Quebec Region Report
Annual General Meeting
August 12, 2011
Greetings All and welcome to Granby the Host City for the 2011 bi-annual Convention.
Since August 2009 it has been said many times and again today Thank you to all of Ontario Region for their great work and to all how attended the unveiling of the Memorial Wall.
Since our last national gathering in Ottawa for the 2009 Convention and Wall Unveiling we have continued to help our veterans and widows whenever possible. We have and are still working with our youth and trying to get more exposure in our local schools to talk about the unknown Battle of Hong.
We continue to keep in touch with all our members giving them news and happenings in our region and nationally. We sincerely thank Irene Dallain giving us news from the gaspé coast. Unfortunately since her accident things changed with her health and had difficulty continuing. Thank you Irene for your good work.
Early fall we held our last HKVCA executive meeting for a retrospect of 2009 and things were looking positive with an increase in membership and consequently financially.
We attended the Armistice Banquet and participated in many activities for Armistice week honouring our Fallen Veterans. Renay Perrier, Quebec’s Deputy Director laid the wreath in honour of all our Hong Kong Veterans at our local Commemorative Ceremony.
2010 started on a very busy note as we started to plan our bi-annual reunion to take place in New Richmond, QC in August. We thought that it would be easier for many to attend due to health problems, distances to travel etc. etc.
A call for elections was mailed to all our members and the election report was read during our reunion meeting. No nominations were received other than a nominee how did not accept, all were re-elected by acclamation.
Quebec Region made a loan to the National BOD to help with the extra financing of the Memorial Wall which has since been repaid.
We attended a local VE Day 65th Anniversary Memorial Service and Parade.
With a depleted supply of Membership Cards, we designed and printed a new card for our Regular Members. We revised our lists and realized that many of our Veterans and Widows did not have a “Lifetime Membership” card and we designed and mailed a new Life Membership card to all our QC Region Veterans and Widows. We also have many members from other regions that like to hear about news and happenings from our region, so made an annual “Guest” card. Our list is still growing.
On the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War in honour of the Canadian Veterans we attended a very impressive Ceremony given by the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea. We attended a beautiful Commemorative Ceremony and Reception on behalf of the Republic of Korea people to show their warmest gratitude and deepest respect to all our Canadian Veterans.
For our August 2010 Reunion in New Richmond, QC we had a very good turnout considering the distance to travel. Attending we had three veterans, Phil Doddridge, Jean Paul Dallain and Allison Pollock, four widows and guests from Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick. As usual we had our business meeting with the reading of all reports including the Election Report having no new nominations, the Election Committee made a motion to re-elect the present executive members, this was seconded and agreed by all present and carried.. We went to the newly refurbished “Memorial Park” at the old legion hall for our Commemorative Ceremony, the laying of wreaths and deposit of small flags for our fallen HKV of QC region and one for all RRC Vets, Winnipeg Grenadiers and Brigade. All guests went to the Baie-des-Chaleurs Military Museum for a guided tour and information on the exhibits. A banquet dinner was served at the hotel followed by presentation of “Appreciation Awards, drawings and social evening. An invitation was made to all members able to attend the next 2011 National Convention to start thinking about it.
Very late September Quebec Region was invited to host the 2011 Convention. Needless to say many reservations were more than rushed to confirm dates as well as availability of spaces and rooms. We did it in the matter of a few days and accepted.
Once again we attended our local Commemorative Ceremonies and other Veterans’ Week activities. For the first time we had the opportunity to visit our young generation in three of our local schools. It was quite an experience as our young do want to know and were never told about the “Battle of Hong Kong”. Hopefully we will be re-invited next year if not before. Whenever possible our faithful Dempsey Syvret, RRC Veteran represents all his Comrades for the Remembrance Ceremony and parade in Ottawa.
2011 came very fast and we continued preparations for the National Convention. In late March we mailed our invitation kits to all Veterans, Widows and all Members in good standing. We continued to work on activities etc. etc. You good people started to send in your tickets and registrations then... well we had the mail disruptions and what followed. Finally things got back on track and we picked up where we temporary left off. Thank you all for being here today.
In June we attended a dinner/evening at our local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion honouring all volunteers that gave much of their time and efforts for the Veterans and their legion. By the way, Marcel and yours truly did receive an “Appreciation Award”.
During the period since our last Convention 2009, unfortunately we lost more of our Veterans, Widows, Wives and Regular Members, which will all be named in tomorrow’s Ceremony. We will remember them!
For Membership, we are experiencing growing pains as most of all regions do. We seem to have peaks when certain activities are in the wind then it seems to slow down in interest. We all have much work to keep our next generation interested to continue after the passing of the Dad and/or Widow. We need to continue to keep the memory of the “Battle of Hong Kong” not for the glory of war but for what our Veterans did for the liberty we enjoy today.
Financially we are holding on with decreasing dollars from our membership and from our donations. Financial times these days are difficult for all in private life as well as for associations.
We from Quebec Region thank you all for being here today and continue to support your Hong Kong Veterans’ Commemorative Association in your respective Region.
Respectfully submitted by
Lucette Mailloux Muir
Quebec Regional Director