Crazy Canucks fight gridlock and rain to celebrate Canada Day

By David Owain Young
Those who remember the golden years of Canada’s Alpine ski team , with names like Podorski, Irwin, Read and Murray will be familiar with the moniker “Crazy Canucks”.The event was organized by the Canadian Association of Panama.

On a day when Panama suffered one of the worst traffic jams in memory, Canadians, friends and Panamanian supporters turned up to pack the reception room that had been booked at the Madame Chang restaurant to celebrate Canada Day.
Others were trapped in their cars in the road mess following the closure of sections of Calle 50 when an electricity post collapsed, with the jam compounded by torrential rain which did not ease up until late in the evening. 

Drivers were taking over 90 minutes to cover distances that normally took six or seven, and only the oil companies benefited as frustrated motorists watched windshield wipers and falling gas gauges. Narry a policeman in sight at intersections where lights were not working and total gridlock kicked in throughout the entertainment district and on roads leading to it.
Those whose stamina and determination kept them going included VFW members (Veteran’s of Foreign Wars) and a contingent of students from St Clair’s College, who are studying English and will soon be heading to Windsor Ontario to polish their linguistic skills and learn to add the Candian “eh” to sentences.
Their reward was to nibble on a selection of Madame Chang hors d’oeuvres and toast the Queen and Canada with a Canadian Punch and joining in the singing of “Oh Canada”.

They also got to watch some fast CBC videos of Canadian scenery, people and wild life. They have all be names honorary Crazy Canucks.

President Enrique Williams outlined planned for future October events including the annual picnic on (Saturday July 17,) The Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner and a Carols by Candlelight charity event in December.
The picnic will be at the at the Kiwani’s Bohio in the City of Knowledge (Ciudad del Saber) It will be a family event and is being run in cooperation with Florida 

State University (FSU) English language program. Hamburgers, hot dogs, salad and fruit punch, will be served and there will be make up games of volleyball and hockey ( not on ice). All for $7 a person, $3 children under 12.
The Thanksgiving dinner will be held at The Sheraton (Atlapa Hotel) Saturday October 9. Tickets will go on sale in mid-July.
For tickets and more information call Howard Walker 315-1576 or Newsroom Panama 6619 6890.

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