ICCC NEWS Montreal Newsletter of the Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce (Montreal Chapter), Vol. 11, no. 2, September 2012 Please follow the Chamber on LinkedIn and Twitter@ICCC_MT L T T President’s Message Contents cont. p. 4 • Dublin – city of science ................................................................. p.2 • Spotlight on new members ............................................................ p.3 • What’s new with you ..................................................................... p.5 • Exporting to Europe ...................................................................... p.6 • Tribute to Paul Loftus .................................................................... p.7 • Irish community bids farewell to Paula Molloy ............................ p.8 cont. p. 6 What’s in it for you? In addition to doing something tangible for Ireland, you also obtain a financial reward. The latter ranges between €1500 to €3000 per sustainable job depending on the value of the connection and the timeframe in which the project could come to fruition. The money is paid over two years, subject to a minimum of €4500 if three jobs are created and a maximum of €150,000 if 100 jobs or more are created. The reward can be paid directly to you, to the charity of your choice or to the Irish government. What you can do for Ireland - what it can do for you I t has been a very busy time for the Chamber since our last newsletter in March. Our activities have included the “Visit Ireland” evening co-hosted by Tourism Ireland, and a seminar on “Doing Business in the United States” where the delegation was led by Bill Owens, a Congressman from the State of New York in the U.S. House of Representatives. We also organized a “ConnectIreland” information evening where this IDA-sponsored initiative (focusing on investment in the small and medium-sized company market) presented an exciting way for all to introduce potential investors to Ireland and to be rewarded for jobs subsequently created there. Many of our members also attended a Business Breakfast with the Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore TD, on his visit to Montreal on March 17. Mr. Gilmore emphasized to a significant group of Irish-Montreal business people that Ireland is very much open for business. He subsequently met with members of the wider Montreal business community to discuss how trade and investment can be promoted between Ireland and Quebec. E ven if you missed the ConnectIreland information session in Montreal on June 6, ICCC members and friends of Ireland can still help attract investment for job creation in Ireland in return for financial compensation. ConnectIreland is a crowdsourcing initiative designed to create 5000 new jobs in Ireland within five years by tapping into your global connections. What to do? It is very simple. All you have to do is 1) look into your respective business and social networks to identify small to medium-sized businesses that are looking to expand into Europe; and 2) refer decision makers in the businesses to the ConnectIreland team to start the qualification process. By Ruth Hanna
Transcript
ICCC NEWSMontreal
Newsletter of the Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce (Montreal Chapter), Vol. 11, no. 2, September 2012Please follow the Chamber on LinkedIn and Twitter@ICCC_MTTwitter@ICCC_MTLTwitter@ICCC_MTLTwitter@ICCC_MT
President’s Message
Contents
cont. p. 4
• Dublin – city of science ................................................................. p.2• Spotlight on new members ............................................................ p.3• What’s new with you ..................................................................... p.5• Exporting to Europe ...................................................................... p.6• Tribute to Paul Loftus .................................................................... p.7• Irish community bids farewell to Paula Molloy ............................ p.8
cont. p. 6
What’s in it for you?
In addition to doing something tangible for Ireland, you also obtain a fi nancial reward. The latter ranges between €1500 to €3000 per sustainable job depending on the value of the connection and the timeframe in which the project could come to fruition. The money is paid over two years, subject to a minimum of €4500 if three jobs are created and a maximum of €150,000 if 100 jobs or more are created. The reward can be paid directly to you, to the charity of your choice or to the Irish government.
What you can do for Ireland - what it can do for you
It has been a very busy time for the Chamber since our last newsletter
in March. Our activities have included the “Visit Ireland” evening co-hosted by Tourism Ireland, and a seminar on “Doing Business in the United States” where the delegation was led by Bill Owens, a Congressman from the State of New York in the U.S. House of Representatives. We also organized a “ConnectIreland” information evening where this IDA-sponsored initiative (focusing on investment in the small and medium-sized company market) presented an exciting way for all to introduce potential investors to Ireland and to be rewarded for jobs subsequently created there.
Many of our members also attended a Business Breakfast with the Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore TD, on his visit to Montreal on March 17. Mr. Gilmore emphasized to a signifi cant group of Irish-Montreal business people that Ireland is very much open for business. He subsequently met with members of the wider Montreal business community to discuss how trade and investment can be promoted between Ireland and Quebec.
Ev e n i f y o u m i s s e d t h e ConnectIreland information
session in Montreal on June 6, ICCC members and fr iends of Ireland can still help attract investment for job creation in Ireland in return for fi nancial compensation.
ConnectIreland is a crowdsourcing ConnectIreland is a crowdsourcing ConnectIrelandinitiative designed to create 5000 new jobs in Ireland within fi ve years by tapping into your global connections.
What to do?
It is very simple. All you have to do is
1) look into your respective business and social networks to identify small to medium-sized businesses that are looking to expand into Europe; and
2) refer decision makers in the businesses to the ConnectIreland team to start the qualifi cation process.
By Ruth Hanna
ICCC Montreal Board of Directors
2 ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 2, September 2012
From 11-15 July 2012, Dublin was host to multiple Nobel laureates
and leading scientific minds for the prestigious Euroscience Open Forum 2012. The Euroscience Open Forum – or ESOF for short- is the largest and – or ESOF for short- is the largest and –most prestigious European general science meeting that is held every two years. It aims to a) showcase the latest advances in science and technology, b) promote a dialogue on the role of science and technology in society and public policy, and c) to stimulate and provoke public interest, excitement and debate about science and technology. Over 4,500 delegates from around the world attended, and heard lectures
President Vivian Doyle-Kelly(President, Ecowatt)
Tom Brady(Partner, Heenan Blaikie)
Ruth Hanna(SEMAFO)
Jim Kellett(MacDougall, MacDougall & MacTier Inc.)
Michelle Vahey(SAP Labs Canada)
from luminaries such as Jules Hoffman, the 2011 Joint Nobel prize winner for Medicine and the Director-General of CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire) and Rolf-Dieter Heuer.
The event was the centrepiece of the Dublin City of Science Festival 2012. The festival is a year-long celebration that will bring together a community of cultural institutions, organisations and individuals, who are passionate about showcasing the best of Irish culture, arts and science. The new and innovative science-themed events across Dublin consist of photographic and art exhibitions, theatre pieces, fi lm festivals, tours, trails, science buskers, large installations, public debates, talks and workshops. The initiative is principally organised by the Offi ce of the Chief Scientifi c Adviser to the Government, in co-operation with a number of Government agencies and partners.
In terms of Ireland’s research capacity and international standing, we have come a long way pretty quickly. In 2003, Ireland was ranked 36th in the world for quality of scientific research output; since 2008, Ireland has been in the top
20 countries worldwide for scientifi c research. Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), the Irish Government’s science agency, currently facilitates over 1700 international collaborations spanning 58 countries, and SFI-funded researchers collaborate with over 500 companies.
Research and innovation has also become a cornerstone of Irish economic development policy. The “Action Plan for Jobs” published by the Government earlier this year identifi es research and innovation as a driver of job creation. Addressing the opening ceremony of the Euroscience Open Forum, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mr Richard Bruton T.D. noted that the Government was implementing a series of changes to ensure that research is properly commercialised, so that good ideas could be turned into good jobs. These changes include the approval of legislation to extend the remit of Science Foundation Ireland to include applied research; the implementation of Research Prioritisation to ensure that publicly funded research is aimed at areas with the greatest potential for commercialisation and job-creation; the establishment of a one-stop-shop for businesses seeking to commercialise intellectual property deriving from publicly-funded research; and the establishment of a network of industry-led technology centres to encourage industry and academia to work together to develop and commercialise research ideas.
Further details on the ESOF event and on other activities taking place around the Dublin City of Science 2012 may be found on the following website:www.dublinscience2012.ie
Hilary Reilly is the Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of IrelandSuite 1105, 130 Albert StreetOttawa, ON K1P 5G4Email: [email protected].: 1-613-233-0528
Dublin – city of scienceBy Hilary Reilly
Vice-PresidentVice-PresidentVice-Stephen Fogarty
(Fogarty Law Firm)
TreasurerDavid O’Neill
(Commercial Banking Manager, BNC)
Immediate Past-PresidentPaul Loftus
(Paul Loftus and Associates Inc.)
Representative in IrelandDiana James
(Hodgson Sugar (Canada) Ltd.)
ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 2, September 2012 3
Mr. Dorey is President and CEO at OneCap Investment Corp., a TSX Venture company OIC involved in real estate infrastructure investments.
Previously, he was President of Oxford Quebec, where he was involved in the acquisition of real estate assets valued at $1 billion and directly responsible for managing the real estate portfolio.
Prior to Oxford, Mr. Dorey founded Koral Properties, which, within a fi ve-year period, became one of the largest property management fi rms in Quebec. He has also worked for TrustGeneral’s Institutional-Commercial-Industrial property brokerage division, for Edgecombe Realty Advisors and for Mercantile Bank-National Bank.
Daniel Dorey sits on the board of the Youth Protection Division Foundation (DPJ). He is past chairman, Urban
Spotlight on new membersDaniel Dorey
Daniel Dorey is a leader in the real estate industry, he possesses over
25 years of experience in acquisition, integration of real estate assets and real estate corporations, as well as asset management and fi nancial structuring.
On May 2010, after over 25 years in international freight forwarding in
Europe and Canada, Christian Sivière created an import-export consulting business. Solutions Import Export Logistique (SIEL) or Import Export Logistics Solutions focuses on three areas:
• to enable small and medium sized enterprises to grow internationally;
• to offer training in international trade and logistics, Incoterms, letters of credit, customs, conformity, cargo insurance and related topics (Chris delivers courses, lectures and seminars for various associations and is recognized as an Accredited Trainer by the Québec Ministry of Employment);
Development Institute; past member of the board of the Montréal Economic Institute; member of the Quebec Board of Directors, World Presidents’ Organization (WPO); and previous member of the Quebec Board of Directors of the Young Presidents’Organization (YPO).
He holds an MBA from McGill University and a Bachelor’s degree from Bishop’s University.
Please welcome Dan Dorey.
Daniel DoreyPresident & CEO,OneCap Investment Corp.Tel.: 514-565-1207Email:
• to provide relevant documentation (Chris is editor of the French ebulletin of the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters – IE Canada – and contributes to several publications, Gestion Logistique, L’Actualité Alimentaire, Pontransat and others).
SIEL is member of the Irish, Belgian, French and German Chambers of Commerce, of the Supply Chain and Logistics Association of Canada (SCL Cda), the Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters (IE Cda) and the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA).
The Ireland-Canada Chamber welcomes Chris and looks forward to working with him.
4 ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 2, September 2012
Message (cont.)
Our networking events included our annual summer Pub Quiz and the Summer Get-Together following our AGM as well as the regular “last-Thursday-of-the month” Craic & Comhrá evenings.
As we continue to enjoy a wonderful summer, the Chamber is starting to plan for the upcoming year’s activities and the Calendar of Events will be published on our website. We normally send out notifi cation of all events to our members and also to the 300 – 400 people and sister organizations that form part of our “Friends of the ICCC” mailing list. I would encourage everyone to consult www.icccmtl.com and plan to attend Chamber Events.
I would also urge everyone to join the “Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce” Group on LinkedIn where you will fi nd many interesting announcements, features, and news. You can also participate in the various discussions including introducing your own business.
Because of my business commitments in the Greater Toronto Area, I was personally able to attend a couple of ICCC Toronto events and meet many of their members. I also participated in a meeting to review a draft version of the planned ICCC national “Green Pages,” a Canada-wide business directory of ICCC members. We look forward to announcing the launch of this national members-only site in the near future.
At our Annual General Meeting in June, the members mandated the Board of the Chamber to conduct a review of its By-Laws with a view to modernizing our governance. It is hard to imagine a world without e-mail, but this everyday technology was not in daily use when our current By-Laws were written. Thomas Brady has graciously accepted to chair the working committee.
Over the next number of months, we will be examining how we communicate with you. We plan to organize all of our various methods of communication into a cohesive structure that will enable timely communication with you while allowing us to effi ciently use our volunteer resources. Ruth Hanna will lead a small volunteer committee in this work and will have overall responsibility for Chamber Communications. I would like to congratulate Ruth on becoming editor of this newsletter and wish her every success.
Michael Vahey will lead membership activity as the ICCC seeks to grow and attract new members. It is very encouraging to note that over the course of the summer we attracted eight new members, and we plan to continue on this growth path.
I would like to welcome Jim Kellett of MacDougall, MacDougall & MacTier to the Board and to thank Owen McAleer, Jonathan Sullivan and Casey Ryan, who have stepped down from the Board, for their years of service to the Chamber.
On behalf of the Board and all the members and friends of the Chamber, I would like to thank our Immediate Past-President, Paul Loftus, for his many years of dedicated service to the Chamber in his leadership role of President. I look forward to working with Paul and all members of the 2012 – 2013 Board as we continue to build on the legacy and excellent reputation established by the ICCC in its fi rst 20 years.Vivian Doyle-Kelly
Three Presidents Tee Off: Cormac Monaghan (President of ICCCTO), Vivian Doyle-Kelly, and Colm O’Carroll (President ICCCEdmonton)
Phot
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m “
Smitt
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mith
New members join the Chamber
The Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce (Montreal) would like to welcome its newest members:
Ed BrennanDan DoreySteve FaheyMark Gallagher
Paul HarrisonRuth MurphyPatrick SheaChris Sivière
We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events.
ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 2, September 2012 5
What’s new with you?John McGuinnessJohn has just completed an 18-month contract with a major Canadian wholesaler as project manager for its SAP implementation. This was preceded by a 10-month engagement with Alstom as Change Manager, again for a SAP implementation. John is now taking some time off before his next contract, which would ideally be a SAP project manager position inside a large corporation.Email: [email protected]
Peggy ReganL’Épicerie, Radio-Canada’s television-for-foodies show, featured Gryphon for the fourth time with a segment on Scotch Pies, in honour of British Fast Foods at the Olympics, so Peggy and her team are busy keeping up with this new demand. The wholesale business is also fl ourishing as its scones are now distributed through Hector Larivée Ltd, one of the largest fruit and vegetable distributors in Canada.
On the retail side, Gryphon D’Or’s little bake shop will be getting more gift items in from Ireland, England and Scotland. In particular, note that it should have bricks of Irish peat for fi replace burning by early September. The turf will make an ideal holiday season gift for anyone with a fi replace or wood-burning stove. Supplies will be limited so they’ve drawn up a waiting list. Gryphon D’Or Tea Room, 5968 Monkland Avenue, Montreal, www.gryphondor.comwww.gryphondor.comwww.shortbreadbygryphon.comwww.shortbreadbygryphon.com
In addition, he is President of Heritage Branch (the Montreal chapter) of The United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada, a Captain-Lieutenant in the (recreated) 78th Fraser Highlanders Regiment, a member of the Advisory Board of the English-Speaking Catholic Council and a lector (and former churchwarden) of the Parish of the Ascension of Our Lord in Westmount. He is also an enthusiastic supporter since its inception of the Canadian Irish Studies Foundation.Email: [email protected]
Robert WilkinsOn July 4, Robert Wilkins was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. The medal was presented by Senator W. David Angus during a cermony held at the Macdonald Stewart Foundation in Montreal. Robert, a graduate of Loyola High School and Loyola College and McGill University, works as a maritime lawyer at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in Montreal and is also Secretary-Treasurer of The Canadian Maritime Law Association.
Peter KirbyPeter Kirby, the chamber’s second president, has written a debut crime novel, The Dead of Winter, which will be published in October 2012 by Linda Leith Publishing. An earlier manuscript of the book was shortlisted by Crime Writers of Canada for its Unhanged Arthur Award for Best Unpublished First Crime Novel.
The novel follows world-weary Inspector Luc Vanier who is drinking his way through Christmas Eve when he is called out to investigate the murder of five homeless people. His investigation takes him into the back rooms of the Catholic Church, the boardrooms of Montreal’s business élite, and the soup kitchens and back-alleys of street life in winter. Readers of Ian Rankin, Kathy Reichs and Umberto Eco, take note!
Following Peter’s interview on CBC Sunday Edition on August 19, he has received an invitation to attend the International Festival of Authors in Toronto and an expression of interest from a fi lm producer.
A native of Cork, Peter practises international law with Fasken Martineau. In 2012, The American Lawyer listed him The American Lawyer listed him The American Lawyeras one of Canada’s leading 500 lawyers and Benchmark Litigation calls him one of Canada’s stars in international arbitration. www.peterkirby.cawww.peterkirby.ca
Legislation is expected in autumn 2012 that would close a loophole
allowing persons who apply for citizenship to request that days spent outside of Canada be counted to satisfy residency requirements.
Under the current rules, a permanent resident may apply for citizenship if he or she has, “within the four years immediately preceding the date of his or her application, accumulated at least three years of residence in Canada.” The term “residence” was not defi ned in the law, with the result that some judges were approving citizenship applications by individuals who might work for long periods outside Canada, for example, but otherwise kept signifi cant ties to the country, such as the presence of a home, spouse and children.
Immigration Minister Jason Kenney is determined to end what he views as a watering down of Canadian citizenship. Mr Kenney believes that if persons want to benefi t from Canadian citizenship, they must make a real commitment to reside in and contribute to the country.
Under the new legislation, the term “residence” will be changed to mean physical presence in Canada. However, it is not yet known if the timeline will remain three out of four years going back from the date of the citizenship application, or if a different test period, such as four out of fi ve years, will be chosen. Given Mr Kenney’s statements, it is not likely that the qualifying period will be made easier.
Thus if you are a permanent resident, you might consider applying for Canadian citizenship now before the rules change. This is especially the case for those who
New residency rules expected for Canadian Citizenship
applications
By Stephen Fogarty
cont. p. 6
6 ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 2, September 20126 ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 2, September 20126
During the presentation in Montreal, Michael McLoughl in , CEO of ConnectIreland, noted that no-one so far had opted to donate their fi nancial rewards back to the state!
In the two months following its launch on March 8, 2012, connectors introduced over 100 internationally expanding companies to the strategic ini t ia t ive. ConnectIreland was mandated by IDA Ireland to deliver the “Succeed in Ireland” programme, which is part of the Irish government’s 2012 Action Plan for Jobs.
To learn more about how you can use your connections to help Ireland and yourself, see www.connectireland.com or follow on Twitter@ConnectIrelandTwitter@ConnectIreland..
ConnectIreland (cont.)
ICCC will be participating in the 11th edition of Carrefour Europe, which
will be held on November 20 in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Montreal. The Carrefour is organised by chambers of commerce and delegations from the following eight European countries: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, and Romania.
Why attend?• To fi nd out best business practices
from Quebec companies already exporting to Europe,
• To glean information about key business strategies for European markets,
• To i d e n t i f y t h e m a r k e t opportunities in the healthcare/l i fe sc iences , c leantech/c o n s t r u c t i o n , a n d t h e aeronautical sectors,
• To tap into expert ise of o rgan iza t ions p rov id ing (fi nancial and regulatory) export-related support for Europe,
This year, the focus of the round-table sessions will be opportunities in healthcare/life sciences, cleantech/construction and the aeronautical industries.
If you are a SME that is interested in obtaining more information about attending the Carrefour, you can obtain more details from:[email protected].
• To make new business contacts during a high-level business networking event, and
• To be apprised of the opportunities arising from the Canada-EU Trade and Investment Enhancement Agreement.
How does it work?The Carrefour was redesigned last year to comprise a plenary session and country-specific round tables for paid-up participants. Participants are Quebec companies that already export to the US, wish to export to Europe or establish a subsidiary in Europe. This year, the Carrefour is being organized in collaboration with the Quebec Manufacturers and Exporters Association (MEQ), Fraser Milner Casgrain, the European Union Centre of Excellence in Montréal and the Quebec Ministry for Economic Development, Innovation and Exports (MDEIE) are sponsors. Under the MDEIE’s “Programme exportation,” qualified exporters will be offered fi nancial support to establish a physical presence or offi ce in the export country.
Looking to Europe for export opportunities?
On May 23, the Chamber hosted a seminar on “Doing Business in
the U.S.” during which we welcomed a group from the North Country Chamber of Commerce(NCCC) led by U.S. Congressman Bill Owen.
The four-hour seminar covered a complete range of topics of interest to anyone considering doing business south of the border presented by specialists in the fi elds of immigration law, corporate structuring and accounting, taxation, real estate, insurance and financing. The attendees made valuable business contacts and resources.
Building on the ever-growing volume of business between Montreal and Plattsburgh, the North Country Chamber is keen to continue making contact with individuals and businesses in Quebec that are considering investing in a U.S. business or subsidiary. The presentation team can also be available to meet individual companies.
For further information, you can access the organization’s website at www.northcountrychamber.com northcountrychamber.com or arrange to visit with Garry Douglas or Sue Matton at their offi ces in Plattsburgh.
ICCC hosts “Doing Business in the U.S.” seminar
have been absent from Canada or are about to leave for extended periods, whether for work, family or other obligations.
Stephen Fogarty is a lawyer practising immigration and citizenship law at his offi ce Fogarty Law Firm in Montreal, Tel.: 514-289-9289, website www.fogartylaw.cwww.fogartylaw.ca, and , and ,Twitter handle @Stephen_Fogart@Stephen_Fogartyy.
Residency rules (cont.)
Congrats to board member, Michelle Vahey, on her upcoming marriage with Dennis Koop
By Ruth Hanna
Carrefour Europe 2012 is for you
By Vivian Doyle-Kelly
ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 2, September 2012 7
Phot
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Karl Gardner, Paul Loftus, Lynn Doyle and Tom Mulcair, (Farewell to Karl) July 2010, Hurley’s patio
Three members pay tribute to immediate past-president
cont. p. 8
Paul Loftus served as president of the ICCC between July 1998 and June
2012. To highlight Paul’s tenure, we invited three former and current ICCC board members – Peter Kirby, Diana James and Owen McAleer – to share their personal tributes to Paul.
Peter, Paul and Dan O’Brien co-founded the ICCC back in 1981. Paul saw the success of other European chambers of commerce and recognized the benefi t of having a strong network in the Irish business community. Kirby says that in Montreal at the time, there was “any number of Irish organizations, including one for left-handed GAA players,” but nothing for the business community.
Kirby served as second president of the ICCC between 1991 and 1993 and says the hardest part about the role is keeping it relevant for the business community - constantly coming up with new and interesting activities - and maintaining enthusiasm within the membership.
“It’s amazing, how Paul has maintained that energy and drive for thirteen years,” said Kirby “It’s a tribute to his boundless enthusiasm.” Kirby underlined that the Chamber wasn’t idling when Paul was president, “there was always something new happening.”
“Paul genuinely enjoys people, and knows people from all walks of life. These aren’t just nodding acquaintances, they range from childhood friends from Ballina to bank directors in Jakarta, Paul has friends all over the world and is one of the most networked people I know.”
“Paul also knows that connections are a two-way street – there has to be reciprocity - and he delivers on that. It’s in his nature to keep in contact,” Kirby said.
Kirby described Paul’s greatest achievements as building the Chamber
into a solid and relevant organization that is well respected and has infl uence, not just in the Irish business community, but with the wider European community, the Embassy of Ireland in Ottawa and the British Consulate.
Owen McAleer’s fi rst brush with the ICCC occurred between 1996 and 1997 when he was asked to present at an ICCC breakfast seminar by the then president of the ICCC, Tom Steele.
Owen must have made a strong impression on Paul because a few years later, Paul, in his guise as president, cold-called Owen to invite him to join the ICCC board of directors. From then until July 2012, Owen served as board member and later as secretary of the chamber.
That the chamber is still alive and kicking in a predominately French city is testament to Paul’s hard personal drive, Owen said. And, the fact Paul was instrumental in founding the chamber may have added an extra impetus to his endeavours, Owen said.
Maintaining the chamber in Montreal is way harder than maintaining its counterpart in Toronto, said Owen. In particular, the Montreal native cited the lack of public sponsors, the French business environment, and the limited corporate clients as challenges the ICCC faces in Montreal.
Paul kept the chamber going - a part-time job in itself -without full-time administrative support, he emphasised. And, he sustained his efforts for thirteen years on top of a personal full-time career, which involves extensive travel.
Not only did Paul raise significant amounts of funds for specifi c events like the ICCC Christmas receptions, Owen said, but he pursued donors on a continual basis.
Paul’s strong doggedness and personal pride apply to work and sports alike, said Owen, noting that Paul was an avid footballer and rugby player who played for the Montreal Irish Rugby Football Club.
“What people fail to realize is that small Irish organizations, like the ICCC, have a major impact on maintaining Irish culture in Montreal. People like Paul who dedicate tremendous work to these community groups greatly contribute to preserving the collective Irish heritage and history in Montreal,” he said.
Diana James has been an ICCC board member since 1993-1994 after being introduced to the chamber by Norma Smyth, a friend of Paul Loftus.
When Paul took over the presidency in 1998, the chamber was active but needed to expand to a new level nationally and internationally, Diana said. Paul had the foresight to do this, including building links to other European chambers of commerce. He achieved this solely by networking. As a small business owner,
By Ruth Hanna
8 ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 2, September 2012
Whenever the Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce holds
its annual al fresco summer gathering, the sun always shines. June 14 was no exception when a large number of members of Montreal’s I r ish community, including representatives from our sister societies, congregated on the rear patio of Hurley’s Pub.
In addition to celebrating the arrival of summer – although by then it was clearly well established – we were there to say goodbye to Paula Molloy who had served as Second Secretary at the Irish Embassy in Ottawa for the past four years. During that time, she visited Montreal on many occasions enjoying St. Patrick Society’s luncheons and balls, Erin Sports Irishman of the Year
breakfasts, and also promoting her homeland as a member of the ICCC team at the European Carrefours.
Paula’s next appointment is in Sierra Leone where the Irish expats will surely be few and far between. Paul Loftus presented Paula with books on behalf of the Irish Societies of Montreal. During her acceptance speech, Paula told us how much she had appreciated her stay in Canada and expressed her regret that her posting had come to an end.
It was a most convivial event and special thanks go to Hurley’s – one of ICCC’s corporate members – for again providing a mouth-
watering array of hors d’œuvres. And, of course, we wish Paula well in her new posting.
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Irish community bids farewell to Paula Molloy
Presentation of gift to Paula Molloy by Paul Loftus
Jonathan Sullivan (l.) seen with the talented prize-winning team
An ICCC pub quiz is always a well-attended and fun-fi lled event.
This year’s Summer Pub Quiz (the third annual) was held on May 10 at McKibbin’s Irish Pub. Once again Casey Ryan and Jonathan Sullivan came up with a host of challenging questions that proved baffl ing to most. In addition to prizes offour bottles of Bushmills (Diageo), $25 gift certifi cates (McKibbins), and cinema gift cards, there were several door prizes – courtesy of our sponsors. And let’s not forget the complimentary nibbles and forget the complimentary nibbles and drinks provided by McKibbins.
By Anne Forrest
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Pub quiz: another hit Tribute (cont.)
Paul knows the value of getting your name out, she said.
Paul was particularly successful in spreading the word about the chamber and building relationships in Dublin and in Belfast. For example, when Diana’s husband Brian attended the launch ceremony of the Port of Derry, he was pleasantly surprised how many people knew of the ICCC in Montreal and Paul. “Paul has a great way of keeping in touch with people, and people remember him,” she said.
Diana, who is now the chamber’s representative in Ireland, particularly appreciated the many e-mails and the fact that Paul always kept her up to date. “That’s probably one of Paul’s greatest attributes – he knows how important communication is and that the success of the position is only achieved through networking and communication,” she said.
Until recently, the chamber was housed in the Montreal office belonging to Hodgson Sugar, the James family business. As Diana was a board member, she became the general administrator of the chamber. “The ICCC was right in the middle of my offi ce - it was part and parcel of my life. So, I never thought of giving it up. But, what kept Paul involved?”
Not unlike his dedication to his own business, Paul’s dedication to the chamber was driven by the ‘sixth sense’ knowledge that passion is one of the most powerful engines of success, she said. That Paul possessed it, and more, put the chamber on the map. But, there may also have been an additional motivation, Diana opined.
“It’s in the Irish -all Irish - they will go to the ends of the earth to do something good for their country. And, the chamber is a great vehicle for that.”
By Anne Forrest
ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 2, September 2012 9
ICCC Torontowww.icccto.com
ICCC Edmontonwww.iccced.com
ICCC Ottawawww.icccott.orgott.org
ICCC Calgarywww.iccccal.com
ConnectIrelandwww.connectireland.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
Craic agus ComhráThe chamber’s informal monthly 5 à 7 is held every last Thursday in the month between 5.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. in the Irish Embassy Pub & Grill, 1234 Bishop Street. See you there on September 27!
ICCC European Pub QuizICCC will be hosting its European pub quiz in the Irish Embassy Pub & Grill on Bishop Street. The quiz kicks off at 5.30 p.m. on October 18, and there is an array of great prizes including door prizes. The entry fees of $20 for members and $25 for guests include complimentary fi nger food and one drink and can be paid up front to the chamber’s PayPal account.
Carrefour Europe 2012ICCC will be participating at the 11th edition of Carrefour Europe, which will be held on November 20 in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Montreal. See page 6.
Christmas ReceptionPlease reserve the evening of December 13 for the chamber’s Christmas reception.
Enterprise Ireland is planning an Ireland trade mission to Toronto and Calgary between November 6-9 to be led by Mr Richard Bruton, TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The mission will focus on software companies with end-market targets in the telecom and fi nancial services space, although there will also be activities for those with multi-sector clients. In addition to providing networking and PR opportunities, the trade mission aims to open doors for Irish products and services with potential Canadian buyer organizations. For more information, contact Ross O’Colmain on [email protected]
Upcoming Fairs in IrelandMEDTEC Ireland – October 10-11 – GalwayIrish Sustainable Building Show – November 9-10 – Dublin
Upcoming Fairs in QuebecWorld Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) 2012 – October 22-24 –, Montreal
La grande dégustation de Montréal – Montreal Wine and Spirits Show – November 8-10 – Montreal
MTL DGL: Montreal’s Digital Festival encompassing Mobiz, Montreal International Games Summit (MIGS), and Web-In – November 12-15 – Montreal
Quebec Mining Exploration Convention – November 19-22, Québec City
Upcoming Events in Canada
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: Ruth HannaLayout: Anne Forrest
The Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce – Montreal Offi ce507 Place D’Armes, Suite 1588, Montreal, Québec, Canada H2Y 2W8Tél.: (514) 845-0973 Fax: (514) 847-1212Email: [email protected] Web Site: www.icccmtl.comCopyright 2012
10 ICCC News Montreal, Vol. 11, no. 2, September 2012
