Minutes of Meeting of January 2, 2008

Dave MacKenzie is not only our Member of Parliament, but a Rotarian and friend to many in this club.  Mr. MacKenzie spoke about being a member of the governing party and the priorities of this Conservative government.  The priorities are fewer in order for them to be accomplished.  They include support for families, demonstrated by the reduction in the GST; cleaning up government, which involves stricter lobbying rules; becoming tougher on crime, an area in which Mr. MacKenzie has some direct involvement as a Parliamentary Secretary; and strengthening Canada, proven through the lessened popularity of the separatists in Quebec after the Prime Minister officially recognized it as a nation within Canada. Mr. MacKenzie serves as the Parlimentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.  This ministry is responsible for the RCMP, CSIS, the National Parole Board, border guarding and terrorism.  In this role, he is responsible for steering relevant legislation through parliament and filling in for the Minister when he is unavailable.  Mr. MacKenzie spoke of the "tight ship" high standards that the Prime Minister expects of the Conservative Members of Parliament and which these members expect of themselves and each other.

Mr. MacKenzie was thanked by Jantine Stam and given a Terry Fox book, acknowledging the MacKenzie family's involvement in the initial Terry Fox Runs in Woodstock.  Jantine also shared the story of Mr. MacKenzie coming into the bank where she was working only to be asked for identification by her as she did not yet recognize him!

At the conclusion of the meeting, Pieter Stam reported that Ginty Jocius had died earlier today.  Ginty was the organizer of the Outdoor Farm Show and the Great Canadian Outdoor Expo which our club had previously participated in.  He was also a Rotarian in Guelph.