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Contents

President’s Message 1

Programme 2018 2

Could you pass the test? 2

Famous Hamiltonian 2

Our fall season 3

Monday Year 3

Meet the Board 4

A Christmas Recipe 4

Golden Age Passes 4

2017

Winter Newsletter

President’s Message

The sentiment expressed by U2 frontman Bono was also shared by President Barack Obama as he addressed Parliament in 2016. Both men were referring to Canada’s leading roles—in the fight against global poverty and AIDS and in peacekeeping and human rights. And we all burst with pride, quietly and with humility, because we are Canadian.

But this year especially we have been made very aware of the part of Canada the world does not need more of: internment camps, residential schools, missing and murdered indigenous women, religious discrimination and more. We would like to think that the nasty comments on websites and Facebook pages were written by Americans but must face the truth that they aren’t, that ‘those people’ are, in fact, fellow Canadians. Yet out of this darkness comes something that characterizes us as Canadians, and does set an example for the world—acknowledgement and apologies. We face our mistakes and listen to those affected with the hope that by doing so the errors will never be repeated. I often tell our newest family members, after they take the Oath of Citizenship, that the more they apologize the more

Canadian they are! It gets a chuckle but it is so true. Here’s to Canada, where we are mature enough to admit we were wrong, to attempt to correct the wrongs and to apologize, with heartfelt sincerity: would that the rest of the world followed that example.

At the WCCH we are gearing up for the second half of our membership year. Half-year memberships are now available ($30 for January to May) at meetings or by submitting a membership form to Mary Lorimer. Forms are available on our website.

My thanks to the members of the Board for all their efforts to keep this club vibrant and relevant and to all of you for continuing to support the WCCH.

Remember that you can contact us by e-mail (WCCofHamilton@gmail.com) or contact me by phone at 905.385.8259.

On behalf of the Board I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and all of life’s blessings in the New Year.

Lee Gowers

President

“I believe the world needs more Canada.” Bono

Page 2 Winter Newsletter

WCCH PROGRAMME 2018

February 14, 2018 @ 2 pm—Michael Highgate, from Stewart Memorial Church will speak about his friend, the man voted Greatest Hamiltonian, The Hon. Lincoln M. Alexander.

Luncheon—March 14, 2018 @ Noon — Gary Direnfeld, social worker and contributor to The Spectator will be our guest speaker. This is a luncheon meeting—orders are due by March 7. Order forms will be available at the February meeting and from the website.

April 11, 2018 @ 2 pm— Reconciliation from nation to nation with Indigenous people. We are finalizing plans to have a representative from the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board to tell us about the new Aboriginal Community Liaison position and what initiatives are being taken toward reconciliation.

Luncheon—May 9, 2018 @ Noon—The Hon. Jean Augustine PC, CM, a teacher, social activist and the first Black female MP and Cabinet minister will be our guest speaker.

Luncheon meetings (March and May) begin at noon. Lunch is served at 12, followed by our speaker at 1 p.m.

Regular meetings begin at 2 p.m. Tea, coffee and goodies will be served. Admission to these meetings is free for WCCH members. Non-members are asked to pay $10, which can be put

toward a membership purchased during 2018.

Help choose the woman to be honoured on George Hamilton Day 2018

In recognition of the 100th anniversary of The Act to Confer the Electoral Franchise upon Women, giving Canadian women the right to vote, the Tourism and Culture Division of the City of Hamilton has decided that a woman will be honoured on George Hamilton Day. The seven women were selected on the basis of their contributions to society and that they were the ‘first’ at something. Before you vote you should be aware that Adelaide Hoodless believed that “instruction in home economics would improve the position of women in society, strengthen the family and deter women’s suffrage”.

To cast your vote go to: www.hamilton.ca/FamousHamiltonian

Barbara (Newell) Cambridge passed away on November 23 at the age of 97. She was a graduate of McMaster and McGill Universities, worked for the Red Cross teaching prenatal nutrition, was a lecturer at the School of Nursing at McMaster, and the Executive Director of the Visiting Homemakers Association. In her retirement she became president of the Volunteer Association of Hamilton Civic Hospitals. Her work in Britain during WWII was published in the book ‘Extraordinary Women, Extraordinary Times’. Barbara was also a long time member of the Women’s Canadian Club of Hamilton and encouraged others, including our current secretary Ruth Pearson, to join the club.

Could you pass the Canadian Citizenship test? Here are some sample questions: What percentage of Aboriginal people are First Nations? 30% 6% 50% 65% Which province was the first to grant voting rights to women? Quebec Ontario Nova Scotia Manitoba How many Canadians have been awarded the Victoria Cross? 56 96 1024 42

Page 3 Winter Newsletter

2018 is a Monday Year

The first day of 2018 is a Monday. The next Monday year will be 2029.

Some events from other ‘Monday Years’:

1849—Wm Osler was born

1906-Reginald Fessenden made the first public broadcast of music and voice

1917-Ontario gave the vote to women

1917-the Halifax Explosion killed 1630 people and was the impetus behind the founding of the CNIB

1923-Foster Hewitt gave his first radio play-by-play of a hockey game

1934-the birth of the Dionne Quintuplets

1951-the first Canadian television program was broadcast from Montreal

1962-Saskatchewan introduced the first medicare system

1962-the longest national highway in the world, the TransCanada opened

1979-Ken Taylor gave shelter to 6 Americans in the Canadian Embassy in Teheran

WCCH members pose with ‘VRA’, the Avro Lancaster, at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.

In October we welcomed Mark Osbaldeston, author of Unbuilt Hamilton. Pictured here with WCCH member Margaret Winters and Donna Reid, owner of The Hamilton Store.

Co-owner of Goodness Me!, Janet Jacks, gave a most informative talk about nutrition and health at our meeting in September.

65 (31% are Métis, 4% are Inuit) Manitoba 96 Heroes

wcchamilton.ca WCCofHamilton@gmail.com

Winter Newsletter Page 4

Sorrel is a perennial herb with a sharp, tangy taste. It is low in calories and fat but rich in vitamin C. It is used in soups, salads, vegetable side dishes and teas. Sorrel is thought to improve eyesight, slow the aging process and strengthen the immune system.

Sorrel Drink—a Caribbean Christmas Favourite The following ingredients will make 2 liters. 1lb Sorrel Sepals 1″ of ginger 5 tbsp sugar 2 liters of water Optional Spices: 1 tsp cloves 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tbsp lemon / orange peel Directions : Add grated ginger to sorrel sepals then pour 2 liters of water into the pot and bring to rapid boil (traditionally boiled on coals to add flavor). While boiling, add your optional ingredients to the mixture to personalize your sorrel drink if desired. Allow your sorrel to boil for at least 15mins, then remove from heat and cover to lock in the flavour. Allow the sorrel mixture to cool off then use a fine strainer to separate the sorrel juice from the sorrel sepals. At this point stir the sugar into the strained sorrel juice and add your optional dash of Rum or wine to preserve the drink and add to flavour. Bottle your drink and store it in your refrigerator. Serve cold with ice!

Meet Three Members of the WCCH Board Mary Lorimer is a life-long volunteer having spent over 50 years with the Hamilton Area Girl Guides as a Guider, Commissioner and finally Area Treasurer. She served on the Boards of Volunteer Associations for first the Hamilton Civic Hospitals and then the amalgamated Volunteer Association for Hamilton Health Sciences and for 15 years as treasurer for St. Michael’s Anglican Church. During this time she also enjoyed golfing at the Dundas Valley Golf Club. Slowing down now, Mary in enjoying her time on the WCCH Board where she currently serves as Membership Chair and Treasurer.

Joan Nuxoll relocated to Hamilton from Dunnville in 1974. She loved Hamilton so much that she decided to stay! Joan has numerous siblings who all get along fabulously. She worked with the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board for 27 years in the Human Resources Department as a Human Resources Assistant W.S.I.B. A believer that one should continuously educate themselves, she is a member of the Hamilton Amateur Radio Group and continues with Continuing Education classes at Mohawk College and McMaster University. She is an accredited Tea Sommelier from Mohawk College and does the occasional tea presentation for various groups. She also likes to run: this coming March will be her 17th time to do the 5 and 30 km Around the Bay Road Race. Joan is the grandmother of 5 who keep her on her toes, yet she still finds time to serve as a councillor on the WCCH Board.

Louise Noel-Ambrose works to represent communities and projects to make the City of Hamilton a better place for women to foster their growth and resilience. She owns and operates EvenToBe, a public relations and event planning business that highlights events in the city that focus on teaming social events and cultural experiences. She is the founder of Lady Boss, a founding member of the Cover Me Foundation, a board member of the Afro Canadian Caribbean Association Hamilton and co-chair of the Parent Involvement Committee at Cathy Wever School. Louise is handling publicity and promotions for the WCCH.

New members of the WCCH Board are always welcome. Everyone has a talent and we will be happy to put yours to good use! Please contact the WCCH or speak to any current member of the Board at a meeting.

Golden Age Passes from the City of Hamilton

The City of Hamilton offers Golden Age passes for residents who have reached the age of 80. These passes allow the holder to use the Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) free of charge. To obtain a pass you must visit the HSR Customer Service Centre at 36 Hunter Street East (Hamilton GO Centre) with proof of age and residency. You will be issued a photo-ID good for use on all HSR routes. There is a minimal cost of $5.65 for the pass. Passes will not be issued before your 80th birthday.

Hamilton Street Railway Company ...wherever life takes you