June 4, 2010

Programme for June 4, 2010

Speaker: George Smitherman, Toronto Mayoral Candidate
Location: The Imperial Room, The Fairmont Royal York
George Smitherman has resided in Toronto all his life and has been active
in the political arena since high school. He was first elected to the Ontario
Legislative Assembly in 1999 in the riding of Toronto Centre. He has
served in various major portfolios including as Minister of Health, Minister
of Energy and Infrastructure, and Deputy Premier. As Minister of Health,
he restored the independent status of Women’s College Hospital and initi-
ated many significant reforms to the health care system including improv-
ing wait times, access to family doctors, and undertaking a massive capital
expansion of Toronto’s hospitals. As Minister of Energy, he was responsi-
ble for the passage of Ontario’s Green Energy and Green Economy Act to
clean our air, reduce our carbon footprint, and create the opportunity for
new green energy jobs. He has worked in his riding to enhance services for Toronto’s newest
citizens and immigrants at the Sherbourne Health Centre, the redevelopment of Regents Park, and
Pathways to Education to reduce school drop-out rates. He was also voted as Toronto’s best MPP.
Prior to his election, Mr. Smitherman served as Chief of Staff to Ontario cabinet minister, Hugh
O’Neill, senior advisor to federal cabinet ministers, Herb Gray and David Collenette, and chief of
staff and campaign manager to Toronto Mayor Barbara Hall. On January 4, 2010, Mr. Smither-
man gave up his elected seat at Queen’s Park to run for the position of Mayor of Toronto.

Special Meeting: Wednesday, June 30th

,
tevenson Along with many other organizations, the Rotary Club of
ea c e: A dlai E. S ber, the
fo r P e r m e m Toronto is making adjustments because of the meeting of
A Voice man and form llin ois the G20 (June 25-27, 2010). The regular Friday meeting
a te s e ld I
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on June 25th has been cancelled. A special meeting has
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ti ng unle s s
un less w e been scheduled for Wednesday, June 30th – same time,
e las p le ,
e will b all peo er, same place. We hope to see everyone there!
“No peac gs of education to h, food and shelt
in alt
the bless em hope and he with dignity and
can offer
th ir lives mily…
o m to p ursue the e great human fa ss, Bye, Bye Bertie! by John Andras
and ro f th kne
it y a s m embers o s that disease, sic estiny
secur know able d
orld now the inevit
all the w d misery are not In the evening of May 26th over 120 Rotarians, spouses
v e r ty , a n
po and guests assembled at the historic St. Lawrence Hall to
of man.” o n say “Bye, Bye Bertie.” Laughter and conversation were
enti
e 1 9 6 5 RI Conv 0.org/library/ the perfect complements to a splendid, EnVille prepared,
to th t10
Address ://www.rotaryfirs Tuscan feast. A poster of soon- to-be Past President
p
From: htt e/2006voices.htm Bert, channeling Bruce Springsteen, was unveiled to
ac
music/pe great acclaim. Our nearly departed President was re-
galed by a quartet of P.P.’s led by Maestro Don Bell
and ably backed up by Bill Turnbull singing a slightly
doctored version of the 1963 classic “Bye, Bye Bertie.” The quartet con-
sisted of four “females”, but I am led to believe that two were Guys – you
figure that one out! Ann Margaret was nowhere to be seen! President Bert
(ie) then had to suffer the retelling of several of his (classic?) bon mots by
incoming President Peter Love (they did not improve with age). We then
hit the dance floor and boogied and pranced about until “the gunpowder
ran out of the heels of our boots.” (Bonus marks for the Rotarian who can
place that last quote.)
THE ROTARY CLUB OF TORONTO
CLUB 55
1912
The Fairmont Royal York
(Health Club Level)
100 Front St. West
Toronto, Ontario M5J 1E4
Tel: (416) 363-0604
Fax: (416) 363-0686
Email: office@rotarytoronto.on.ca
Web site: www.rotarytoronto.com
Meets Fridays - 12:15 p.m.
Officers:
President: Bert Steenburgh
President-Elect: Peter Love
Vice President: Sandy Boucher
Treasurer: Harold Fisher
Directors
Bill Bressmer Kim Curry
Jeff Dobson John Fortney
Sylvia Geist Rick Goldsmith
Demetra Layzell Catherine Lloyd
Lorraine Nelson Nancy Schaefer
Chris Snyder Ric Williams
Immediate Past President:
Bill Morari
Executive Director: Clare Bonnell
Accounts: T.K. Belliappa
District Governor: Doug Byers
Happy June Birthdays!
2 Boris Nossovskoi, Amar Mehta
3 Bert Steenburgh
5 Lori Brazier
6 Agnes Walkinshaw, James Norwood
9 Mark Overbury
10 Frank Jordan
11 Andrew Brandt, Stuart Watts
12 Jai Persaud, Jack McQuaig
18 Chandravadan Chandaria,
Hans Schafer,
19 Ric Williams
21 Tatiana Naimouncina,
22 John Mastandrea, Henry Sun
29 Behz Naini, Anne Saunders
30 Gen. (Ret.) Rick Hillier
Profile: Community Services Committee (CSC)
Year in Review 2009 – 2010
by Greg Vermeulen
The Community Services Committee is focused on supporting projects that ameliorate the
lives of socially and economically disadvantaged people in Toronto’s urban community. Our
diverse group of talented members contributes actively to our fun, informative, and engaging
meetings. The word must be getting out: with over a dozen members, the Committee has
enjoyed tremendous growth in the last year. So much so, that we’ve now moved our Monthly
meeting to ‘The National Club’ to accommodate the bigger group!
We also get some good work done. Our committee is focused on initiatives that have a wide
impact across a broad spectrum of the downtown Toronto Community. In the past year, the
Committee has provided funds to a range of fantastic projects that make Toronto a better place.
Here is an overview of a few of them:
Broadview Community Youth Group: day-camp placement for 20 underprivileged youth
Toronto Sports Council: development of volunteer database and website to promote
volunteering
Food Share Toronto : funds to construct an educational beehive for local school children and
purchase materials for local composting initiatives
Rotary Tree Planting Initiative: annual event engaging local youth in tree-planting
6 Saint Joseph House: provide meals for underprivileged people through the ‘Yellow Door’
program
Youth Employment Services (YES): funds provided to the ‘Mock Wage’ program to teach
personal finance and employment skills to youth
Oolagan Youth Mental Health: funds to the ‘Wrap Around’ program providing essential
items and know-how for at-risk mothers and their babies
Urban Peace Initiative (PACT): funds for the purchase of a vehicle to transport materials and
people for community gardening initiatives
AMIK Native Housing: funds for the purchase materials for ‘Amik Fest’, a day-long Native
cultural celebration for residents of the housing project
Environment Sub-Committee: is active on issues relating to environment. They have done a
wonderful job bringing speakers to our luncheon meetings, and working with a number of
committees to secure support for various environment-related initiatives.
Our members look forward to another great year as we seek to expand the positive impact that
Community Services Committee has in Toronto. Why don’t you join us at one of our
meetings? We meet from 12-1:30pm on the 4th Monday of the month (except holidays) at the
National Club; bring $10 for a fabulous catered lunch. Enjoy great fellowship and excellent
food in a wonderful environment, and know that you are supporting good causes that make a
positive impact in our community.
For the upcoming 2010/11 year, the CSC will be led by their capable executive team: Greg
Vermeulen is Chairperson, Susan Woods is Co-Chair, and Amar Mehta is Secretary. Don
Brooks is Board Liaison. Any of the above would be pleased to speak with you more about the
Committee and ways to get involved. Contact Greg Vermeulen at gvermeulen@rogers.com .
Reminder!
Bring in your filled Healthy Beginnings Canvas Bags – filled with items for 0-6 year
olds and personal care products for moms and dads. Didn't get a bag? Pick one up in the
Rotary Office.
Upcoming Speakers & Events What You Missed – May 28, 2010
by Jackie Davies
2010
June 11 Hugh Segal, Senator, Although many members were already at Camp Scugog, we had a good
“Life in the Senate” attendance of 85. With many members dressed for camp, the meeting took
18 Fellowship Meeting, on a rather informal flair. In fact, when our six visitors and one visiting
hosted by Shannon Rotarian were introduced, they greeted the membership! There was one
Lundquist banner exchange from the Plymouth Club in Minnesota which had a sail
25 No meeting boat on it – very topical for the speaker of the day.
(Wed.) 30 Joe Pantalone, President Bert graciously thanked all who had put time into preparing the
Toronto Mayoral Candidate very enjoyable Bye Bye Bertie evening. He also advised that due to the
July 2 No meeting G20 security arrangements we are moving our June 25th meeting to the
9 Changeover Day following Wednesday, June 30th. It will be here and the time is the same; only the day is
16 Rob Ford, different. There will be no meeting on June 25th or July 2nd.
Toronto Mayoral Candidate A highlight of the meeting was when Glen Gilbert received a well deserved Paul Harris-
William Peace award. Glen has been a Rotarian since 1997 and Treasurer of the Foundation
since taking over from Norm Ovenden. Glen brought his incredible expertise to our system,
PROPOSE A SPEAKER streamlining it to comply with industry standards, and providing timely and valuable service to
CONTACT - our Club and Foundation for a number of years. In 2009 The Institute of Chartered
Harold Hetherington , Chair Accountants awarded him FCA status – a testimony to his contribution to the CA profession.
PROGRAMME COMMITTEE Glen made a humble speech of thanks saying he would “now start earning the award.”
hrhetherington@rogers.com James Statham, this year’s chair of the program committee and a sailor, introduced our guest
speaker Paul Dennis, President of the Toronto Brigantine. Paul told us that Toronto is the only
Editor of the Week:
Anne Saunders
Canadian host for the Great Lakes United Tall Ships Challenge, a race from port to port across
all five Great Lakes. The fleet of 11 participating tall ships will come to Toronto on the Canada
Day long weekend. The Toronto Brigantine is a registered charity mandated to provide
experiential learning, team work and leadership skills for youth 13 -18 years of age through tall ship sail training. Our Club provided funding
30 years ago for the engine of one of the two ships the Brigantine owns and which Queen Elizabeth subsequently launched. Paul showed us a
nice picture of the ship’s commemorative plaque of the Club’s contribution.
More than 20,000 young people have been through the program in 48 years; all the officers are teenagers from the program, one of whom told
us about the seamanship they learn. There are summer and winter programs; the winter programs cover subjects from navigation to first aid.
The organization has been revived in the last 8 years as a result of dedicated volunteers giving 30,000 hours of time and Paul’s own leadership.
They are working toward a complete refurbishment of the two ships for their 50th year in 2012.

New Member
Alex Zalewski will graduate from York University in the field of environmental studies this June. For the
past 5 years he has been working as a crew foreman with Parklane Nurseries, a family Landscape design and
Build company started by his grandfather Casey VanMaris in 1958. Beginning this year, Alex has moved into
a full time design and sales consultant role within the business, and shifting the focus of Parklane towards a
more sustainable business model. He is developing new business practices and technologies and has become
a leader in the field of environmental landscape design.

Alex is an avid camper and outdoors man. He has trained with both Georgian and Fleming Colleges in
wilderness first aid and survival and has assisted in the training of Seneca aviation students in wilderness
survival.
Reflections on the Camp Scugog “Village”
by Mark Overbury
(Photo credit: Maureen Bird)
I was drifting in and out of consciousness, my thoughts on the words 'Girl Amp.' I then flitted to the idea it takes a village to raise a child.
Then came the revelation I was in that village. My eyes opened slowly and I saw inscribed on my cabin’s ceiling the words which were
invading my thoughts: Girl Amp. I couldn't help but think this term perfectly described our hosts for the weekend – the staff at Camp
Scugog, and heads of the village responsible for raising our kids. These girls were amped WAY up – and completely devoted to the cause of
helping kids achieve. At the end of the day, I could talk about the fantastic weather we had, the wonderful fellowship, the bond between
people sharing a space in time and place, the work we put in, or about the food... most definitely a culinary moment if ever there was one.
But I really want to talk about the little village our Club supports.
Camp Scugog does life-changing work. They take about 160 kids from our community every summer – kids who are otherwise at
risk, and bring them to our village. Here, they challenge them in positive ways, finding and creating opportunities to help them feel good
about themselves and build a future. The camp also has an unofficial winter program, creating continuity and an even stronger bond that
lasts, quite literally, a lifetime.
The results are impressive. Over the years Camp Scugog has helped thousands of kids develop the skills and wherewithal to get
themselves university degrees and create opportunities which would have been beyond their reach. Ultimately, a person has to want to help
themselves to truly achieve. Our Club supports a village where the girls are amped and where those who desire opportunities are given
them. In doing so, we share special fellowship and develop connections that will last a lifetime – and culinary moments! As fun as it is, it's
all about the kids. I'm humbled to have been a part of it.

Looking ahead: Friday, June 11, 2010

Speaker: The Hon. Senator Hugh D. Segal
Topic: “National Security: A Dynamic Challenge”
Location: The Imperial Room, The Fairmont Royal York

Senator Hugh Segal’s political career spans four decades from his early days as an aide to
federal Progressive Conservative Opposition Leader Robert Stanfield. He served as senior
aide to Ontario Premier William Davis in the 1970s and 1980s, Chief of Staff to Prime
Minister Brian Mulroney, candidate for the leadership of the federal Progressive
Conservative Party in 1998, and appointed by Prime Minister Paul Martin to the Senate of
Canada in 2005 to represent Kingston-Frontenac Leeds. He co-chaired the Conservative
campaign in 2006 and is presently Chair of the Special Senate Committee on Anti-Terrorist
Measures. Senator Segal has taught at the School of Policy Studies and the School of
Business at Queen’s University in Kingston, served as President of the Institute for Research
on Public Policy in Montreal from 1999 to 2006, and holds an honorary doctorate from the Royal Military College of Canada. He is a well
known political commentator and columnist, author of three books on Canadian political life, and an accomplished and popular speaker.