Sod-turning for Iroquois WWT plant

 

 “These men cared nothing about what we thought. I know that there was not one of them in that unit who, if given the command, would not have immediately beheaded us.”

Former Special Envoy of the UN, Robert Fowler, kidnapped in December, 2008, in Niger, by an affiliate of al-Qaeda, was the guest of the Canadian Club of Morrisburg and District, on Wednesday, October 17, 2012. A large crowd was on hand.

The former diplomat was Canada’s longest-serving Am-bassador to the United Nations. He acted as foreign policy advisor to three prime ministers and, in 2011, was named Officer of the Order of Canada. 

At the time of his abduction, Fowler was posted to Niger as a Special Envoy to Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. His task, in the increasingly unstable, desperately poor nation of 18 million, was to try and find a diplomatic resolution to the “low-grade” rebellion of the Taureg people. During three trips into the Taureg territory, he and his colleague, Louis Guay, had convinced the rebels to agree to sit down. What they could not move was the government of then president Mamadou Tandja. 

Fowler now believes that Tandja harboured private ambitions to continue to rule Niger, depending on an ongoing state of “civil unrest.” It is Fowler’s stated contention that the president “arranged to send our itinerary to al-Qaeda so that these people could come after us.”

They were ambushed by men  armed with Kalashnikovs on a highway well inside the capital region of Niger. 

This was the start of a terrifying off-road journey into the desert as the kidnappers fled back to their desolate campsite, ironically nicknamed Camp Canada.

“The commander of our kidnappers, called Omar One by Louis and me, demanded our papers (probably to be sure they had got the right men). Louis produced his passport, but I had absolutely no papers on me. Omar furiously exclaimed that it was illegal to travel in Niger without documents,” Fowler told the audience sardonically.

Every day, the captives lived with the very real fear of being beheaded on camera. Hauled into a tent on two occasions to make  videos, Fowler quietly recalled looking around “for plastic. The kidnappers don’t want blood getting on their few possessions.”

The gang ranged in size. But there were never fewer than three rifles aimed at the hostages.

“These were fundamentalists of the most extreme kind. Omar often told us, “We fight to die. You fight to go home to your families. How can we lose?” They were kidnappers and killers, but utterly dedicated to their cause. They absolutely believed in Jihad, absolutely believed that the moment they died, they would sit in paradise by rivers of milk and honey,” Fowler said. 

“They exist in a 7th century bubble, but are festooned with 21st century cell phones and weapons. They hate democracy, liberty, freedom. 

And any Muslim who espouses a view contrary to theirs is an apostate and should be assassinated.” 

Sweltering in 52 degree Celcius heat, deprived of even basic resources, Fowler and Guay struggled to keep up each other’s spirits. They had no idea if anyone was even looking for them.

Fowler later learned that president Blaise Campaoré of Burkina Faso, through his envoy Mustapha Chaffi, had agreed to take on the complex negotiations for their release. (“Ironic,” Fowler commented, “as I had, the year before, called Campaoré an ‘international criminal.’”). Also stepping in to help was Baba Ould Cheikh, envoy of Mali’s president Touré: Cheikh made 11 perilous journeys into the rebel region on behalf of the Canadians. 

“The government of Canada swears it did not pay any ransom for us,” Fowler said. “But al-Qaeda does not carry out humanitarian acts, such as releasing hostages. I truly do not know what was paid for us or to whom. Apparently it was ‘enough.’ In a way, I do not want to ever know.”

Finally turned over to the “good guys” after 138 days of captivity, Fowler said that he took five showers and still felt sandy. He also drank three cokes. “But I knew I was truly free when I asked for a beer, in a Moslem country, and eventually someone produced a room temperature LaBatts 50.”

Fowler, who is now with the University of Ottawa, was a riveting and thoughtful speaker. His address obviously struck a strong chord with the audience. 

He was asked, at the end, how he and Louis Guay, stayed sane.

“We had these rules,” Fowler explained quietly. “No “what ifs.” No talking about bad stuff after lunch. And, if one of us fell into despair, the other was to haul him out of that pit.”

[…]

  St. Lawrence Acoustic stage president Sandra Whitworth could hardly contain her excitement.  “Andy McKee is a musician I’ve been trying to bring to the Stage for a very long time,” she said. “He is […]

“I have everything I want. I’m a happy man with a happy family.”

Famous last words indeed, as Upper Canada  Playhouse welcomes its newest comedy, Wife Begins At Forty, to the stage. Speaker George Harper is convinced that his 17 year old, politely stable marriage, is rock solid.

Too bad that rock is eroding.

Blessed with a strong cast of humans (and one four-footed actor) the Arne Sultan, Earl Barrett and Ray Cooney farce, set in the 1980’s, takes an irreverent look at the ups and downs, the pitfalls and yes, the joys of marriage. Judging from audience reactions, there were many in the capacity crowd who related to the Harpers.

Linda Harper, played by Alison Lawrence, brings a nice level of frustration to her role. “Living with you is like living with a machine. George, you aren’t alive. You aren’t growing. We don’t do things together.”

The thought of her approaching birthday has left her examining her staid life, and finding it wanting. “I just feel if I don’t do something now, I’ll be 40!”

Unfortunately, and hilariously, her efforts to “share” her feelings with George only lead to more frustration. He just can’t find the time for passion, and all that bother, what with memos, and bills and employees and the “busy season for artificial flowers.”

He is, consequently,  thun-derstruck at the news that Linda wants “a change.” 

Brian Young is delightful as the blinkered George Harper. He has failed to notice that his cozy little world is crumbling. Everyone around him, including his father, Bernard, and his son, Leonard,  know and accept that Linda is moving on…without George.

Even George’s efforts to explain the separation rationally and calmly to son Leonard (a typical, semi cynical teen, well played by Kyle Orzech) fall flat.

“If you and mom aren’t getting along, you should split. Move on,” Leonard comments casually, more interested in TV and soccer than marital woes.

“You callous young swine!” is George’s frustrated reaction.

Ironically, George’s final downfall takes place at the surprize party his neighbours, the Dixons, have thrown to celebrate the Harper’s anniversary. George exceeds his customary limit of two drinks (“Why that won’t even put a smile on your face,” Roger Dixon tells him.), and ends the night holding forth from the top of a grand piano, sharing tales of fighting fish, flamenco dancers, botched honeymoons and a very private operation he’s just had, with most of the neighbourhood. 

His departure from the family home is abrupt.

Roger and Betty Dixon provide a kind of comic foil to the Harper’s marriage.

Roger, played by Richard Bauer (who doubled as director of the show) is a man about town,  and unrepentant about his views of marriage. He has lots of advice for a ‘single” George, most of which horrifies him.

“Betty and I have a terrific marriage.” – Roger.

“But you’re deceiving her!” – George.

“That’s what makes it terrific!” – Roger.

Of course, Betty (the exuberant Melanie Janzen) is far from the damsel in the dark that her husband imagines. She knows of Roger’s affair with a local bar maid, “Around the golf club she’s known as the British Open…Roger’s her handicap.”  

Betty loves philanderer Roger. She accepts him. And she knows that underneath the playboy facade, he adores her.

“Marriages are made in heaven,” she tells Linda with a certain world-weary air, but they must be “lived” in the real world.

Grandpa Bernard, portrayed  with lovable confusion by Walter Learning, usually in the company of family dog, Chopper, (acted with tail-wagging enthusiasm by Chopper Thom, local boy) lends his view of life and marriage to the laughter on stage. “We got married during an air raid,” he tells his son of his 39 years with his late wife. “Our entire marriage was a kind of air raid. Compared to my wife, Hitler was a pussy cat.” But Bernard loves his family unreservedly and they know it.

The dialogue  is sharp and quick. And the characters are well drawn in Wife Begins At Forty, which is a little unusual for  traditional farce. The Harpers and Dixons are very likeable (even bon vivant Roger).

And, although I cannot describe how the plot comes out, I have to say that in Act II, Alison Lawrence and Brian Young (a real life husband and wife) have a spectacular, hilarious scene that is truly a “tour de farce”! 

This is a witty play: it understands the ups and downs of marriage, and relishes them.

Wife Begins At Forty runs until August 26 at Upper Canada Playhouse. Contact 613-543-3713 for tickets.

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