Laurie Hawn: Your Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre

Winter 2008

Mar 29 - Moreuil Wood Parade - Laurie attended this annual parade with the Lord Stathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) at the Edmonton Garrison. Features of the event were medal presentations and a historical account of the pivotal battle of the First World War.

Mar 28 - Battle of Moreuil Woods Dinner - Laurie and Judy attended this annual event that commemorates the historic First World War Battle of Moreuil Wood in which the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) played a pivotal role. A large crowd of current members of the regiment and many friends gathered to remember battles past and the Strathconas who are currently serving in Afghanistan.

Monument at the site of the battle in northeastern France.

Mar 20 - Glenora Rotary Club - Laurie attended the weekly breakfast of the Glenora Roraty Club abd spoke about his experiences in Afghanistan over the past two Christmases. A question and answer period followed his remarks and the event gave many a better understanding of the mission.

Mar 20 - Glenora Rotary Club - Laurie joined the weekly meeting of the Glenora Rotary Club and shared his experiences in Parliament and, particularly, his past two Christmases "outside the wire" with the troops in Afghanistan. The audience appreciated hearing the "rest of the story".

Mar 20 - Port Alberta Funding Announcement - Laurie accompanied the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Western Economic Diversification, as she announced initial funding of $1.5 million for the development of the Port Alberta plan. Port Alberta will make Edmonton a transportation centre as the nexus of a road, rail and air network, which holds great promise for economic growth in the Capital Region.

Mar 20 - Inner City Mac and Cheese Luncheon - Laurie was a head table guest at this annual event to raise money for the benefit of the inner city homeless. The Guest of Honour was Frank O'Dea, who told the inspiring story of lifting himself up from skid row to a life of accomplishment, including building The Second Cup coffee chain and receiving the Order of Canada.

With Frank O'Dea.

Mar 19 - Repatriation Ceremony - Laurie had the sad duty of accompanying the Governor General, on behalf of the Minister of National Defence, to 8 Wing Trenton, Ontario for the repatriation ceremony for Sargeant Jason Boyes, killed in action in Afghanistan.

Mar 18 - Homelessness Funding - On behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, Laurie announced $25 million in new funding for 37 Alberta projects that will address homelessness issues. The announcement took place at the Hope Mission, which will receive over $1 miilion for a project on behalf of women and youth at risk.

With Dennis Meier, Manager of the Herb Jameson Center and Janelle Aker, Community Relations of Hope Mission's Woman and Youth Centre.

Announcing $25 million.

Mar 18 - Constituency Day - Laurie spent another morning dealing with issues for individual constituents. One of the most interesting was a visit by Lezley Zwaal, who has initiated a very interesting project to supply hand-made quilts for wounded Canadian soldiers. See the "What's New" section on our website for more informaton.

With Lezley Zwaal and one of her fine quilts.

Mar 17 - University of Victoria Visit - Laurie visited UVic and gave a briefing to an audience of approximately 100 people on our mission in Afghanistan. As one might imagine, the Q & A was quite lively but respectful. Everyone left with a better understanding of what we are doing in Afghanistan, even if not all were in agreement.

Addressing the crowd.

Mar 15 - Trooper Michael Hayakaze - Trooper Michael Yuki Hayakaze of the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) was laid to rest, after he was killed in action in Afghanistan. In a beautiful ceremony in Japanese and English, Laurie joined an overflow crowd in paying tribute to another brave young Canadian whose loss will not be in vain.

Mar 15 - Community Arts Celebration - Laurie dropped in to the Winspear Centre to visit with members of Edmonton's community arts organizations and saw a wide variety of programs that highlight Edmonton's art and cultural history.

Mar 14 - Alzheimer's Benefit - Laurie and Judy attended this annual fund raiser in support of the fight against Alzheimer's Disease. There were many inspirational stories of people who are dealing with this terrible disease.

Mar 14 - NAIT Machinists Centre - Laurie accompanied the Honourable Rona Ambrose to the opening of the new NAIT Machinist Centre. This is another example of the federal government working closely with educational leaders to support the Alberta and Canadian economies.

With the Honourable Doug Horner, NAIT President Sam Shaw and the Honourable Rona Ambrose

Mar 14 - Port Alberta Presentation - Laurie attended a presentation at the Edmonton Petroleum Club on the topic of Port Alberta, en exciting multi-year project that will cement Edmonton's position as a leader in national and international transportation and commerce.

Mar 08 - Dance on Air Gala - Laurie and Judy attended this event in support of the Alberta Ballet. The honoured guests of the evening were Stephen and Lynn Mandel, being recognized for their strong support of the Alberta Ballet, and the arts, in general. Guests enjoyed a wonderful performance by members of the Alberta Ballet.

With members of the Alberta Ballet.

Mar 07 - Canadian Paraplegic Association Dinner - Laurie and Judy attended this annual event in support of programs to benefit people with mobility challenges. The highlight of the evening was an inspirational address by the Mayor of Vancouver Sam Sullivan, himself a quadriplegic.

Mar 04 - 06 - Afghan Women in Parliament - For several days, Parliament hosted six members of the Parliament of Afghanistan. What was notable was that all of these MPs were women, who would never have had the chance to aspire to that position under the Taliban. Their stories of courage were inspirational and made our "troubles" pale by comparison.

With some of the Afghan MPs.

Mar 01 - NAIT Cruise - Laurie and Judy attended the 20th Annual NAIT cruise to help raise money for NAIT's many student programs. Laurie spoke briefly about the great work our troops are doing for the women and children of Afghanistan. For the sixth year in a row, Laurie also helped auction off a day at Cold Lake's Exercise Maple Flag. Laurie escorts six people on an exciting day behind the scenes at this major multi-national exercise in northern Alberta.

Mar 01 - Firefighters Charity Check-out - Laurie spent time at the Oliver Square Safeway helping raise money for the battle against Muscular Dystrophy. Edmonton's firefighters do a wonderful job on an on-going basis of raising tens of thousands of dollars for this worthy cause.

With firefighters and Safeway staff.

Feb 28 - U.S. Ambassador Dinner - Laurie was privileged to attend a dinner with the U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins, in honour of Ron Joyce, co-founder of Tim Hortons. It was a lively and enjoyable evening with other guests that included General Rick Hillier and the Honourable John Manley.

Feb 27 - Halifax Model United Nations - Laurie travelled to Halifax to be Guest Speaker at the opening session of a Model United Nations. The event was held at Halifax West High School, which is known for its multi-cultural makeup with dozens of languages and cultures being represented in the student body. Laurie enjoyed a lively discussion and questions from a very astute group of young Canadians.

Feb 23 - Trenton Visit - Laurie drove to Trenton, Ontario to spend the day with his colleague Rick Norlock, MP for Northumberland Quinte West. The local Royal Canadian Legion hosted a town hall where Laurie briefed the crowd on the mission in Afghanistan and fielded questions. Other events included a visit to 8 Wing Trenton and the Air Force Museum, where Laurie met several old friends from his Air Force Days.

Laurie and MP Rick Norlock taking questions.

Checking out a large scale model of one of his former mounts - the CF-104 Starfighter.

Feb 22 - Conference of Defence Associations - Laurie was the lead-off speaker in this annual event that brings together members of the broad defence community in Canada. Laurie's topic was the mission in Afghanistan and other speakers included Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Feb 21 - Edmonton Caucus - Laurie chaired the regular meeting of the Edmonton Caucus to discuss issues relevant to the Capital Region and to hear from groups looking for assistance.

Feb 20 - Constituency Day - Laurie met with a variety of constituents to discuss their specific issues and to see how they might be helped.

Feb 19 - An Evening with Jim Prentice - Laurie and over 300 people were joined at Edmonton's Fairmont Hotel Macdonald for an evening of conversation and refreshment by Minister of Industry the Honourable Jim Prentice. The Minister and a wide range of Edmonton leaders exchanged ideas and enjoyed the excellent service and hospitality afforded by "The Mac".

Chatting with guests.

A reward for a job well done.

Feb 19 - St. Albert Breakfast Club - Laurie got up early to join the people of St. Albert for breakfast and to talk about Canada's mission in Afghanistan. The message was well-received and a good exchange of questions and answers followed Laurie's remarks.

Bringing the Afghanistan message to St. Albert

Feb 16 - Edmonton Chinese Bilingual Association Gala - Laurie joined hundreds of other guests at the Edmonton Chinese Bilingual Association New Year's Gala to celebrate their 25th Anniversary. Everyone was treated to a variety of musical and dance performances by students who have been pursuing their studies with an emphasis on the Mandarin language and Chinese culture. Laurie laid some of his best Cantonese on the crowd and acted as an auctioneer.

Addressing the crowd in Cantonese

Feb 11 - Manitoba Legislative Interns Visit - Laurie was visited by a delegation of Interns from the Manitoba Legislature. These accomplished young Canadians were visiting Ottawa to learn more about the Federal Government and they and Laurie enjoyed a lively exchange.

Manitoba Legislature Interns

Feb 11 - Meeting with Foreign Minister of Macedonia - Laurie held a meeting with the Foreign Minister of Macedonia, Mr. Antonio Milososki, to discuss that country's bid to join NATO. The meeting was cordial with an exchange of gifts and Macedonia is very desirous of joining this most successful alliance.

With Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki

Feb 9 - Choir of Choirs Reception and Gala - Laurie and Judy joined a full-house at the Winspear Centre for an amazing performance by individual and massed choirs from the University of Alberta and other institutions.

Feb 9 - Edmonton Chinese New Year Banquet - Laurie and Judy enjoyed another great feast to celebrate the Year of the Rat. Laurie brought greetings in Cantonese and everyone enjoyed a variety of musical and dance performances.

Bringing greetings in cantonese

Toasters, including Premier Ed Stelmach, and performers.

Feb 8 - The Year of the Rat - Laurie and Judy joined hundreds of people in Edmonton's Chinese community to celebrate the Year of the Rat. On a bitterly cold day, outdoor activities were conducted at a fast pace, followed by an excellent dim sum at the Century Palace Restaurant. Everyone had a lot of fun, passing out lucky packets and practising their best "gung hey fat choi". We wish everyone a healthy, lucky and profitable new year.

Laurie and "The Rat".

"Gung Hey Fat Choi"

Feb 02 - Chinese New Years - Laurie attended two events to celebrate the Year of the Rat and brought greetings from the Federal Government in Cantonese. The first event was at the Chinese Catholic Parish and the second took place at Northlands Agricom. Both events were packed and featured colourful performances, great food and a wide variety of Chinese crafts.

Addressing Chinese Catholic Parish in Cantonese.

Sampling some of the cuisine.

Doing his best Cantonese at the Agricom.

Feb 01 - Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Ball - Laurie and Judy joined over 1,000 people at this annual event to highlight the successes of Edmonton's business community and to witness the handing over of the reins from Greg Christensen to Patrick Laforge. After an excellent meal, guests enjoyed the sounds of Huey Lewis and the News.

With Mayor Stephen Mandel at the Ball.

Jan 25 - Olympic and Para-Olympic athletes reception - Laurie joined a large crowd of Members of Parliament at a reception in honour of twenty Canadian Olympic and Para-Olympic athletes. Several of the athletes spoke eloquently about their experiences and dreams and it was inspiring for everyone present.

With Canadian swimming hero Alex Baumann and Olympic medal winner Adam van Koeverden.

Jan 24 - More new citizens - Laurie sponsored another citizenship ceremony and greeted 79 new Canadians from 28 countries in their own languages. The enthusiasm of these new Canadians could well rub off on some of us who have been here much longer.

Flag waving kids singing Oh Canada.

Jan 23 - Visit to Hay River - Laurie spent a day in Hay River, NWT, visiting businesses and getting familiar with this vibrant northern community. Hay River will play a prominent role in the pipeline and other development in the north as the Government strengthens Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic.

With Conservative candidate Brendan Bell and a tugboat waiting for spring.

With Brendan Bell and Ron and Kent from Kingland Ford, one of the largest local businesses.

Jan 22 - Citizenship Ceremony - Laurie joined Judge Sonia Bitar for one of his regular citizenship ceremony events and helped welcome 75 new Canadians from 28 different countries. Laurie welcomed each to Canada in their own language.

Laurie with Judge Sonia Bitar and the Gregoire Family from The Congo.

Jan 22 - Women's Canadian Club of Edmonton - Laurie joined the head table for the Club's monthly dinner and had the honour of introducing the Guest of Honour, Dr. Jacqueline Shan. Dr. Shan is CEO of CV Technologies, best known as the inventor of Cold Fx, a widely used herbal product. Laurie has known Dr. Shan for years and admires her as a great example of how successful immigrants can be in Canada.

With Dr. Jackie Shan and Her Honour Mrs. Mary Kwong

Jan 22 - Mennonite Centre ESL Training - Laurie spent two hours with an English as a Second Language Class, teaching students from many countries about how government in Canada works and how laws get passed. A lively question and answer period followed.

With the class.

Jan 21 - Agrifoods Discovery Centre - Laurie led a group of Edmonton MPs on a visit to this excellent new facility at the University of Alberta. The Agrifoods Discovery Place will become an international centre for research and development in many areas of food safety and resource development.

Jan 19 - Visit to Winnipeg - Laurie flew to Winnipeg to spend the day with Steven Fletcher, MP for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health. Several events were planned, including visits to local aerospace technology companies; a tour of 17 Wing Winnipeg and lunch with senior staff; and a town hall meeting at the Charleswood Legion. Laurie spoke to the large Legion crowd about the mission in Afghanistan and the importance of what we're doing there.

l-r Scott McCrady (Magellan Aerospace), Laurie, Steven Fletcher, David O'Connor (Magellan Aerospace)

Addressing Charleswood Legion crowd

Jan 18 - Canadian Polish Congress Oplarek Celebration- Laurie and Judy joined the Edmonton Polish Community for this annual holiday celebration. Laurie brought greetings in Polish and everyone shared in an enjoyable evening.

Jan 18 - St. Albert Rotary Club - Laurie joined the St. Albert Rotary Club for their weekly breakfast. The special guest was Ms. Diana Youdell from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade who spoke on development in Afghanistan.

Jan 17 - PPCLI Departure Ceremony - Laurie joined Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong, Lieutenant-General Andrew Leslie and other senior officers in a ceremony to recognize the departure for Afghanistan of the latest rotation into that difficult mission. The afternoon was short on speeches and long on family fun.

Jan 17 - Honouring Diane Brickner - Laurie was pleased to share the head table at the annual event for the Grant MacEwan College School of Business awarding of the 2008 Allard Chair in Business. This year's winner was Diane Brickner, CEO of Peace Hills Insurance. Ms. Brickner has been part of the Peace Hills Insurance success story that is now 25 years old. It's a great example of what can be done by a forward-looking First Nations Band, in this case the Samson Cree Band.

Jan 17 - Constituency Day - Laurie hosted another morning of one-on-one meetings with constituents to find ways to help with personal challenges.

Jan 16 - Dycor Industries tour - Laurie spent time with this very vibrant and growing Edmonton company, lerarning more about their business and the benefits they bring to Alberta and Canada. Dycor Industries are world leaders in biological detection technology. The applications of this technology make our soldiers safer and also enhance the industrial safety in the oil patch. There are many other applications that are being pursued in cooperation with other industry players.

Jan 16 - Funding for Citadel Theatre - Laurie brought more good news to the Citadel Theatre with a cheque for over $186,000 to pay for new lighting and sound systems. The money comes just in time to make the upcoming production of Beauty and the Beast more enjoyable for Edmontonians.

Passing out the dough

Jan 15 - Funding for Institute of Health Economics - Laurie brought good news with a cheque for $154,293. The money will go towards disseminating diabetes-related healthcare information throughout the province.

Presenting cheque to Dr. Jeffrey Johnson (right) and Dr. Egon Jonsson (left)

14 Jan - Winter Town Hall - A packed house at the Oliver Community League participated in a lively Town Hall. Laurie covered a number of topics in his opening remarks and answered quetions in a wide variety of areas, such as Afghanistan, the environment, justice, copyright law, senate reform, etc. Laurie enjoys these face-to-face opportunities to interact with constituents.

Town Hall meeting in full swing

14 Jan - Lecture on Terrorism in Canada - Laurie was invited to address a third-year law class at the University of Alberta on the topic of terrorism and Canada's mission in Afghanistan. It was an excellent opportunity to interact with some very engaged young Canadians.

With law instructor Sharish Chotalia

Jan 12 - Operation Red Nose - Laurie joined the volunteer appreciation and brought greetings and a door prize to the celebration. Operation Red Nose gave over 700 rides and raised over $25,000 for charity, while keeping Edmonton's roads safer over the Christmas Season. Well Done!

Speaking to the breakfast

With prize winner and Red Nose volunteer Ed Estioko

Jan 11 - Garrison Business Lunch - Laurie attended the monthly Business Lunch at the Edmonton Garrison as the guest of 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, which has personnel deployed in Afghanistan.

Jan 11 - Manning Centre Reception - Laurie joined a group of like-minded folks at the Mayfair Golf and Country for informal discussons and the sharing of ideas with Preston Manning, Ralph Klein and others.

Janet Riopel (Port Edmonton Project), Ralph Klein, Preston Manning

Jan 8 - Reservist Job Protection - Laurie travelled to Vancouver to be a part of the announcement of new legislation that will be the first major step in protecting the jobs and student positions for Canadians who volunteer to serve their country. Laurie joined Minister of Labour, the Hon. Jean Pierre Blackburn at 39 Brigade, an Army Reserve unit of British Columbia, and enjoyed spreading the good news.

In the scrum

Jan 7 - Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Luncheon - Laurie joined Minister of Labour, the Hon. Jean-Pierre Blackburn at the monthly Chamber Luncheon. Minister Blackburn delivered a message about Canada's trade and human rights development in the Americas.

With Minister Blackburn and Syed Hassan

Jan 4 - Arts Touring Alliance of Alberta Funding - Laurie announced funding of $60,000 to the Arts Touring Alliance of Alberta (ATAA) in support of Showcase 2008 in Red Deer. The ATAA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the maintenance, development and growth of a strong touring arts industry in Alberta. The Government of Canada is proud to support any organization that fosters the performing arts.

Making presentation to Dave Goodwin, President of ATAA