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Today Brock University announced a gift from the Cairns family of St. Catharines that will have a $10 million impact on building the university’s health and bioscience research complex.
The generous support of the Cairns family — led by patriarch Roy, a long-time builder and friend of the university, and his son Jeff, a Brock graduate and longtime supporter of the public wellbeing — will help transform Niagara to the new-knowledge economy.
In tribute to the Cairns family, Brock will re-name its health and bioscience research complex the Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Complex.
“Make no mistake, generations of individuals and families in our community will have more opportunities, and will be collectively better off, because of the vision and the generosity of the Cairns family,” said President Jack Lightstone. “And now today we have a gift that helps the university fulfill the promise of the women and men like Roy Cairns, who had a vision in the early sixties of what Brock could, and must be, to help change the future of the community.”
Students and researchers within the Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Complex will build upon Brock’s economic strengths to create applied knowledge that will develop new and diverse industries and advance scientific capabilities in Niagara and beyond.
Projected to be complete by 2012, the complex will be a 176,530-square-foot, $111.4-million world-class facility that will provide support for four Canada Research Chairs and several award-winning researchers in biotechnology, green chemistry, plant pathology and health and wellness.
The Cairns Complex will play a key role in advancing Canada’s science and technology infrastructure. In addition to groundbreaking research, the facility will house a business incubator for start-up businesses to capitalize on the innovative research and knowledge transfer undertaken at the university and in the community.
It didn't take long for Cmdr. John Zorz to emerge from an inflatable boat and make a beeline for the veterans lining the west pier in Port Dalhousie.
The St. Catharines native was greeted by a crowd of well-wishers as he pulled to the dock around noon, his 134-metre Canadian warship HMCS Fredericton visible farther offshore.
"Oh wonderful," he said as the president of Niagara's Royal Canadian Naval Association, Derek Tidd, presented him with 250 pins for the crew marking the navy's centennial.
"It is a great celebration here, 100 years of our naval service. I will wear this pin proudly."
The frigate with Zorz at the helm is on tour in the Great Lakes to promote the navy during its anniversary. But the Fredericton has seen more dangerous waters.
The ship and its crew recently returned from the Gulf of Aden on the eastern coast of Africa, where it was fighting piracy.
"The life of the ship is all about the sailors," Zorz said to those gathered.
He said that between Dec. 1, 2009 and this Dec. 1, the sailors on board would be away from their families for more than eight months.
Among them was St. Catharines resident Jonathan Lindal, 27, son of Merritton Coun. Jennie Stevens.
Stevens, husband Jim and daughter Sharlotte were at the pier to board the warship unbeknownst to Jonathan, who thought they were busy doing other things.
"It's kind of a surprise for Jonathan to see us here," Stevens said on the pier. "We're looking forward to it right now."
Sure enough, when Lindal came ashore on the inflatable with Zorz, he got big, unexpected hugs from his family. "It's a nice surprise," he said.
Curious ship watchers and military supporters stood on both piers to catch a glimpse of the warship or its commander. Six Royal Canadian Legion branches had uniformed representatives hoisting flags to greet the Fredericton, including branches from Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines, Welland, Niagara Falls, Beamsville and Merritton.
"We have to support them 100%," said Sergeant at Arms Wayne Rayner, of Branch 612 in Beamsville. "We're all brothers. We're all family."
The Garrison Community Council of Niagara — a group that tries to foster communication between civilians and the military community — along with Mayor Brian McMullan and MP Rick Dykstra worked to have the ship add Port Dalhousie to its itinerary.
Zorz, a Denis Morris High School and Brock University graduate, took command of the ship on June 10 in a ceremony in Halifax.
He's been stationed around the country since graduating from university in 1987, but said he still calls St. Catharines, where his sister lives, his hometown.
"Being a St. Catharines native, it's a great way for me to show citizens what our navy does and what a fine ship that is," he said during the almost hour-long stopover.
The warship then headed to Hamilton, where it's docking for four days and allowing civilians to board.
Zorz said people are often pleased to see how professional, educated and knowledgeable the crew is.
"I don't think people necessarily realize how each member of the crew is needed to run a ship like that," he said, adding it's a complex process.
The ship fired a gun salute and the veterans on the pier gave the crew three "hip hip hoorays."
Among them was Larry Gagne of St. Catharines, who served in the navy and army and saw action in the Second World War and Korean War.
"Without your sacrifice in the Second World War, we wouldn't have been successful," Zorz said, chatting with Gagne during his brief stopover.
"It's certainly my honour to meet you."
[Click Here] to view article at stcatharinesstandard.ca
Canadian officials in Hong Kong uncovered a scam that sold fake wedding packages to try and help would-be immigrants get easier access to Canada. The packages cost about $60,000 each.
OTTAWA – A meeting in Paris Monday will focus on cracking down on human smuggling and the international criminal organizations behind it.
Canada’s immigration minister, Jason Kenney, will be at the meeting, along with representatives from France, Britain, Italy, Germany and the U.S.
The agenda will deal with illegal immigration, border security, human smuggling and refugees.
A spokesman for Kenney said the meeting — the first of its kind — will allow Canada to speak with other like-minded countries and share information on the best way to deal with common issues.
From Paris, Kenney will travel to India, China and the Philippines to discuss immigration fraud with political leaders.
“We are focused on cracking down on widespread immigration fraud and the crooked consultants who make it happen,” Kenney told QMI Agency.
“Many of the people that are exploited by crooked consultants live overseas, and that’s why we need the help of foreign governments to crack down on fraudsters and document counterfeiters who take thousands of dollars in exchange for nothing.”
