to the universe expressing thanks for the many blessings in our life coupled with a wish for fulfillment of specific personal needs  i.e. good health and happiness -- and one million dollars would be nice too," was my serious, but light-hearted advise.

"If you want, write out your message to the universe and read it aloud every day," I added further. "Nothing wrong in dreaming big, just remember to keep your thoughts focused and never stop believing."

I don't remember talking about the matter again, but it all came rushing back to me a couple of weeks after Rosanne's passing as I was tearfully clearing out our living room that over the course of the past 10 years had become a glorified hospital room. As I removed an assortment of medications and a telephone from the top shelf of a book cabinet that sat at Rosanne's elbow, adjacent to her lift chair, I noticed a slightly weathered note taped to the inside.

It read: 

"Universe...We are so ready 

& 

we thank you for all your blessings

$1,000,000.00 

please

Our love and thanks."

The poor dear girl had listened to me.  My unhealed heart exploded once again, along with fragile  emotions ever at the surface.

Sadly, the universe had not listened to Rosanne.

On impulse, a few days later, I purchased a $3 scratch-and-win ticket in her memory. I thought "maybe, just maybe..." The ticket, however, was not a winner.

That, too, is reality.

I honestly do not know what to do with the book cabinet and the note so hopefully taped to it. Should I let it go the way of all unfulfilled hopes and dreams? Perhaps!

FURTHER THOUGHTS ON "THE OTHERS AND US"

“---we have a national identity, we are proud of it, you come into this country you have to integrate, you have to learn our language, there is one law for everybody, right, and we will decide how many people come in.”

This may read like one of U.S. President Trump’s ubiquitous ranting tweets; or it might sound like an defiant utterance from some far-right American group. In fact, the speaker is a former leader of the Canadian Federal Liberal party, Michael Ignatieff (Globe & Mail, September 17, 2016).

To be fair, he was not referring to Canada, but to Central European nations like Hungary and Poland. His argument was that the best countermeasure against rampant populism which is growing in these countries is to acknowledge that these ethnically homogeneous states have a right to ensure the survival of a national identity. By contrast, in countries like Canada and the United States which are already multicultural, Ignatieff contends there is greater acceptance of immigrants from other cultures, including “---the idea that desperate people have a right to asylum---."

"While both nations celebrated the founding of their countries this past week, Ignatieff’s assumption may sound a bit naive," writes Bob Johnson in his frequent Saugeen Times column.  I referred to Bob in my previous Wrights Lane post (below) on the subject of "the other -- us and them."

Here is a further quote from Rev. Bob that grabbed my attention this weekend (and temporarily got my mind off myself): "As the world’s focus and widespread condemnation has been drawn to the US Southern border and the plight of those 2,500 children separated from their asylum-seeking parents, the battle lines become clearly drawn: the poignant plight of refugees and asylum-seekers balanced against the right of a nation to control its own borders. Trump is vigorously, albeit crudely, enforcing laws which were already on the books but seldom fully implemented under more cautious past presidencies.

"In Canada we now have our own leaky border. An estimated 27,000 undocumented border-crossers have entered our country since Donald trump became president in January, 2017 (Reuters) In the subsequent 18 months 135 have had their appeals for asylum rejected (CTV News, June 7/18)."

As we celebrated our 151st Birthday, how do Canadians feel about “the other,” especially those labeled as visible minorities who make up 22% of our population? One survey reassuringly found that about 65% believe that percentage is the right balance for Canada, 15% believe we need more diversity while 20% believe it is already too high (Probit Newsletter, June, 2018) The problem with these numbers is they make no distinction between visible minorities who have been citizens for generations and those who are newcomers, legally or not. And, of course, not all newcomers are members of visible minorities

A rather frightening American survey has noted that a third of its population believes that rising hostility over Trump’s immigration policies and the resultant public harassment of members of his administration is potentially leading to a “Second Civil War.” (Rasmussen survey reported in USA Today, June 28) United States Attorney-General Jeff Sessions wryly noted that many so-called liberals who oppose Trump’s planned wall, hypocritically live-in gated communities themselves, protected from outside “undesirables” by high fences. There is no doubt American public opinion is increasingly polarized.

In Canada, our own record concerning issues of race and diversity is far from perfect. In both nations, novel efforts are being initiated to respond to the challenge of endemic bigotry between groups. The recent “anti-bias training day” workshops initiated by Starbucks for its 1,000 North American franchises, including those in Canada, reflects this approach. Other corporations are currently running similar seminars and training sessions.

CBC Radio Noon recently featured anti-bias training as its phone-in theme. Eventually, I was able to decipher what the program’s guest was actually talking about. She was describing a type of bias or prejudice in which a person carries a negative assumption or predisposition toward the “other,” an attitude which is not based on facts. These attitudes then lead to acts of discrimination against that “other” person based on race, religion, ethnicity or whatever triggers the stereotype. I would go as far as suggesting that Canada may have to accept that some folks may remain stuck with holding negative biases, as long as they don’t make their public behaviors based on them.

It has been said that Canada is not so much a multicultural country as it is a multi-ethnic one. If this nation of diversity is going to avoid some pitfalls inherent in American society, we will need to continue along the path toward greater understanding of one another. Yet I oppose the trendy concept of “cultural competence” where we are expected to achieve deep knowledge of all our many “communities” which constitute Canada.

I go along with Bob Johnson in preferring the alternative term “cultural humility” where we approach “the other” with an attitude of openness and a desire to learn and change as needed . It is not just the majority group in Canada which needs to change and evolve. Minority communities are not above holding their own negative biases and stereotypes. We can all start by avoiding racist, ethnic and gender negative labelling.

By reducing stereotypes of all kinds we will be building bridges not barriers, between groups---between the other and us. And that was reason enough in 2018 to celebrate our Canada Day---together in our home and native land.

If only we could leave unsavory political bias out of the equation, just for once.

WE'RE ALL CANADIANS IN THIS COUNTRY, NOT US OR THEM

A fellow writer talks about his first experience with the "us and them" syndrome so familiar to all of us, by harking back to his early grade school days.

Along with several grade two classmates, he would eagerly escape his public school classroom promptly at 3:30 p.m.  Once off the property on one particular afternoon, the trio happened to meet a similar group of kids from a separate school occupying the same block. "We promptly began to taunt them with name-calling and childish threats. Being fewer in numbers and over-matched in physical size, they decided to ignore us and just keep walking," Bob Johnson recalls. "Eventually, after being unable to provoke our would-be adversaries, we lost interest. This was my first encounter with the other," he is quick to add with a degree of shame.

Ironically, a few years later, one of those same Catholic students played with my writer friend on a high school football team. The boys were no longer "others" in each other's eyes. That designation now became pinned on the opposing team with their hated green and white uniforms. It was a grudge match between "us and them."

How often in life have we all uttered the words "those other people" or pitted "us against them" in any number of ways?

Sociologists define “the other” as an 'out group', a collective who do not share our social identity. Conversely, we define our own identity in terms of not being one of them. As Canada celebrates its significant 150th birthday, it provides an appropriate opportunity to explore the question of how we have evolved as a nation to shape that identity.

Peter Russell, the eminent Canadian historian, appeared as Michael Enright’s guest a week ago on CBC Radio’s Sunday Edition. He is the author of Canada’s Odyssey (University of Toronto Press, 2017.) In this scholarly work, Professor Russell reminds his readers that Canada was founded on treaties among three, not two, equal peoples or nations---the “three pillars” with the third being our indigenous population.

Historically, French Canada has fought to achieve political power, not just recognition of its unique culture. As we celebrate our 150th Anniversary of Confederation, we have become more aware that Indian, Inuit and Metis peoples are increasingly demanding similar political power and autonomy. On that basis, Professor Russell describes Canada as not only a multicultural, but a multinational country.

Too often throughout our short history, each of these three founding nations has defined itself as being separate and distinct from “the other" two groups. In 1980 and 1995 deeply-rooted tensions boiled over around the two Quebec referenda to determine independence. Currently, similar tensions are fomenting over Indigenous land claims, oil pipelines and hunting and fishing rights. Can we continue to live together as one Canada while still respecting the uniqueness and partial autonomy of each of its three member nations?

That controversial tee pee now occupying a small corner of Parliament Hill over this celebratory weekend will remind us of the longstanding and unresolved place of the Indigenous nation---1.4 million in number, who live within Canada’s borders.

Writing in his weekly column, Ontario blogger James Shelley referred to the work of an American philosopher, Kwame Anthony Appiah, who presented the 2016 Reith Lecture Series. His topic centred on the “formation of identity”.

In his talks, Professor Appiah described how we can define who we are (identity,) typically based on any one of four factors:

CREED: Religious differences motivated my friend's much-regretted long-ago rudeness, in trying to diminish those Catholic boys. Historically, religion has done much worse; any student of European history can recall decades of warfare between Protestant and Roman Catholic countries, What would the story of Henry the Eighth be without his ongoing feud with the Pope, which ultimately led to the formation of the Church Of England?

In Canada, our religious differences have created recurring tensions, but not war. Once our nation moves beyond its current celebration, there will still remain the awkward question of maintaining a treaty-sanctioned, separate, parallel school system for one religious group, but not for any others.

CULTURE: It scarcely needs repeating that we live in a multicultural country, a nation of immigrants (apart from the Indigenous groups.) Each wave of newcomers has, in some measure, brought with them elements of their homeland culture along with their luggage. The dilemma we face is this: how much are we to respect these cultural distinctions, such as veiled faces, versus how much does the dominant culture encourage (insist on?) assimilation? Banning the abhorrent practice of female genital mutilation was an obvious and positive start.

COLOUR: Viewing persons of a different racial origin as “the other” has led to that overarching American division over slavery and now race relations. Racial profiling and excessive use of police “carding” are more subtle variations on this same theme. Canada’s legacy of Residential Schools reflected a determination by the dominant group to remove “the other” by making their children “more like us.”

COUNTRY: The most common form of defining “the other” has been in terms of nationality. In Newfoundland this weekend, Canada Day commemorations will take second place to the remembrance of the terrible First World War Battle Of Beaumont-Hamel. On that fateful morning in 1916, 800 lightly-armed men of the Newfoundland Regiment charged a well-fortified line of German defenders. Only 68 exhausted and shell-shocked Newfoundlanders returned uninjured.

Over the past 150 years, Canada has evolved into an economic powerhouse, taking its place among the world’s leading industrial nations. It routinely ranks among the most desirable countries in which to live. Its success has been fueled by a national identity, common and shared values.

Any lingering concept of “the other” must continue to give way to the idea of “one another.” We must, first of all, simply be Canadians...and not forget it!

FAREWELL TO A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN -- MY WIFE

On our wedding day, September 14,2002.

I never got to say goodbye to Rosanne...Sadly, at times like this you rarely do.

I left her alone to rest Sunday afternoon. I just didn't know that it would be a permanent rest. When I  attempted to awaken her some time later, she was already gone, seemingly peaceful in the reclining lift chair that she had been confined to for the past year...I'll never forgive myself for that!

Rosanne was simply a unique person, beautiful in so many ways.

I have never known anyone so sincerely kind, generous, loving, selfless, sensitive, loyal, responsible and painfully honest. She loved babies, her family, laughter, her God, any form of hamburger (a cheap date) and in later life dogs, especially her Lucy girl who predeceased her by only a few weeks. Best of all, I was unequivocally her "husband"...Nothing else mattered.

She had a distaste for injustice, cruelty, dishonesty -- and mushrooms.

It is for all those reasons, and more, that I loved her so much. I may never fully recover from losing her. There were just so many things we never got do do.  In the past 48 hours I am reminded of that every time I see other couples our age, out doing together what we should be doing, had not time run out for us. I suppose you could say that we more than made up for it in the time we had together, just the two of us, in the confines of our home with me looking after her to the best of my ability; content in the knowledge that at least we still had each other.

What concerns me most now is the void that will exist the rest of my days.  What do you do with the loss of purpose? What value is there in living just for yourself?...Guess I'll find out!

The following is Rosanne's death notice. It by no means does her justice.

Wright, Rosanne, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday June 24, 2018, she has taken her brave and loving spirit to another dimension, she was in her 71st year. Rosanne had fought multiple illnesses for an extended period with her devoted husband always at her side. Beloved wife of Richard "Dick" Wright of Southampton. Dear sister of John Krasnewych (Jane) of Scarborough; aunt of Paul (Laura), Ryan (Jen) and Sean (Megan) Krasnewych, all of the Toronto area; step-mother of Deborah Wright, Mississauga and Cynthia Wright-Rocha (Joe) of Bolton; step-grandmother of Alyssa Chaplin (Casey) of Guelph, Becky Koch (Corey) of Milton; Ryan, Joshua and Madison Rocha all of Bolton. Predeceased by her parents John and Micheline Krasnewych of Etobicoke and a son, Robert Webb. Cremation has taken place. Interment of ashes at a later date at St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Cemetery, Oakville, ON. Arrangements entrusted to the Eagleson Funeral Home, Southampton. Condolences may be forwarded to the family through www.eaglesonfuneralhome.com

WE ARE CONNECTED: SAUGEEN RIVER BRIDGE RENAMED

Saugeen Shores Mayor Mike Smith and Saugeen First Nation Chief Lester Anoquot
with the new signage ... "We are Connected"

On the shore of Lake Huron in Bruce County, two communities are working together to become more connected -- Saugeen First Nation and Southampton, Saugeen Shores.

Earlier this week, on "Indigenous People's Day", the two communities came together in an historic moment. Peoples gathered, from one side to the other, on the bridge that spans the Saugeen River between their communities to celebrate and officially give the bridge an Ojibway/English name, 'Zgaa-biig-ni-gan' ... "We Are Connected".

The vision was that of Southampton's G. C. Huston Public School Principal Dan Russell, where the student body is made almost equally of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.

Dan Russell, right, with drummer group.

Russell, who has been Principal at the little school for almost eight years, embraced the philosophy of the First Nations' Seven Grandfather's teachings and has worked to instill them not only in the school but throughout the communities.

He has made the teachings an integral part of the cultural learning and behavior in the school. Each month for more than a year, a classroom door was designed and painted by students to illustrate one of the teachings. In addition, the 'spirit' shirts worn by students and staff at the spirit assemblies list the teachings.

Although several names were considered, elder Rita Root put forward the name Zgaa-biig-ni-gan (We Are Connected). G. C. Huston students voted and the name was chosen.

Indigenous Peoples Day (Solstice), was actually a full day of celebration begining at dawn with the sunrise ceremony and lighting of the Sacred Fire and continued with a community breakfast and celebration at Saugeen's Wesley United Church courtyard. From the morning celebrations, everyone gathered at G. C. Huston Public School for lunch and a tour of the Grandfather Teaching doors before heading to the 'Bridge naming Ceremony' at the Saugeen River.

Good things are happening in our community, thanks to some good people -- and kids. It's taken a while!

With thanks to Sandy Lindsay,  Saugeen Times

BABIES TEACHING EMPATHY TO SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN

Roots of Empathy infant "teachers" in Grey Bruce. (Saugeen Times Photo)

Empathy: n. the ability to identify oneself mentally with a person or thing and so understand his or her feelings or its meaning.

Every once in a while a program comes along to give me a new lease on life and to reinforce the fact that the world is not such a bad place after all...and there is hope for future generations.

Such a program, "Roots of Empathy", recently caught my attention when it celebrated a dozen one-year-old babies for their part in teaching some very important life lessons to nearly 400 students from across Grey Bruce region over the past school year.  Quite an incredible accomplishment, when you stop to think about it.

Participating with their parents in the Roots of Empathy program, these babies, dubbed ‘tiny teachers’, helped children from Kindergarten to Grade 8 in 13 schools across Grey Bruce learn about expressing feelings, respect, inclusion, infant development and safety and the power of a loving bond between parent and child. A total of 17 infants and their parents took part in the pilot program.

Roots of Empathy is an international, evidence-based classroom program that has shown significant effect in reducing levels of aggression among schoolchildren by raising social/emotional competence and increasing empathy. The program is designed for children ages 5 to 13. In Canada, the program is delivered in English and French and reaches rural, urban, and remote communities including Indigenous communities. The program is also in New Zealand, the United States, the Republic of Ireland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, Germany, Switzerland and Costa Rica.

At the heart of the program are a neighborhood infants and parents who visit the classroom every three weeks over the school year. A trained Roots of Empathy Instructor coaches students to observe the baby’s development and to label the baby’s feelings. In this experiential learning, the baby is the “Teacher” and a lever, which the instructor uses to help children identify and reflect on their own feelings and the feelings of others.

Another excellent photo by Sandy Lindsay,
Saugeen Times.

This “emotional literacy” taught in the program lays the foundation for safer and more caring classrooms, where children are the “Changers”. They are more competent in understanding their own feelings and the feelings of others (empathy) and are therefore less likely to physically, psychologically and emotionally hurt each other through bullying and other cruelties.

In the Roots of Empathy program children learn how to challenge cruelty and injustice. Messages of social inclusion and activities that are consensus building contribute to a culture of caring that changes the tone of the classroom. The Instructor also visits before and after each family visit to prepare and reinforce teachings using a specialized lesson plan for each visit.

Research results from national and international evaluations of Roots of Empathy indicate significant reductions in aggression and increases in pro-social behaviour.

The cognitive aspect of empathy is perspective taking and the affective aspect is emotion. Roots of Empathy educates both the mind and the heart.

Empathy is a key ingredient to responsible citizenship and responsive parenting. Information on infant safety and development helps children to be more aware of issues of infant vulnerability such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Shaken Baby Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and second hand smoke. Observations of a loving parent-child relationship give children a model of responsible parenting.

The goals of the initiative are:

To foster the development of empathy
To develop emotional literacy
To reduce levels of bullying, aggression and violence, and promote children’s pro-social behaviours
To increase knowledge of human development, learning, and infant safety
To prepare students for responsible citizenship and responsive parenting

Catherine Talbot, International Liaison for Roots of Empathy acknowledged the efforts made by families, instructors and schools to make the program in Grey Bruce such a success locally including Bluewater District School Board, Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, and Bruce Grey Catholic District School Boards as well as community partners Keystone Child, Youth and Family Services and Kids & Us.

HOW TO PRESERVE NEWSPAPER RECORDS...THAT IS THE QUESTION

Historical societies and genealogists are increasingly disturbed over the loss of newspaper records and the difficulty of accessing what is left of them.

As local community and daily newspapers close across the country, their archives – and their stories of local politics, controversy and culture – are at risk. Community newspapers tell us a story of time and experience. They’ve got everything from the way we advertise products and services to editorials on timely social, political and economic issues. They really are an important commentary on life…But because a lot of newspapers are run as businesses, they don’t always reach out to an archive or a community group to take their records. 

The Local News Map, an online crowd-sourced map tracking changes in the availability of local news in communities across Canada, has documented about 207 local community and daily newspapers that have closed in 160 communities since 2008. "Community newspapers are an invaluable tool for the public, for academics and for journalists, as are their archives,” said April Lindgren, the map’s co-creator and principal investigator for the Local News Research Project at Ryerson University’s School of Journalism.

“We often go back and look at, for instance, what politicians said in the past and what was said during a debate in order to hold power accountable in the future or to understand why the present is the way it is.” Once a newspaper folds, its online presence usually follows suit.

Such was the case for What’s Up Muskoka, a community newspaper published in Ontario’s Muskoka region that was closed in January 2016 by its owner Postmedia Network Inc. The websites of both the newspaper and its sister news publication, Muskoka Magazine, have since been shuttered. And while physical print copies of What’s Up Muskoka can be found in the Bracebridge Public Library, its lack of online archive makes it difficult for anyone who does not live in the area to access.

The Moose Jaw Times-Herald, a 128-year-old Saskatchewan newspaper owned by Star News Publishing Inc., published its final print edition Dec. 7 and shuttered its website shortly after. The Moose Jaw Public library has expressed interest in preserving the paper’s archives, the paper’s publisher told a CBC reporter. These archives include paper and microfiche copies dating back to the Second World War.

If (a newspaper archive) is in the form of a physically printed and purchased paper that is on newsprint, then you have the long-term consideration that it is on very acidic, brittle paper. The original newsprint is very fragile for long-term storage. Preserving newspapers on microfilm is best, and digitizing the microfilm can make it easily accessible to researchers.

Unfortunately, these methods of preservation can prove too costly for many small-town libraries and museums. I don’t think there’s any archive or library in Canada that would refuse (physical copies of a newspaper), but the considerations, of course, are the costs associated. Cultural institutions and libraries do not necessarily have the budgets to be able to do this for every newspaper.

Concerns over the preservation of closed newspapers’ archives came to light most recently after a publication swap between media companies Postmedia and Torstar Corp. in late November. The transaction led to the closure of over 30 community and daily newspapers, mostly in Ontario. The folded papers’ websites began to disappear a few hours after their closures were announced, most redirecting readers to the site of the closest newspaper owned by the purchasing company.

For example, readers searching for an old story on the websites of the Kingston Heritage or the Frontenac Gazette, two Ontario community newspapers bought and subsequently closed by Postmedia, are now rerouted to The Kingston Whig-Standard, which is also owned by Postmedia.

When Postmedia and Torstar bought each other’s newspapers, they also acquired the archives. A spokesperson for Torstar said that the media company plans to import articles from the newspapers it bought and closed and place them on their other publications websites. A spokesperson for Postmedia said the company won’t import the online archives of the newspapers it bought and closed onto its news sites, although some articles from the defunct papers will still be available for purchase online through companies like Infomart and ProQuest.

For the public, they have to know very precisely what they are looking for in order to find them. The average person looking for context surrounding an issue is now not going to come across those articles. They’re too deeply buried.

Both Torstar and Postmedia say they are open to donating the physical print copies of the papers they bought and closed to libraries, universities, museums and other organizations, but neither company give a firm plan on how they’re going to do this.

JANN ARDEN'S VISIT WITH ALZHEIMERS MOTHER LEAVES HER FEELING A SENSE OF RELIEF

My Facebook friend Jann Arden (I'm old enough to be her father, but I love her just the same) posted the following on her timeline this past weekend and I was moved enough to share it with my Wrights Lane followers.  Jann has come a long way since learning of her mother's Alzheimers two years ago.

JANN ARDEN

WHEN I went to see my mother yesterday, I found her in the dining area with her new friends. She was having some soup and laughing about something one of the other ladies had said. She saw Midi first- and lit up, and then she saw me.
"Well for God's sake", she said as she always does. "It's you!"
"Ya, it's me!"

She turned to her pals and introduced me with an enthusiasm that was utterly heartwarming.
"This is my mom!", she said pointing at me. I didn't correct her. I just smiled and gave her a kiss.
"You're my mom too." She threw her head back and really thought that was something to celebrate.
"I am?"
"Yes, you're my mom too."
"Well, that's hard to believe!"
She was genuinely filled with the joy of a new discovery. It resonated with me like some kind of delicate song. I marveled at how happy she was over something so simple.
SOMETHING. SO. SIMPLE.
It's so easy to lose sight of what really, truly makes us happy. What gives us serenity and satisfaction and an over all sense of well being. We all just want to feel secure and comfortable.
It doesn't matter how much money you have or what dream job you have or how other people perceive your life to be. Things don't matter-stuff is just that, temporary and disposable,- but the way your brain works and how that delicate balance of chemicals makes you FEEL- is pretty much everything.
I am learning from my mother that I have to keep moving. That my life is not static and that sadness and anxiety and worry and doubt are not static things either. They change and morph into glad things and easy things and happy things JUST as easily as they seem to turn into negative things. Emotions are kind of like the weather- it always changes. Storms can't go on forever. Optimism is mighty.
Mom once told me that the best thing about Alzheimers was that you forget to be afraid. I will never forget those words, ironically, for as long as I live. At least I don't think I will.
We all seem to live so far into the future, planning and configuring and sorting and filling our calendars- that we've forgotten where we are and somehow managed- to also forget who we are. I don't live in the future. My mother has taught me to be where I am. I'm happier. I'm more content. I feel a sense of ease I didn't have two years ago when I was so worried about things that hadn't even happened yet.
Small things.
Small.
Bring huge victories.

FAKE NEWS SUGGESTION IS DESTROYING PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN MEDIA

The Bible for all Canadian journalists

There is an over-riding tendency in today's society to cast aspersions on anything that is heard or read, simply because it does not conform to personal understanding or belief.  You know, "that is not true", "it is a lie", "it is biased", "it is false news".

Where did all this blatant cynicism and distrust come from?

We have nowhere to look other than to our media and politicians of today.

The relationship among media, politicians and the public has been studied a lot, especially a close look at how the media’s portrayal of politics affects people’s (cynical) attitudes. Scholars know little about the antecedent of this assumed spiral of cynicism.

How cynical are politicians and journalists about each other and about politics, you might well ask?

A recent Dutch survey showed that politicians are particularly cynical about media and journalists, especially when they feel media are out to set the political agenda. Journalists were found to be equally cynical about politicians as the latter are about themselves, but it is a relative cynicism since it is lower than that of the general public. Journalists are, however, convinced that most politicians are driven by what we call “media salacity,” a drive to get journalists’ attention and coverage, a conviction shared, surprisingly, by the politicians themselves.

There is nothing new in the aforementioned. Governments and powerful individuals have used information as a weapon for millennia, to boost their support and quash dissidence. As an editor going back 60 years I have been offered bribes, threatened with law suits and various other appeals from private citizens attempting to influence my news judgement  -- all to no avail.  Some people have a strange (ignorant) concept of how news is gathered and facilitated.

Simply stated, the "fake news" bugaboo is destroying confidence in the mind of the public.

False/fake news was not a term many people used 18 months ago, but it is now seen as one of the greatest threats to democracy, free debate and the Western order. As well as being a favorite term of  Donald Trump, it was also named 2017's word of the year, raising tensions between nations, and may lead to regulation of social media.

But as I see it, the most urgent problem is therefore not fake news itself, but the way society deals with it. The solution to these challenges is not technical, as many people think.

I believe the solution has to be cultural and social. The concept of fake news is largely shaped by the value our society gives it. We use it as an excuse, a weapon or as an enemy, without really understanding what fake news is and what it does. All the technical and political solutions that we devise are therefore ineffective and we’re fighting something we have yet to clearly define.

It is crucial to keep contesting the concept of fake news, and not just fake news itself. It’s time to focus more on the debate of what fake news actually is about and what it means to us as a society.

I have written on this subject before, but I need to get something off my chest once and for all because fake news is totally foreign to me.  In fact, I have difficulty believing that it actually does exist in the proportions currently imagined.

Off the top, there is no denying that there are some journalists, or should I say "opinion writers", who do have agendas and they are labelled by their publications for what they are, or at least they should be.  But that is a stereotype and not to be confused with hard and fast news reporting of events of the day and reasoned editorial page positions.

Media outlets exist to report what is happening, even if it goes against what individual reporters and editors stand for.  It is also very possible that a reporter can actually be in disagreement, but much like a football quarterback who has to run a play drawn up by a coach, dutifully writes the story regardless of personal beliefs.

News does not have a side. It has facts that can be measured, verified and vetted through multiple sources.

Should journalists generally do better?  Absolutely. A lot of criticism is warranted, but there is also something to be said for consumers not being so eager for what they want to hear at the risk of missing what is really going on in the world.

In an age where anyone with a laptop and internet connection can publish anything they want and call it news, it is paramount that we all hold everything we read to a certain measure of expectation.

If it isn't sourced, if there are no quotes from multiple people connected to the situation, if there are no links to the sources cited in the article, it is probably bogus.

There are hundreds of codes of conduct, charters and statements made by media and professional groups outlining the principles, values and obligations of the craft of journalism.
Most focus on five common themes:

1. Truth and Accuracy

Journalists cannot always guarantee ‘truth’, but getting the facts right is the cardinal principle of journalism. We should always strive for accuracy, give all the relevant facts we have and ensure that they have been checked. When we cannot corroborate information we should say so.

2. Independence
Journalists must be independent voices; we should not act, formally or informally, on behalf of special interests whether political, corporate or cultural. We should declare to our editors – or the audience – any of our political affiliations, financial arrangements or other personal information that might constitute a conflict of interest.

3. Fairness and Impartiality
Most stories have at least two sides. While there is no obligation to present every side in every piece, stories should be balanced and add context. Objectivity is not always possible, and may not always be desirable (in the face for example of brutality or inhumanity), but impartial reporting builds trust and confidence.

4. Humanity
Journalists should do no harm. What we publish or broadcast may be hurtful, but we should be aware of the impact of our words and images on the lives of others.

5. Accountability
A sure sign of professionalism and responsible journalism is the ability to hold ourselves accountable. When we commit errors we must correct them and our expressions of regret must be sincere not cynical. We listen to the concerns of our audience. We may not change what readers write or say but we will always provide remedies when we are unfair.

THE STELLAR LIFE OF HOCKEY GREAT EDGAR LAPRADE

Edgar "Beaver" Laprade gets my vote for being one of the best senior hockey players in Canada during the first half of the 20th Century. Born Oct. 10, 1919 in Mine Centre, ON. he played half of his 26-year hockey career as a member of a Senior "A" team in Port Arthur before moving on to the National Hockey League with New York Rangers.

He also gets my outstanding citizen nod for his contribution to the community of Port Arthur over the course of his impeccable 94-year lifetime.

Edgar came to Port Arthur at age four with his family and grew up and was educated in the city. He first laced up his skates as a child and his natural talent for the game shone through as he and one year older brother Bert came up through the minor leagues to become stars on the Port Arthur Bearcats 1939 Allan Cup championship team. Bert was a defenseman.

"Beaver" (nickname given him by teammates because of his busy, all over the ice skating style) played with the Bearcats and led the Thunder Bay Senior League in scoring in 1941 and 1942. In 1939 and 1941 the popular star was presented with the Gerry Trophy as the league's top performer. In 1941 the city of Port Arthur held a special night in honour of the Laprade brothers. Following the Bearcats' season in 1943, Edgar joined the Canadian Forces and suited up for the Montreal RCAF team. After a transfer to Winnipeg in 1944, he played for the army club in that city's services hockey league.

 

EDGAR LAPRADE
(1919-2014)

When World War 2 broke out, duty called and Edgar served two years in the army, missing out on an opportunity to play in the 1940 Olympic Games. When he completed his service and returned home, he was quickly recruited to join the Rangers. Edgar's hockey career spanned what many consider to be the glory days of hockey and he played against many hockey legends, including Maurice "the Rocket" Richard and Gordie Howe. He played for the Rangers from 1945-1955, taking the number 10, the same number he wore in Port Arthur Senior hockey.

"My first game was on October 31 (1945) in Chicago against the Black Hawks. I can remember it like it was yesterday," Edgar once told a reporter. At the conclusion of the 1945-46 season, the NHL presented him with the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. That season, he scored 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points, which placed him third on the team behind Ab DeMarco (47 points) and Grant Warwick (37 points). "I was so thrilled to win the Calder Trophy," beamed Edgar. "Lakehead boys had had a good string of wins at that time." Gaye Stewart of the Maple Leafs won the Calder in 1943, Gus Bodnar, also with Toronto, in 1944 and Edgar in 1946. In 1949, Pentti Lund took the honours. All were natives of either Fort William or Port Arthur.

But maybe even more impressive than his rookie scoring was the fact that the gentlemanly Port Arthur native served no penalty minutes that season. The trait served Edgar well during his career. Three times during his 10-season NHL career, Laprade finished with no penalties, and through his career, earned just 42 penalty minutes. "I was taught early on that you can't score from the penalty box," laughed Edgar.

A tremendous play making center and smooth skater, Edgar was also one of the NHL's best forwards during the late 1940s. Blessed with exceptional lateral mobility and an effortless skating style, he was a brilliant penalty killer and determined checker. He could also score and was one of the league's most dangerous skaters on the counterattack. Unfortunately, many of his exploits took place when he played for a New York Rangers franchise that as on a decline.

The Rangers struggled badly during Laprade's career, only reaching post-season twice in the period from 1945-46 to 1954-55. Yet, Edgar continued to contribute. In 1946-47 he collected 40 points, second on the Rangers to Tony Leswick, led the Rangers with 25 assists, and was chosen to play in the NHL All-Star Game. In 1947-48, Edgar was behind only Buddy O'Connor in team scoring, adding 47 points. The Rangers made the playoffs but were eliminated quickly. Again, Edgar was selected to play in the All-Star Game along with goal-tending teammate Charlie Rayner, a future Hall of Famer.

During his 10 years with the NHL, Edgar combined his skill with his characteristic gentlemanly conduct to amass many awards and honors, including the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year, the Lady Byng Trophy as well as four consecutive all star appearances. He was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Hall of fame in 1982 and the Hockey Hall of fame in Toronto in 1993 and was honored to have his star included in the local "Walk of Fame" in Victoriaville Centre in 1998.

Hockey was a rewarding career for the strikingly handsome Edgar in many ways, not the least of which was an introduction to his coach's niece, Arline Whear, who would become the love of his life. Edgar and Arline married in 1939 and raised three daughters, Bonnie, Judi and Marcia . A devoted family man, his wife and daughters were always his priority and greatest joy. 

After retiring from the NHL and returning to Port Arthur, Edgar and business associate, Guy Perciante owned and managed the Port Arthur Arena on Court Street. Edgar was also a partner in the popular sporting goods store, Perciante and Laprade on Cumberland Street, which he operated from 1953 until his retirement in 1975.

 

Edgar Laprade (centre, 3rd row)  a member of the
Allan Cup-winning Port Arthur Bearcats, indicative
of Senior "A" hockey supremacy in Canada.  Big
brother Bert can be seen, second from the left, in
the second row. 

But it was his accomplishments in municipal politics and civic affairs that were the most fulfilling for Edgar. Always passionately interested in his community, he began his long career in the service of the public when he first served on the Recreation Committee for the City of Port Arthur before becoming Alderman in 1959. He held many chair and board positions during those years, including chairing the Finance Committee and Social Services Committees. He was active in the community as member of the Lakehead Baseball Association, Thunder Bay Amateur Hockey Association , as well as serving on the Boards of Dawson Court, the 3C Reintroduction Centre, the Board of Community projects, the Board of Governors of both Confederation College and Lakehead University and the Thunder Bay District Health Council.

Edgar was also very involved with the Parking Authority, serving as a member for 30 years. During his years of municipal service, he was also closely associated with the Waverly Park project and the development of Centennial Park, the Marina and Keskus, through his work with the City Property Committee.

In 1989, Edgar received a Volunteer Service Award from the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture and in 1992 a commemorative medal for the 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation awarded to Northwestern Ontario residents who have made a significant contribution to Canada. A man of great faith, Edgar's volunteer work extended to his church where he served as a member of the Parish Council of St. Andrew's parish.

Edgar's sanctuary was his camp at Hawkeye Lake where he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Always devoted to his family, he took great pleasure in the company of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and was often a source of wisdom and inspiration for family members. He was an avid reader and always interested in keeping up to date on current affairs, both locally and globally. Ever the athlete, he remained physically active and especially enjoyed walking around the Port Arthur that he loved.

Edgar Louis Laprade truly lived a full life of service and accomplishment. At 94 years of age, he passed away peacefully at his home on April 28, 2014, fifteen months following the death of brother Bert.

I saw him in action only once, at Maple Leafs Gardens in 1954...The Leafs won but Edgar scored a goal for the Rangers, one of his last as it would turn out! *A young Brent Linton (see tribute below) may have been in the stands for that game too.

Click video to view Edgar Laprade in action, Stanley Cup playoffs 1950, Rangers vs. Detroit Red Wings.

BY BRENT LINTON in THE GLOBE AND MAIL

CONTRIBUTED TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL

PUBLISHED MAY 11, 2014UPDATED MAY 12, 2018

Edgar Laprade was the reason I became a lifelong New York Rangers fan. I grew up at a gold mine townsite on the outskirts of Geraldton, Ont., some 260 kilometres northeast of Mr. Laprade's hometown of Port Arthur, which is now part of Thunder Bay. When I began to get interested in hockey in the late 1940s, my parents told me about the 1939 Geraldton Gold Miners amateur team, which had taken Mr. Laprade's Port Arthur Bearcats to a final and deciding playoff game on the Bearcats' way to winning the Allan Cup as the best Canadian senior hockey team.

Edgar Laprade was well into his professional career with the Rangers and as far as I was concerned, this was the closest I was going to get in having a "hometown" hockey hero. When my family moved to Toronto several years later I was able to attend most of the Rangers-Leafs games during the last two years of Mr. Laprade's career. In those days, hockey games at Maple Leaf Gardens were relatively affordable. A few dollars would buy a standing-room ticket just above the uppermost seating area, and after securing a good vantage point and coercing someone to save your spot it was possible to go down to ice level during the pregame team warmups. Mr. Laprade was very accommodating in providing autographs (as were many other players on both teams) and once he became aware of where I came from he would invariably skate over to where I was standing rinkside during subsequent pregame warmups to indulge in a bit of conversation.