The story requires a book to encapsulate, and that may eventually happen. Recently, when a Companion of the Order friend encouraged me to write my memoirs I wondered why he would even suggest it.

Who/what am I, that anyone would want to read a book about me?

I am a “charity activist”. I have embarrassed people who were in a position to do good into doing it!

I am also “an idea person”. My most successful fundraising idea now raises billions of dollars annually for charities! How do I know? Numerous polls of 3-4 large philanthropy groups over a month period in July

Another of my fundraising ideas has raised $63 million.

I have a way of turning my most successful idea into tens of billions of dollars annually for charities, and am now starting to pursue that!

MY ACTIVISM

The late Pierre Peladeau donated $1 million in 1996 to help the victims of the Saguenay-Lac St Jean deluge because I embarrassed him greatly in order to motivate him to donate that million dollars. He also told me that he would “send letters of that nature to others who could afford to make million dollar donations as well”.

La Grande Guignolee des Medias commenced in late 2000 because I am an activist, and obviously a pretty good one. As of early 2024 it has raised $63 million for Quebec food banks. It now raises in the area of $5 annually.

In December 1999, I had a conversation with the late Roger D. Landry CC, OQ. He was the Publisher of La Presse. The result of the conversation was that La Presse began to do as The Gazette was doing for Centraide. How many millions have been raised since then is unknown, as Centraide is too lazy to search through a few records.

I definitely do not do what I do because most fundraising professionals are worthy. If anything, most of them are anything but!

As far as human beings are concerned, years ago the CEO of one of Montreal’s largest charities told me; “Murray! You’re holding up a mirror to society, and society doesn’t like what they see.”

To be continued. This is a long story!

Details of the above will be filled in as time progresses.

Quebec is by far the worst province for charitable giving in Canada http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/famil90-eng.htm

The Quebecois unfortunately have no tradition of giving to charity.

Over 25 years ago, Andre Veret; “the doyen of Quebecois fundraisers” told me; “I am ashamed of my own people”.

Quebec is not only the worst place for charitable giving in Canada, it is also the worst place for giving both in Canada and the USA as well:  https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/generosity-in-canada-and-the-united-states-the-2016-generosity-index.pdf

As far as volunteerism is concerned, Quebec is the worst province for volunteerism in Canada as well: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-652-x/89-652-x2015001-eng.htm#a3

In 2013, the rate of volunteerism in Canadian provinces outside of Quebec was 48.78%. In QC the rate was 32%.

The average amount of hours volunteered in the 9 provinces outside of QC was 161.9. In QC it was only 123.

Not only do Quebecers donate far less to charity than do other Canadians, they volunteer at a far lower rate, and those who do give far less of their time.

Will CDN-NDG Borough Mayor Sue Montgomery kindly meet with me before the end of January in order to discuss what can be done to help improve the situation?

Note: Today is March 16/18. Sadly, I never heard from Sue Montgomery.

I guess that she’s pleased with the status quo 😢

Op-Ed submission:

Murray Levine
12:15 PM (45 minutes ago)

to opinion
In 1996 and in 2017 flooding hit Quebec. In 1996 the Red Cross raised over $20 ($29 million+ in 2017 dollars) million for flood relief. In 2017 only $8.6 million was raised.

WHY SUCH A HUGE DIFFERENCE? PERHAPS THE ANSWER IS BELOW?

The following fax was sent:

Early August/1996

Pierre Peladeau
CEO
Quebecor Inc.

Dear M. Peladeau,

If the Saguenay-Lac St Jean flood would have been in Israel, the next day 20 Montreal Jews would have each reached into their pockets and sent $1 million each to Israel for flood relief.

When Federation Combined Jewish Appeal approached the 110,000 member Montreal Jewish community, they raised $42 million. When Centraide went to the 3.4 million population of Greater Montreal, including the 110,000 Jews, they also raised $42 million!

The median annual receipted charitable contribution of a Quebec tax filer who gave a receipted contribution in the last year for which there are stats, was only 44% of that of 9th place/poorer New Brunswick.

The Quebecois are very good with their hands stretched out palm up, BUT they are not very good with reaching into their pockets and finding anything to give.

The goal of the Red Cross, as announced today is $2.3 million for flood relief in the Saguenay. I would like to ask you to make out a cheque in that amount. I will pick it up at your earliest convenience. Quite honestly, I do not expect to hear from you, but I have been wrong before and I am confident that I will be wrong again.

Murray Levine

The next day as I drove back from Ottawa and reached Vankleek Hill I turned on CJAD for the 20:00 news. The newscaster announced that Pierre Peladeau had donated $1 million for flood relief. I laughed!

Upon arriving at my sister’s home in DDO, I phoned my answering machine and was amused to hear the voice of the late Pierre Peladeau: “Murray Levine; Pierre Peladeau, Thank you very much for your very charming, very humourous letter. I am calling to let you know that I am giving $1 million, that’s one million to Saguenay, Lac St Jean, Jonquiere…… Its not the first time I do this. I do this many times before. I am going to send off letters of that nature to others who can afford to give million dollar donations as well.”

Over $20 million was raised. . I have 0 idea what my turning Pierre P into a fundraiser brought in, but as a charity activist I had a blast writing that letter.

The Red Cross informed me at the end of June that $8.6 million was raised for the benefit of the victims of the recent flooding in QC. To put it into perspective, in 2017 dollars about $30 million was raised in 1996

Quebec is the worse province/state for charitable giving in Canada/USA. It is also the worst province in Canada for volunteerism. The problem is sociological. Self-centered society? Perhaps. I am too busy to bother checking.

Mayor Denis Coderre, Security Minister Martin Coiteux and some other politicians have ignored my requests that they actually get off of their rear ends and do something positive to bring about change for the better. I asked them to cycle in Le Tour de l’Ile de Montreal, and raise $$ for the Red Cross BUT more important than that I asked them to encourage ALL Montrealers to join them and raise funds as well! As long as the Quebecois do not enjoy the personal satisfaction of doing good things, they will never rid themselves of having the dubious distinction of being the least charitable group in Canada/USA.

Let it be on their consciences of Coderre, Coiteux and the others that I approached that they did nothing EXCEPT be there for the photo ops. Please note that I highly doubt that these people even possess a conscience, and my faith in humanity to even recognize that, unfortunately is close to nil!

* * * * *

IF YOU THINK THAT MAYOR CODERRE, MINISTER COITEUX SHOULD SEE THIS POST PLEASE SEND IT TO THEM AND ASK THEM BOTH WHY THEY DID NOT RISE TO THE OCCASION: maire@ville.montreal.qc.ca, Martin.Coiteux.NELL@assnat.qc.ca

On the previous post (Mayor Denis Coderre Meets A Pitbull), Coderre looked awful, in fact so awful that he did not enter the council chamber for the June/17 meeting until I had all but finished my preamble and question!!

In order to avoid rush hour traffic, I cycled 9 miles to Hotel de Ville in order to give Mayor Coderre the opportunity to explain why he ignored a simple no cost request to help Montrealers. After the flooding in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, etc. I invited Coderre to cycle in Le Tour de l’Ile de Montreal and raise funds for the Red Cross. More important than that, I asked him to invite ALL Montrealers to join him.

Coderre ignored the request. Two years ago when I invited Coderre to cycle for the benefit of the homeless, and encourage Montrealers to join him. He said “NO”.

As mentioned in the video, Quebec is the worst province/state for charitable giving in Canada/USA. Not mentioned is that Quebec has the lowest rate of volunteerism in Canada (and very likely in the US as well). In my humble opinion Quebec is a sociological basket case and Coderre is a perfect example as to why!!

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO OF MY JUNE 13 QUESTION OF CODERRE

Please note my smile after being scolded and how the questions are actually ignored! 🙂

Please write to Mayor Coderre and tell him what you think. Should he set an example in the future IF he is re-elected? Is he proud of the awful example that he sets for the Quebecois?: cabinet.du.maire@ville.montreal.qc.ca
Please Cc YourStory@cjad.com

Another thing. Do you recall what happened to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when he replied to English questions, in French? Note in what language I asked my questions and in what language they answered.

Note the applause that Coderre received from his party members after I asked my second question. Please note that the per capita contribution for all areas of medical research in Quebec is half of what it is in the other provinces.

That is what Coderre’s party members were applauding! SICKENING!!

BREAKING NEWS!!

Today, Mayor Coderre appointed as Vice-chair of the STM a city councilor who has a problem with English in Quebec!

“Vision Montreal councilor Elsie Lefebvre complained in public that French was being disrespected in City Hall by the overuse of English.
The mayor, Gerald Tremblay dismissed her claims saying that such ideas were in her DNA, being a former Peekist.
“Tremblay’s remarks follow Lefebvre’s decision to rise on a question of privilege during a meeting of city council on Tuesday to contend her rights as a city councilor were being belittled “because this municipal council becomes more anglicized month after month, week after week.” LINK{Fr}
This follows a complaint that a bilingual flyer was sent to homes around the Park avenue area encouraging people to shop on the street during a bothersome construction project.
The OQLF deemed the flyer legal, but chastised the city for setting a bad example. Link{Fr}

THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MOISES LOPEZ PHOTOGRAPHY FOR THEIR FORMATTING OF THE VIDEO FOR THIS BLOG

There is a video below, in which a borough mayor shows exactly what politicians are in Montreal. Are you impressed or are you sickened?

A couple of weeks ago, Dorval asked Velo Quebec for a letter welcoming all charities to piggyback upon the events of Velo Quebec, and use them as vehicles by which to raise funds.

Westmount and TMR may be asking for the same. I have been asking the Borough of CDN-NDG to request such a letter of Velo QC for over 18 months. Montreal gave Velo QC $1 million during the last year that I checked. In the same year Montreal charged charities $170,000 to stage athletic events that actually raised funds for worthy causes.

If Velo QC provided such a letter, their events would have more participants, and Velo QC would make more $$$.

Sound good?

NEWS BULLETIN NEWS BULLETIN: VELO QUEBEC HAS CAPITULATED. THE 21 Yr. LONG BATTLE IS OVER! I WON!!! 🙂

This is QC, the worst province by far for both charitable giving and voluntarism. The per capita contribution for cancer research and every other area of research is 50% of what it is in every other province. The reason why charitable giving in QC is as high as it is, is because not everyone in QC is Quebecois.

Quebec has major sociological problems and “NO” the reason for the low level of giving is not because of taxation/being poor. Quebec is not the poorest province, and we are no longer the highest taxed.

Advance the following video to 83:10 and watch another politician do the exact opposite as he swore to do.

http://evenement.dbnstudios.com/

If you find his response sickening, please feel free to tell him so. His email address is lionel.perez@ville.montreal.qc.ca

It is long overdue for the Quebecois to give to charities at the same rate that the provinces poorer than Quebec do. The people of Quebec fund medical research at only about 50% of what the rest of Canadians do. Here are the most recent stats re charitable giving across Canada. Note how low Quebec’s median is, and NOPE, we are not the poorest province nor the highest taxed anymore: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/famil90-eng.htm

The problem is sociological and Mayor Perez, Mayor Applebaum, Marvin Rotrand and almost every other Montreal politician is helping to perpetuate the dubious distinction.

See the following post (video) of Mayor Michael Applebaum, recipient of Montreal’s Hypocrite of the Decade Award