A double Thanksgving for Canadians

The Social Scene with Dylis Jones
OVERHEARD from a New Yorker as I was leaving the Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday, October 12: ”Canadians know how to throw party”, and on this evening they had a Nobel literature prize to add to the celebration.

How right she was. This year’s dinner at the Mirimar Intercontinental was universally rated as the best yet with a turnout of over 130 Canadians, Panamanians and expat friends from many countries.

In the mix- and -mingle cocktail hour I spotted: Pablo de La Guardia and his wife Ana Karina from Copa Airlines; Henk Van Der Kolk, co-founder of the Toronto and Panama International Film Festivals and his wife Yanka; Dr Charly Garcia, and Steve Wallings, former presidents, of the American Society of Panama who headed a table of American guests; Phil Edmonston, author and former Canadian MP; Robert Williams, General Manager of Scotiabank Panama with a group of bank execs; Irena Sylya founder of the Opera Panama Foundation; Keitha Kushner, director of the last and the next Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre series and,of course. Canadian Ambassador Sylvia Cesaratto and a strong contingent from the Canadian Embassy along with dozens of members of the CanadaPLUS Club, emanating from many countries.
O Canada, The Canadian national anthem was sung in English and French by Opera Panama stars Alfonso Baysa and Graciela Saavedra. who later performed arias from La Traviata, and Irena Sylya reminded the audience of the upcoming Aida  performance on October 30.
Ambassador Cesaratto performed the ceremonial turkey carving, with finely honed skill, before the 130 guests got to work on a menu chosen by Glen Champion, a Canadian who heads up the Bern hotels group. As those who filled their plates will attest, it pays to have friends in high places.
During her welcoming remarks the ambassador reminded her fellow Canadian s that they had other reason to celebrate as, a few days before ,Canadian Author Alice Munro had been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Dining was brieflyenlivened by  the drawing of tombola prizes including day long trips on Lake Gatun, donated by Jungle Land Panama; a tailor made cake for that next special event from Kreaciones; Fine Dining vouchers at the Mirimar and two return flights to Toronto, donated by Copa Airlines. Funds from the tombola and the dinner go to staging Carols by Candlelight, the annual fund raising for charity event of the CanadaPLUS Club, this year at Mirador Pacifico on the Cinta Costera.

The evening wound up with dancing to Mister Cover, and as celebrants filled the dance floor and overflowed onto the carpet, came proof that the music of the Beatles is ageless.
Earlier in the evening Ambassador Cesaratto had mentioned that Canadians have been listed as the happiest people in the world. What I witnessed bore it out, and at least one New Yorker will agree.