My "I Love Leonard Cohen Button" Goes Everywhere



 From  April 16, 2011  leonardcohenforum

A little over a year ago, Leonard Cohen was one of the Canadian Grammy winners honoured at a reception hosted by the Canadian Consul General in Los Angeles, David Fransen. So when I received an invitation to a University of Toronto Alumni garden party at the Consul General's Official Residence, I was excited to go and see the spot where LC stood and made his amazing speech thanking Canada.

My great grandfather, Lazarus Cohen, came to Canada in 1869, to the county of Glengarry, a little town in Maberly,” the folk-rock icon said. “On this occasion, because of the great hospitality that was accorded my ancestor who came here over 140 years ago, I want to thank this country, Canada, for allowing us to live and work and flourish in a place that was different from all other places in the world. So I thank Canada for the opportunity that was given me to work and play and flourish.

I recognized the distinctive lectern immediately and stared at it wishing my invitation had arrived a year earlier. Sigh..

Arlene & Norman Jewison
Yes, that's my "I love Leonard Cohen" button discreetly pinned to my purse.

I met some distinguished Canadians there and had a grand time.

Hi Norman, You and I received our Arbor Awards at the same time."

"Of course. I remember you, Arlene.

(as he takes a quick glance at my name tag)."

Great guy.

 

 

And two more Canadians of note:

The Hon. David Peterson, Chancellor of the University of Toronto, my former Premier of Ontario
and Dan Ackroyd, whose father was a UofT Alum.

There was a small military band there playing background music.  Dan went up to each one and thanked them. What a classy guy.