In this issue...
• Controversy erupts at Miss Universe pageant after Miss Mexico called "dumb" by pageant executive
• Sour Puss moves some production to Canada to save most of their sales
• By the numbers X 10 + 1
• Nova Scotia judge tries to limit wearing of poppies in court, causing fury to erupt
• Christmas Day is on Thursday, December 25!
• Before you go: 7 things you may have missed in the news
• Trivia: Did you know?
• Quotes of note
• Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group
• NEW! Dream Like Taylor - A fabulous coloring book for Swifties by Rose Michaels
• Buy them now! Acadian Recipes and More - Volumes 1, 2 & 3, and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1
• Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Dinner & A Movie For A Year draw!
• Monday, November 24: Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night
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Controversy erupts at Miss Universe pageant after Miss Mexico called "dumb" by pageant executive
While so-called "beauty pageants" have certainly evolved over the years, one thing is for sure: at the level of Miss Universe, contestants are a million levels above age-old stereotypes that have long since died on the vine.
Beautiful? Yes. But also talented, intelligent, ambitious and compassionate. And anyone who treats a contestant poorly will be called out for their bad behaviour - hopefully. In the case of a Miss Universe official who insulted Miss Mexico at an event recently, he incurred the wrath of contestants and has since changed his tune.
Article excerpt: "The Miss Universe 2025 competition took a tense turn this week when a contestant was called 'dumb' by a pageant executive in front of all the other contestants in Thailand.
The confrontation occurred during a sashing ceremony on Nov. 4, which was livestreamed on the Miss Universe Thailand Facebook page.
Nawat Itsaragrisil, executive director of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), reprimanded Miss Universe Mexico, Fátima Bosch, during the ceremony, causing her to stand up and leave the room.
Several contestants, including the current reigning Miss Universe, Denmark's Victoria Kjær Theilvig, Miss Universe Canada Jaime VandenBerg and Miss Universe Iraq Hanin Al Qoreishy, followed Bosch out of the room in solidarity.
During the sashing ceremony, Itsaragrisil, Miss Grand International president, questioned Bosch's absence from a social media shoot and claimed that she had 'no respect.'
'Mexico, where are you?' he asked before Bosch stood up in the crowd.
'I heard you’re not going to support everything about Thailand, is that true?' he asked, before accusing her of listening to the Miss Mexico directors instead of the Miss Universe team in Thailand when asked to take part in a photo shoot."
He eventually "tearfully" apologized. Mr. Tough Man certainly learned a lesson there, didn't he? (Perhaps someone should buy him a 2025 calendar. Seems he still has a 1955 calendar on his wall.)
Read: Miss Universe walkout: Scandal erupts after Miss Mexico called "dumb". Related: Miss Universe executive breaks down in tears after apologizing for intense exchange with Miss Mexico.
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Sour Puss moves some production to Canada to save most of their sales
Despite much bluster from south of the border that Canadian businesses can't survive without U.S. sales, here's one example of quite the opposite. Makers of the Sour Puss brand of liqueur have moved some production to Montreal in order to access Canadian liquor stores which have largely removed American products from their shelves.
Why? Because 98% of all Sour Puss produced is purchased in Canada - 98%!! The loss of those sales - with no end in sight to the boycott - caused the company to blink.
Article excerpt: "The head of the Sour Puss liqueur brand says he had no choice but to move part of the production line north of the border to Montreal amid the Canada-U.S. trade war.
Andy England, chief executive of Phillips Distilling Co., says it lost virtually all of its business in Canada after U.S. President Donald Trump set off a tariff tit-for-tat that prompted provincial alcohol distributors to clear their shelves of American booze.
'In March, when the trade war began, we were suddenly removed from store shelves in most Canadian provinces,' England said in an interview. 'We literally lost our business in Canada.'
Nearly 98% of the one million Sour Puss bottles sold by the company last year were in Canada, amounting to Canadian sales of $23 million, the CEO said.
The Minnesota-based distiller kicked off production of Sour Puss in Montreal for the Canadian market on Wednesday.
It says the raspberry-flavoured liqueur will be made at the city’s Station 22 distillery under a multi-year agreement, with bottles slated to hit store shelves next month. Two provinces have already placed orders, England said."
I was surprised that Canadian love Sour Puss so much. But hey, our love for Sour Puss has created some jobs here, so that's a good thing! And it's also good to see some concrete evidence that American companies need their Canadian sales in order to survive.
Read: Sour Puss moves some liqueur production to Canada after trade war devastates sales.
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Nova Scotia judge tries to limit wearing of poppies in court, causing fury to erupt
It happens every year. Every... damn... year. Someone decides that poppies shouldn't be worn or made available somewhere based on some "rules". This time, poppies were targeted by Nova Scotia courts as items that shouldn't be worn in court. The reason? To ensure that everyone felt they were equally treated under the law.
As in all previous instances of something similar happening, it didn't end well.
Article excerpt: "The heads of Nova Scotia’s supreme and provincial courts are expressing their support for judges who ban court staff from pinning poppies to their robes during proceedings after some Canadian politicians called the practice wrong.
Deborah Smith, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, and Perry Borden, chief judge of the Provincial Court of Nova Scotia, say the ban is within the discretion of judges, and the body that oversees all federal judges, the Canadian Judicial Council, recommends it to ensure the courtroom is unbiased and impartial.
'The wearing of a poppy symbolizes our respect for those who have served, and those who did not return,' the chiefs said in a statement Sunday.
'The decision of a judge not to allow symbols of support such as the poppy to be worn by court staff is not intended, in any way, to undermine or diminish the tremendous respect that we have for those who have served, and those who have died. It is to ensure that all Canadians know that they are entering an unbiased and neutral space when they enter a courtroom.'"
I suspect this will be the last year this happens. It's clearly ridiculous - and the public (and politicians) will never support such a measure. While I understand the reasoning behind it, it's so far-fetched that it's laughable.
Read: Chief judges back court poppy ban after backlash. Related:
"This is disgusting": Premier condemns poppy ban in court facilities.
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Trivia: Did you know?
The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will see the return of baseball/softball for the first time since 2020, the return of cricket for the first time since 1900 and the return of another long-gone sport - lacrosse... for the first time since 1908. Meanwhile, flag football and squash will be making their Olympic debuts.
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Quotes of note
• 1. "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."
- Walt Disney, American animator, film producer, voice actor and entrepreneur (1901-1966) (shown in photo)
• 2. "I would rather die of passion than of boredom."
- Vincent van Gogh
• 3. "You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honour."
- Artistotle
• 4. "Being a fish out of water is tough, but that's how you evolve."
- Kumail Nanjiani
• 5. "You didn’t grow apart because you’re evil, but because you evolved."
- Curtis Tyrone Jones
• 6. "My marriage? Up to now everything's okay. But it's a real marriage - imperfect and very difficult. It's all about people evolving somewhat simultaneously through their lives. I think we've emotionally evolved."
- Jamie Lee Curtis
• 7. "Don't raise your voice, improve your argument."
- Desmond Tutu
• 8. "I do a lot of lectures on survival. I always say you can't change what happened, so have a little wallow, feel very sorry for yourself, and then get up and move forward. You can't change what happened."
- Joan Rivers
• 9. "Do you know what it means to come home at night to a woman who'll give you a little love, a little affection, a little tenderness? It means you're in the wrong house, that's what it means."
- Henny Youngman
• 10. "If a book about failures doesn't sell, is it a success?"
- Jerry Seinfeld
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Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group
In November, the group is walking in Irishtown Nature Park on Elmwood Drive in Moncton, with meetup in the main parking lot.
In December, the group moves to the Humphrey's Brook Trail in Moncton, beginning at Mill Road. Parking is available at the bottom of Martin Street.
The group meets for walks every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. New participants are always welcome! For more information, please contact Wayne Harrigan at 506-386-2187 or via email.
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NEW! Dream Like Taylor - A fabulous colouring book for Swifties by Rose Michaels
Step into Taylor’s sparkly world with Dream Like Taylor! - a fabulous coloring book for Swifties - the ultimate coloring book for young fans who adore Taylor Swift and want to shine just like her! Filled with fun and fabulous illustrations, this book celebrates Taylor’s music, fashion, kindness and creativity. Color girls who sing on stage, play guitar, write songs, and dress in dazzling styles all inspired by Taylor’s amazing journey. Whether you’re a future superstar, a dreamer or just love to color, this book will make your imagination sparkle. Grab your crayons or markers and get ready to color your way to stardom... Swiftie-style! A total of 50 images are available in the book with a blank page on the other side of the image if you want to use markers.
• Amazon Canada: amzn.to/4hSY1dB
• Amazon USA: amzn.to/4p62coN
To view the entire list of Rose Michaels' colouring books, visit her website or follow her Facebook page.
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Buy them now! Acadian Recipes and More - Volumes 1, 2 & 3, and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1
My three volumes of Acadian recipe books (English and French) and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1 are out now and make a great addition to your recipe book library or a gift for someone else! They are available on Amazon Canada, Amazon USA and in some local retail outlets in Southeastern New Brunswick:
• Chapters, Dieppe NB: Volumes 1-3, Forgotten Recipes
• Le P'tit Coin Acadien Poutine Râpée, Bouctouche: Volumes 1-3, Forgotten Recipes
• Monument-Lefebvre, Memramcook NB: Volumes 1-3
• Centre culturel Kent-Sud, Bouctouche NB: Volumes 1-3 (French versions only)
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Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Dinner & A Movie For A Year draw!
Hi everyone! After a six-year hiatus, the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club's Dinner & A Movie For A Year draw is back!
One early-bird prize of a gift basket featuring a popcorn popper and other goodies will be drawn on November 24, while our grand prize consisting of 12 x $100 gift cards to local restaurants (that's $1,200 in total, folks!) and 24 movie tickets will be drawn on December 9! Tickets are $20 each or 3 for $50. If you're interested, please message me on Facebook, email me at brian@briancormier.com or call me at 506-874-8725! We can make payment arrangements from there!
The Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club supports our community through the funds we raise. Some of our recent charities and organizations include:
• Ronald McDonald Family Room (The Moncton Hospital)
• Diabetes Canada "D Camps" (summer camps for children)
• Anglophone East School District School Supplies Drive
• Atlantic Wellness
• Junior Achievement New Brunswick
• Make-A-Wish Canada - New Brunswick Chapter
• Krista Richard's Community Sports Program
• Krista Richard's Bikes and Trikes for Everyone Program
• McNaughton High School Reach for the Top Team
• Boys and Girls Club of Moncton
• Peter McKee Community Food Centre
• Antler Breakfast
• YWCA Moncton
• Quilts of Valour
• Project Linus - Moncton Chapter
• Karing Kitchen
• Habitat for Humanity
... and many more throughout the years!
Thanks in advance for your support!
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Monday, November 24: Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night
The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Trivia Night will be held at St. Louis Bar & Grill, 1405 Mountain Road, Moncton, on Monday, November 24, beginning at 6:30 p.m. $10 per person (cash only).
Participants may play as teams or individuals. The winning team gets 50% of the door receipts as their prize.
It is strongly suggested that participants arrive by 5:15-5:30 p.m. for a seat. Trivia begins at 6:30 p.m. sharp and is usually over by 8-8:15 p.m. Everyone welcome!
Please note that restaurant reservations are NOT available for this event. First come, first served. Limited seating of approximately 50 guests.
Participants may bring an optional non-perishable food item (box of granola bars, Kraft Dinner, cereal, canned goods, etc.) for distribution at Krista Richard's Community Sports Program events, of which the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club is a sponsor. Any donations will be gratefully received and provided to Krista for distribution to her program participants (school-aged children from Moncton-area schools).
Since Rotary Trivia Nights began in 2016, the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club has donated more than $20,000 to Atlantic Wellness, Karing Kitchen, Ray of Hope Kitchen, Salvus Clinic, The Humanity Project, BGC Moncton (Moncton Boys & Girls Club), Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Project Linus - Moncton Chapter, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Children's Wish Canada, Krista Richard's Community Sports Program and Bicycle Program, Diabetes Canada's D-Camps for kids, and Anglophone East School District's School Supplies Drive, among others.
The Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club gratefully acknowledges the kind and generous sponsorship of our restaurant partner, St. Louis Bar & Grill.
PLEASE NOTE: There is a no telephone rule at these events. The answers cannot be researched except among discussion with your team members.
Facebook event listing: bit.ly/3JyQDqK
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About this newsletter
Brian Cormier's Weekly Update is distributed weekly from September to June. If you're reading this newsletter online and want to subscribe, please email me, fill out the subscription form on my website, or subscribe via the "Join Our Email List" button at the top of the newsletter (if you're viewing this in a browser.) This newsletter is not published in July and August and on holidays.
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