CHEERS: To Maj. Chris MacAdam of Lakeside who helped provide bodyguard protection to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a visit with Canadian troops stationed in Latvia last week prior to the NATO heads of government meeting in Brussels, Belgium. MacAdam is wrapping up a six-month tour of duty in Latvia with the Canadian armed forces. The son of Paul and Lynn MacAdam was jogging alongside Trudeau and defence minister Harjit Sajjan while they were out for an early morning constitutional. MacAdam had no problem keeping up with the two politicians who announced an extension of Canada’s commitment of troops in Latvia during their visit.
CHEERS: To P.E.I. Teachers’ Federation President Bethany MacLeod who was elected president-designate of the Canadian Teachers' Federation at the organization’s annual meeting Friday. It’s the first time someone from Prince Edward Island has ever held this position in the organization’s 98-year history. MacLeod has served as president of the PEITF since 2015 and has served as vice-president of the CTF since 2017. She will begin her two-year term as CTF President in July 2019. MacLeod was a teacher at Montague Regional High before being elected PEITF president.
JEERS: To motorists on Kent street who insisted on ignoring traffic pylons and obstinately parking in tight spots on the left side of the one-way street last week. Charlottetown public works crews had the pylons in place before 7 a.m. so they could repaint parking lines which were getting very faded. As crews were repainting the crosswalks at the intersection at Kent and Prince streets, Veterans Affairs Canada employees chose to ignore the pylons and filled all the spaces along the front of the parking garage. It would be unfortunate if some white paint found its way on some of those parked vehicles.
CHEERS: To R.T. Rice of Vancouver, B.C., who played the past two seasons with the UPEI men’s hockey Panthers, for signing a pro contract with the Colorado Avalanche organization. Rice passed along his thanks to UPEI who warmly welcomed him to the Panthers’ family the past two years, but said he is looking forward to realizing his dream of playing pro hockey. His unexpected departure, along with Marcus Power’s decision to sign a pro contract with the new St. John’s team in the ECHL, creates major offensive holes in the Panthers’ roster.
CHEERS: To Alex Ovechkin who stunned tourists in Moscow’s Red Square last Sunday when the Washington Capitals captain walked in carrying the Stanley Cup. He made the stop to have his photo taken raising the Cup with historic St. Basil's Cathedral in the background. Ovechkin, 32, created his own flash mob with the unannounced visit to Moscow's most iconic site. It lasted 15 minutes from the moment he emerged from a police cruiser carrying the Cup toward Red Square. It ended with him placing the Cup in the back seat of the police car before being whisked away from the remainder of the massive horde that trailed him.
JEERS: To PGA golfer Phil Mickelson who thinks that the golfing world and a huge TV audience eagerly awaits his potential match against Tiger Woods for a winner-take-all $10 million purse. Guess what Phil, don't get your hopes up too high. For two golfers in the waning years of their PGA careers, with both soon heading to the senior’s tour, you’re not the star attractions that you think. When the original early July date fell through, that should have told your something. Granted, the two were the dominant golfers of their generation, but it’s over. Yet, they think they are entitled to a $10 million purse. “It would be something that would be really fun for us to do.” For them, for sure, with that much cash on the line. “I think there would be a lot of interest in it." No, Phil, there won’t be.
