ICCC NEWSMontreal

Newsletter of the Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce (Montreal Chapter), Vol. 11, no. 1, March 2012

President’s Message

Contents

cont. p. 6

• ICCC’s 20th Anniversary Christmas Reception best yet ................istmas Reception best yet ................istmas Reception best yet p.2• Member profi les: Peter Loorits / Peggy Regan ............................. p.3• MasterCard selects Dublin for global technologies offi ce ............ p.4• Renewing your Work Permit? ....................................................... p.7• Irish community pub quiz: another successful evening ................ p.8

The beginning of 2012 has seen news of more positive economic

developments emerging from Ireland, including a number of signifi cant job and investment announcements by large international investors such as Eli Lilly and PayPal; continued export growth including in indigenous sectors such as agriculture and food products; and a very positive review by the IMF of Ireland’s performance under its extended agreement which recognised that the country has continued to exceed its targets on deficit reduction and expenditure control, and is on track to achieve its overall goal of a 3% defi cit by 2015.

In addition to the necessary work of meeting these short-term targets, the Irish government has announced a new Action Plan for Jobs which sets out a strategy for achieving sustainable, long-term growth in employment and greater economic stability. The plan recognises that this challenging time presents us with an unparalleled opportunity for change and improvement, and seeks to capitalise on this potential. It contains

cont. p. 6

I will cover a brief review of our events since our last newsletter in

December.

Tom Brady is covering the Christmas Reception elsewhere so I won’t go into detail here. Once again, Tom did an excellent job of organizing the event. This was the largest attendance we’ve ever had at a Christmas Reception. Apart from our regular Craic agus Comhrá the next event was our Irish Community Pub Quiz. Jonathan Sullivan has a report on this on page 8. I would like to thank Jonathan and Casey Ryan his co-quiz master for all their dedication in making this such a successful and popular evening. They were ably assisted by the other members of their team – director Michelle Vahey, who took care of the door, assisted by directors Ruth Hanna and David O’Neill. Brigitte Bonneville did a commendable job of scorekeeping.

The St. Patrick’s season started with the UIS Selection Evening (at which the Chamber had a table) on February 4th.A great time was had by all. The queen and her court will make us all proud. I was very impressed to see these young ladies speaking so confi dently to over 600 people.

over 270 actions to be implemented in 2012 by all 15 Government departments as well as 36 State agencies, with the goal of improving supports for job-creating businesses and removing barriers to employment-creation across the economy.

Support for home-grown small and medium enterprises plays a central role in the strategy, but investment from overseas is also of vital importance in a small, open economy such as Ireland. Recognising this, as part of the Action Plan for Jobs the government has announced the “Succeed in Ireland” programme, which will offer a fi nder’s fee to members of the Irish diaspora who bring new job projects to Ireland. A fee of up to €4,000 per sustainable job will be paid to anyone introducing a new investor to the country. More information including contact details for the operators of the scheme will be available shortly.

T h is prog ra m me complement s Enterprise Ireland’s announcement in late 2011 of a €10m dedicated fund

Succeed in Irelandby Paula Molloy

President Paul Loftus

(Paul Loftus and Associates Inc.)

TreasurerDavid O’Neill

(Commercial Banking Manager, BNC)

Representative in IrelandDiana James

(Hodgson Sugar (Canada) Ltd.)

ICCC Montreal Board of Directors

2 ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 1, March 2012

Tom Brady(Partner, Heenan Blaikie)

Ruth Hanna(Mergermarket)

Stephen Fogarty(Fogarty Law Firm)

Owen McAleer (Owen McAleer Consultants Inc.)

Casey Ryan(SAP Labs Canada)

Jonathan Sullivan(Dojo Linguistique)

by Tom Brady

Three of ICCC’s founding members: Three of ICCC’s founding members: Three of ICCC’s fPeter Kirby, Paul Loftus and Dan O’Brien

Michelle Vahey(SAP Labs Canada)

The ICCC’s Christmas Reception of 2011 celebrated more than the

usual cheer of the season. It was the Chamber’s 20th Anniversary and the event was marked by an especially enjoyable and convivial celebration. Over ninety Chamber members, their guests, and other friends of the Chamber attended the reception at the University Club on December 8th. Among them were

ICCC’s 20th Anniversary Christmas Reception best yet

past and current Chamber presidents Peter Kirby and Paul Loftus and members of the diplomatic corps from Ottawa and Montreal: Dr. Ray Bassett, Ambassador of Ireland to Canada and Patrick Holdich, the British Consul General in Montreal. Irish organizations in Montreal represented at the event included St.Patrick’s Society, Gaelic Athletic Association, Montreal Irish Rugby Football Club, Erin

Sports Association, United Irish Society and the Irish Protestant Benevolent Society.

In keeping with an important anniversary, some parts of the reception were familiar and others brought a distinctiveness to the occasion. Johnny Maloney played as often in the past, but the presence of dancers from the Bernadette Short

The energy, enthusiasm and good fellowship evident at the reception, the largest in the Chamber’s history to date, were a fitting end to the Chamber’s successful 20th anniversary year. They provide a fi ne launch point as well for the Chamber’s programme of events for the Chamber’s programme of events for members and guests in 2012.

School of Irish Dancing showed another facet of Irish culture. Those at the reception also had the advantage of an unusually fi ne array of door prizes as mementos of the event, thanks to the generosity of businesses that sponsored them. This generosity with “take aways” underscores the very large role the sponsors of the reception play in making it possible. The Chamber would like to express its thanks to our sponsors: Diageo, the Embassy of the Ireland, Aer Rianta, Enterprise Ireland, Bombardier, BGL Brokerage, Cooley Distillery, SAP Labs Canada and MacDougall, MacDougall & MacTeer.

Tom Brady on the podium

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Elizabeth Quinn, Owen McAleer and Mary McDaid

ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 1, March 2012 3

Shanghai Small-Sized Enterprise Trade Development Center, IATA, Beijing Modern Management Technology Exchange Center, Ville de Montréal, PwC, etc.

Peter Loorits President & CEODragonbridge CorporationP.O. Box 308, Westmount Station,Westmount, QC Canada H3Z 2T5T. +1-514-933-8680 F. +1-514-933-8680E-mail: dragonbridgecorp@gmail.codragonbridgecorp@gmail.comWeb: www.dragonbridgecorp.com www.dragonbridgecorp.com LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/in/http://www.linkedin.com/in/dragonbridgdragonbridge

A federally registered corporation with its head offi ce in Montreal and

correspondents in China, Dragonbridge provides Training services and China Business Facilitation. Training/HR:

• Cross-Cultural & Diversity Training for multicultural teams

• Body Language and Non-Verbal Communications Skills

• Effective Business Presentations

• Business Etiquette Training• Executive recruitment, team

staffi ng, candidate evaluations with psychometric testing for positions in Canada and China

• Cross-Cultural Prep for expats

China Business Facilitation: Since 1984, Dragonbridge’s founders have built an extensive network of expertise in China and North America to bridge your business to China. We are the China specialists. We help you access the best opportunities, manage the risks and navigate the system.

• Market Research, Export to, Sell and Distribute in China

Member profi lesPeter Loorits … president and CEO of Dragonbridge Corporation

• China Business Missions and cultural tours

• Academic and scientifi c exchanges between Chinese and North American institutions

• Outsourcing, Partner research and validation, Quality control

• Mergers and acquisitions between China and Canada

• Business project management in China: (accounting, tax, registrations, government relations, legal, IP protection, logistics, personnel, etc…)

• China Branding, Translation• Recruitment for China

operations and Mandarin-speaking personnel for companies in North America

• “Canada-China Bio/Pharma Bridge”: Accessing opportunities in Biotech and Pharma between China and North America

Dragonbridge has fulfilled mandates in China, Canada, the US, Europe, and in Singapore for clients such as: BMO, Beijing Tourist Group, Bell,

They say that nine out of ten new restaurants close in the first two

years. If that’s true, then Gryphon D’or must be doing something right. Founded as a bakery “about 15 years ago” by Peggy Regan and some partners that have since disappeared, the Gryphon D’or Tea Room was added on seven years later and both are still going strong. From its next-door location, the bakery supplies the tea room, as well as wholesale and drop-in customers.

Well-ensconced in NDG – Peggy Regan of Gryphon D’or

Although it’s a bite-sized tea room, Regan says she doesn’t advertise. “I always wanted to build up a solid core of afi cionados based on personal loyalty and word of mouth rather than fl ash-in-the-pan trend popularity which disappears as quickly as it comes.”

Gryphon’s brunches, lunches, take-out menu and traditional high teas showcase Regan’s solid Scottish-Irish origins. Her mother’s side of the family were Scots who apparently emigrated

after the Napoleonic war and pioneered in the Grand River Valley of Southern Ontario on a land grant from the British government. On her father’s side, it is

by Ruth Hanna

cont. p. 5

4 ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 1, March 2012

As electronic payments continue to replace the use of cash,

MasterCard’s Dublin office will develop innovative ways to drive this trend.

“We are pleased to make this investment in Ireland, which builds on our existing presence. The calibre of highly-qualifi ed, talented people and the Government’s commitment to science, technology and innovation, gave us confi dence that this was the ideal setting for our new Global Technologies offi ce.”Rob Reeg, president, MasterCard Technologies

DUBLIN Feb. 15 2012 - MasterCard Worldwide (NYSE: MA) today announces a new global offi ce for the company’s technology operations, to be headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. The expansion, supported by IDA Ireland, will create an additional 130 highly skilled jobs during the next four years, bringing the total number of people employed in Ireland to approximately 200.

“At our core, MasterCard is a technology company that happens to be in the payments space,” says Rob Reeg, president, MasterCard Technologies. “Our focus as a company is on offering innovative, game-changing technologies that offer mass appeal for our global customers and cardholders. We’re confi dent that this larger offi ce in Dublin, as well as the new technology team members that we plan to hire, will help further our technology agenda and innovation vision.”

MasterCard is currently recruiting for technology roles for the Dublin offi ce via the company’s web site(www.mastercard.ie).

Having a presence in Ireland is not new for MasterCard – the company has had an offi ce in the city since it acquired technology company Orbiscom in 2008. However, this expansion means an increase in both staff, as well as the areas of focus for Dublin technology team members, including:

• MasterCard Labs – Dublin is already one of the four key locations for MasterCard Labs, the company’s research and development function tasked with fast-tracking innovative products and services to bring them to market quickly. MasterCard Labs is headed up globally by Garry Lyons, the former CEO of Orbiscom and MasterCard’s Chief lnnovation Offi cer, who is based in the Dublin offi ce

• Center of Excellence for Java Deve lopmen t . The Dub l in office has been designated as MasterCard’s Center of Excellence for Java Development, one of the predominant programming languages for ecommerce, mobile and other emerging payment technologies.

• inControl. MasterCard’s inControl platform team will be based in the Dublin office. MasterCard inControl is a key product that MasterCard offers to help customers and cardholders set custom controls on usage of their credit, debit and prepaid cards, offering improved insights on how and where their cards are used.

T h e D u b l i n t e a m w i l l w o r k collaboratively with other MasterCard office locations, particularly the MasterCard Technologies headquarters offi ce in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

“MasterCard chose Ireland as a place to expand our presence because, from our vantage point, we see consumers moving toward a world beyond cash, shopping and paying for the things that matter to them in ways that best fi t their needs and lifestyles with a simple tap, click or touch in-store, online or on a mobile device,” says Reeg.

Welcoming the announcement, Barry O’Leary, CEO of IDA Ireland says, “MasterCard’s decision to locate a global office in Dublin, with the creation of approximately 130 new jobs, is most welcome news. The global technologies offi ce will meet the requirements of the rapidly growing area of payments. This announcement is in keeping with IDA’s focus on targeting technological investments in the fi nancial services sector which is a key growth area. I wish MasterCard every success with their investment and offer the continued support of IDA Ireland into the future.”

IDA Ireland – Press release15/02/2012

MasterCard selects Dublin, Ireland, as location for global technologies offi ce

ICCC thanks the following for contributing to this issue:

Tom BradyStephen FogartyRuth HannaPeter LooritsPaula MolloyJonathan Sullivan

ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 1, March 2012 5

all Irish. The Regan family came to Canada at the turn of the century though her father was the only child born in Canada.

That said, it is Gryphon’s seriously fl uffy home-baked scones and award-winning shortbread that really take the proverbial biscuit. Butter from the high meadows of Québec’s Laurentians and western Canadian wheat are the principal ingredients for Regan’s petticoat tails,

which are strictly crafted without cornstarch, additives, or artificial ingredients. A perfect complement to a wee whiskey, Regan notes.

Originally a theatre teacher, Toronto-born Regan brings warmth, imagination, and in-depth knowledge to her business. “I grew up with my grandmother whose Scottish roots were a major infl uence in her cooking and so much of what we make and serve at Gryphon are directly due to her infl uence.”

Shortbread by Gryphon Inc., 5764 Monkland Avenue, Montréal. Tel: 514-487-0079. www.shortbreadbygryphon.com.

Gryphon D’or Tea Room: 5968 Monkland Avenue, Montréal. Tel: 514-485-7377. www.gryphondor.com

Gryphon (cont.)

CANADA

Our economy is in relatively good shape in comparison with other

Western economies. This hasn’t happened by accident. We are one of the few countries that hasn’t had to bail out our banks. The banking system is the basis of any economy and if it encounters problems the challenges are enormous. The value of a currency is a barometer of the strength of a country’s economy and right now our dollar is above par with the US. This is a mixed blessing as it makes our exports less competitive and of course over 80% of our exports go to the US. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union is scheduled to be completed this year. This will be of great benefi t to Canada as it will help diversify our markets. Irish companies who establish themselves in Canada will have free trade access to the US from their Canadian base because of NAFTA. I know of at least one Irish company that’s doing this successfully already.

IRELANDThere is a lot of good news coming out of Ireland these days as you can see reading these pages. Last year was one of the most successful ever for FDI (Foreign Direct Investment).

In addition to the good news about MasterCard on page 4, Facebook is

planning to double the size of their European Headquarters in Dublin. Google already employs 2,200 people at its European Headquarters in Dublin and intends to increase this to 3,000. The following American companies are also all investing in additional space in Dublin: Yelp Inc., Bank of New York Mellon Corp and Citigroup Inc. PayPal has announced the creation of 1,000 jobs in Dundalk near the border in County Louth. This will no doubt have a spill over effect in the neighbouring town of Newry in Northern Ireland. PayPal already has 1,500 employees in Dublin. In addition to Ireland’s traditional attraction as a low corporate tax destination it now has the added advantages of lower labour and property costs. These are a direct result of the recession and a verifi cation of the old Irish expression “It’s an ill wind that doesn’t blow some good”. In 2007 Ireland was the fi fth most expensive location to buy offi ce space. By 2012 it had dropped to forty-fi fth. Some other good that has come out of Ireland’s recession is that the country is revisiting two areas in which it excels, namely, agriculture and tourism. This applies both north and south.

The recent visit of Chinese Vice President, Xi Jiping, to Ireland was particularly interesting in that he spent as much time there as he did in the United States. He was particularly impressed by Irish agriculture. He had an accompanying delegation of

150. There are huge possibilities for Irish produce in China. The Chinese leader promised new economic ties between the two countries. The Irish Prime Minister, Enda Kenny, will be visiting China at the end of this month to further strengthen economic ties.

A former contributor to this newsletter predicted the possibility of civil unrest and violence in Ireland as a result of the recession. He obviously underestimated the resilience of the Irish people as such a situation has not arisen. Instead, the Irish have accepted the enormous challenge that still faces them. The Irish protested in democratic fashion by getting rid of the government of the day which they blamed for most of the problems. The current coalition government, like their British counterparts, has taken some stringent but necessary measures to get the economy back on track. This will not be easy and there is still a lot of justifi ed anger with what has happened over the last few years.

It is important that the government continue to attract FDI and diversify and expand their trading partners, in particular the BRIC countries. The impending visit of the Deputy Prime Minister, Eamonn Gilmore, to Montreal is a refl ection of Ireland’s wish to do more business with Canada. We wish them all well in their efforts.

Editorial

6 ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 1, March 20126 ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 1, March 20126

For the latest news on the Chamber’s activities, as well as links to interesting articles on Canadian, Irish and international business trends, marketing, travel

issues, and culture, be sure to follow the Twitter account of the ICCC Montreal Chapter. Our Twitter address is: @ICCC_MTL If you are not yet active on Twitter, it is free, fun, and easy to create your own account. Get started by typing this link in your Internet browser:https://twitter.com/signuhttps://twitter.com/signupp

Message (cont.)

cont. p. 8

Follow the Chamber on Twitter

Linkedin is the world’s largest on-line business networking resource. The Chamber has its own Linkedin group with our special Ireland-Canada

business focus. As an ICCC Montreal member, you are invited to join our Linkedin group. There is no additional fee to join. Participate in discussions, promote your business, learn about opportunities and build relationships. If you are already a Linkedin member, search for “Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce” then send a “join” request. If you are not yet a Linkedin member, you can become one by going to www.linkedin.com. There is no charge to set up an account as a basic Linkedin member.

Join the Chamber’s Group on Linkedin

On-line payment of Chamber dues and special event fees

On February 10th, the Erin Sports Association held the sashing of the Irishman of the Year, Bill Hurley. Bill is a most worthy recipient, a corporate member and great friend of our Chamber. He contributes enormously to the Irish Community. There was representation from various Irish organizations including our Chamber, St. Patrick’s Society, United Irish Societies, Ancient Order of Hibernians, Innisfail Sports and Social Club and Cine Gael. The MC for the evening was Barry Holdbrook, former president of the Erin Sports Association.

I have already attended several events in connection in my role as Grand Marshal of the 2012 (188th) St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Last week saw the Flag Raising Ceremony at Place Ville Marie. The parade Chief Reviewing Offi cer, Danny Doyle, and I had to hoist the fl ag on an extremely windy day. We fi nally got there. On February 28th, the City of Verdun hosted a reception in honour of the festivities. It was a well-attended and most enjoyable evening. I understand the City of Verdun has been hosting this event for over 40 years.

The Chamber will have a table at the Erin Sports Association Breakfast on March 10th. We have also reserved two tables at the St. Patrick’s Society Lunch on March 16th. I would encourage members attending these events to join us. It’s just a matter of paying the Chamber and we will do the rest. I would like to thank Tom Brady for organizing these tables.

Following this, our next event will be a Visit Ireland evening. It is tentatively scheduled to take place at the Irish Embassy Pub & Grill on Wednesday, April 11th. Please check our website for fi nal confi rmation. You will also receive an email when this event is fi nalised. We

Succeed (cont.)to attract entrepreneurs to Ireland to locate new start-up companies there. The Enterprise Ireland “Start in Ireland” scheme can provide equity investment of between €100m and €500m to ambitious, innovative start-ups with a focus on international markets.

These initiatives combined with the many other actions being taken in Ireland to support entrepreneurs, reduce

costs and red tape, and create a better environment for business are projected to result in the creation of an additional 100,000 jobs in the country by 2016.

For further details on any of the topics discussed in this article or to fi nd out more about doing business in Ireland, please contact Paula Molloy at the Embassy of Ireland, at:paula.molloy@dfa.ipaula.molloy@dfa.ie or 613 233 0413.

The Chamber is making it easy for you to pay your annual membership dues and purchase tickets for our special events. Soon you will be able to do so

securely through the Chamber’s website www.icccmtl.com with your computer or smart phone. You will be able to submit payments by sending an Interac Email Money Transfer using your own bank account’s on-line banking services. We are also creating a PayPal facility if sometimes you might prefer using a credit card. Both of these options will be up and running in the near future. Follow us on Twitter at @ICCC_MTL where we will announce their startup, or visit our website.

ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 1, March 2012 7

by Stephen Fogarty

Renewing your Work Permit? Procrastination and new Immigration procedures don’t mix

Sometimes reforms can lead to new problems. In the past year

the federal government has taken measures to protect foreign workers bound for or already in Canada, and the integrity of our immigration system, by implementing more detailed screening of employers. This is aimed at rooting out fake job offers and reducing exploitation of such employees. The government has also speeded up the Work Permit renewal process. These are worthy achievements. Unfortunately, in practical terms they are like oil and water. They don’t mix together and a whole new crop of problems has arisen due to the interplay of the two.

What is a Work Permit?A Work Permit (WP) grants a foreign national the right to work in Canada for an employer for a temporary period of time, usually two or three years.

As a general rule, unless a foreign worker falls within certain exemptions, which would take another entire article to describe, a complicated set of procedures must be followed as a pre-condition to renewing the employee’s WP. This normally requires advertising to ensure that Canadians or permanent residents have an opportunity to apply for the position, then requesting a Labour Market Opinion or LMO from Service Canada. In Quebec, there is an additional requirement, which is that the employee must apply for and obtain a Quebec Acceptance Certifi cate or CAQ.

Due to the human trait of procrastination, whether on the part of the employee or employer or both, many people seem to wait until the last few weeks or even days prior to expiry of their WPs before starting the renewal process.

Until recently, when faced with such a situation, so long as the WP had not yet expired, lawyers would submit the LMO and CAQ applications to the appropriate government offi ces and at the same time send the WP renewal application to Immigration Canada. Eventually, when Immigration Canada would get around to studying the WP fi le, we would have already sent them a copy of the approved LMO and CAQ, and a new WP would be issued. During the LMO/CAQ/WP processing time, the employee was permitted to continue working legally in Canada for the employer under implied status.

Procrastinators bewareFlash forward to winter 2012. The new LMO screening procedures in place since summer 2011 have led to increasedprocessing times at Service Canada, even doubling in some Canadian centres to three or four months or longer. Naturally more documents to review means longer processing times. But due to the improvements in the Work Permit (WP) renewal process at Immigration Canada, processing times there have been reduced from three or four months last year to less than one month today.

On top of all this there is apparently an internal directive at Immigration Canada whereby WP renewal applications will not be kept on hold for more than 60 days when the fi le is missing the approved LMO, and for Quebec fi les, the CAQ as well. As a result, once the 60-day limit is passed, since their old WP has expired and their WP application is now being refused as incomplete, individuals are losing their right to work in Canada, at least temporarily. At the same time, employers are being placed in very diffi cult situations when they are legally obliged to suspend employment

of such employees who may occupy key posts in their businesses.

Restoring lost statusThe only possible solution in such a circumstance is to wait for approval of the LMO (and CAQ in Quebec), then make a new WP application combined with a special request to Immigration Canada to restore the employee’s legal status in Canada. Such further procedures will take another month or longer. Naturally, when applying to restore status, Immigration must be convinced that the employee did not work illegally at any time he or she was without a valid WP.

Now it must be kept in mind that restoration of status is a privilege, not a right, and can be refused. The lesson in all of this is that procrastinators may well lose out, with the employee having to leave Canada and the employer obliged to start searching for someone new to fi ll the job.

Vigilance is the keyThe wise employee and employer must be vigilant in Immigration matters. Considering the long combined processing times for advertising, then the LMO and CAQ, then the WP, and to allow for possible problems, it is highly advisable to start working on the complicated renewal procedures at least six or seven months prior to the WP expiry date.

Stephen Fogarty is a member of the Quebec Bar and of the Law Society of Upper Canada. He practises immigration and citizenship law at his offi ce Fogarty Law Firm in Montreal, telephone 514 726-4516, Twitter @Stephen_Fogarty and website www.fogartylaw.cwww.fogartylaw.ca

8 ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 1, March 2012

by Jonathan Sullivan

Irish community pub quiz: another successful evening for ICCC

Did you know that majority of immigrants to the USA between

1820 and 1900 came from Ireland and Germany? Or that the term “Molotov cocktail” was coined by the Finns? No? Well then you will have to come to the ICCC’s pub quizzes. Having grown to three quizzes a year due to their popularity, these events are so much fun and the best way to spend a Thursday evening. Quiz entry of $20 ($25 for those of you who still aren’t ICCC members) gets you entry into the quiz, pub food buffet, and a pint!

Another successful event was held by the ICCC on February 16th when over 60 people came to Hurley’s Irish Pub for our Annual Irish Community Pub Quiz. Attendance featured familiar faces from the Chamber along with many curious people wanting to learn more about who we are and what we do. Word-of-mouth newcomers, students, fi lmmakers, and athletes rubbed shoulders with the Montreal Irish and business communities. After a little networking, teams of four got together to answer questions ranging from categories like geography, history, politics, business, and our morbid novelty round of “dead or alive?” in which you have to guess if the celebrity is still with us. By the way, Pierre Cardin is indeed alive and kicking at 90!

bag of shortbread from the Gryphon d’Or Tea Room on Monkland in NDG, a gift certifi cate to Nicholas Hoare bookstore in Westmount, tickets to Comedyworks on Bishop Street, an Irish gift basket and Galway crystal vase donated by member Michelle Vahey. Signed copies of two books, Any Colour but Beige by Catherine Larose, and Montreal’s Irish Mafi a by D’Arcy O’Connor were also raffl ed off to lucky winners.

T h e B r i a n M c K e o w n Memor ia l t rophy was presented to Cosantóir, the winning team for three years running, who also won four bottles of Irish Whiskey donated by one of our corporate members Diageo. Second place Celtic West Coasters walked away with gift certifi cates to Hurley’s Irish Pub, while third place team Bommerangers won Salad bowl sets donated by Werner Phillips. Door prizes were aplenty, and included a

Our next ICCC Summer Pub Quiz will take place on May 10th at McKibbin’s Irish Pub. See you there for more fun and don’t forget to tell your friends that this is indeed the best way to spend a Thursday evening!

Some of the teams discussing their answers before the going got tough

David and Judith Sherman, winners of the gift basket, and Amelia Zheng

Phot

o: J

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Sulli

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are particularly targeting travel agents and are compiling a database. So if you know of any travel agents, please send me their coordinates and I will ensure they are invited to the event. I hope to see you there.

Remember the 188th St Patrick’s day Parade takes place this year on Sunday March 18th . Twenty bands and the same number of floats have already been confi rmed. Congratulations to the United Irish Societies of Montreal for organising this biggest show of Irish pride in our city. The UIS will be holding a dinner-dance on March 31st to conclude the St. st to conclude the St. st

Patrick’s Festivities for another year. Information on this event can be found on page 9.

If you haven’t paid your membership fee, yet please do so as soon as possible for inclusion in the 2012 Membership Directory. Casey Ryan is now working on it.

Finally, I would like to thank Owen McAleer, my assistant editor, and Anne Forrest, our administrative assistant, for all the help they provided to me in making this issue possible. Also, I wish to thank all our contributors without whose help these pages would be empty.

Paul Loftus

Message (cont.)

The Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce (Montreal) would like to welcome its newest members:

Peter Loorits Peggy Regan

We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events.

New members join the Chamber

ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 1, March 2012 9

ICCC Torontowww.icccto.com

ICCC Edmontonwww.iccced.com

ICCC Ottawawww.icccott.orgott.org

ICCC Calgarywww.iccccal.com

Vancouver Irish Business Enterprisewww.vibevancouver.com

Enterprise Irelandwww.enterprise-ireland.com

Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Tradewww.dfait-maeci.gc.cawww.dfait-maeci.gc.ca

Government of Canada (Canada Europa)www.canadaeuropa.gc.cawww.canadaeuropa.gc.ca

Industry Canadawww.strategis.gc.cawww.strategis.gc.ca

The Canadian Trade Commissioner Servicewww.infoexport.gc.cawww.infoexport.gc.ca

Government of Quebecwww.gouv.qc.ca/wps/portal/pgs?lang=enwww.gouv.qc.ca/wps/portal/pgs?lang=en

Useful Web Sites

Tourism Irelandwww.tourismireland.com

Ireland – Information on the Irish Statewww.irlgov.iewww.irlgov.ie

Invest Northern Irelandwww.idbni.com

Enterprise Irelandwww.enterprise-ireland.comwww.enterprise-ireland.com

Government departments and Ireland informationwww.ask-ireland.com

The Irish Timeswww.ireland.com

Irish Independentwww.unison.ie

Ireland Canada Business Assoc. (Dublin)www.irelandcanada.com

Chambers of Commerce of Irelandwww.chambers.ie

Ireland

Canada

Upcoming Chamber Events

For further information on the above events, please contact the Chamber offi ce:

Tel: (514) 845-0973 or Fax: (514) 847-1212 by E-mail: contact@icccmtl.com

Website: www.iccmtl.com

Irishman of the Year Breakfast

The next informal networking session will take place on March 29th at the Irish Embassy Pub & Grill, 1234 Bishop Street. We encourage you to join

us for a great chance to meet other members of the Chamber, other European Chambers of Commerce and anyone who may be interested in the ICCC and its activities.

Craic agus Comhrá

ICCC will be hosting another of its pub quizzes on May 10th, 2012, at McKibbin’s Irish Pub on Bishop Street. The price for this fun-fi lled evening

is only $20.00 for members and $25.00 for guests. This includes a free drink, fi nger food and the chance to win one of many great prizes. Contact Jonathan Sullivan directly at (514) 967-3656 or at jsullivan@dojolinguistique.comfor more information or to register in advance. Get your team together and sign up soon.

ICCC Summer Pub Quiz

The Chamber invites members and their guests to join us at this year’s Irishman of the Year Breakfast presented by Erin Sports. This will take

place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 10th at the Sheraton Centre, 1201 René-Lévesque West. A table has been reserved for this event which is honouring Bill Hurley. Tickets are $65.00.

St. Patrick’s Society Annual Luncheon

On Friday, March 16n Friday, March 16n F th, Montreal’s St. Patrick’s Society will host its annual luncheon at the Hotel Bonaventure. A cash bar opens at 11:15 a.m. followed by

lunch at noon. This year’s Guest Speaker is Dr. Kathy Reichs, world-famous author and renowned forensic anthropologist. Also in attendance will be Eamon Gilmore, the Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) of Ireland. TicTicT kets are $80.00.ickets are $80.00.ic

United Irish Societies Awards Banquet

If you are interested in attending any of the above, contact Tom Brady If you are interested in attending any of the above, contact Tom Brady Iat tbrady@heenan.ca. Please make your cheque payable to the Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce.

The UIS Awards Banquet and Dinner Dance will be held on Saturday, March 31st at the Buffet Sorrento in LaSalle. Cocktails will be served from 6 p.m. to

7 p.m. followed by a dinner of soup, salad, roast beef, and dessert. Complimentary beer and wine will be available at the table until dessert is served. Entertainment will be provided by the Clahane Family Band, DJ Soundcheck, The Black Watch Pipes and Drums and the Bernadette Short Irish Dancers. In attendance will be the Grand Marshal, Paul Loftus, the Chief Reviewing Offi cer, Danny Doyle, and the Queen and her Court as well as members of Montreal’s Irish organizations. Tickets are $70.00.

Seminar: Doing Business in the United States

This will take place on Wednesday, May 23rd at a venue to be announced. Details will be sent to you and be sure to check the website later.

ICCC News Montreal is published three times a year by the Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce. The publication is distributed by fi rst-class mail to its members, to selected Irish-Canadian community leaders and business organizations. The reproduction in whole or in part of the content of ICCC News Montreal is permitted as long as its source is clearly identifi ed.

Editor: Paul LoftusAssistant Editor: Owen McAleerLayout: Anne Forrest

The Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce – Montreal Offi ce500 Place D’Armes, Suite 2920, Montreal, Québec, Canada H2Y 2W2Tél.: (514) 845-0973 Fax: (514) 847-1212E-Mail: contact@icccmtl.com Web Site: www.icccmtl.comCopyright 2012

10 ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 1, March 2012

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