Meeting of July 16, 2013

Reported by Jim Laing

Brian Lamb, filling in for President Peter Lawrie, called the meeting to order at 12:15 PM. Tom Lidkea provided the music on "our" new grand piano for O'Canada, and Reverend Mark provided the blessing. Our group sat down to a lunch of curried chicken, beef, rice and salad.

Guests included speaker Leyland Cecco, Sandra Teiffel, hosted by Mary Canty, Bill Randall, hosted by Neil Madsen, Carla Ode, hosted by Lynne Murray, Richard Acomba, hosted by Joan Peggs and guest Rotarian Dave Sheppard from Qualicum Beach Rotary Club.

Bob Schelle  reminded members to buy their $15.00 tickets to the Robert Bateman lunch / event on July 30. Tickets will be available at the 50 - 50 desk from Lynne next Tuesday, July 23.

Brian thanked Sabrina, Heather and those who helped with the Maxwell barbecue last Wednesday. Jim Force, chair of the Fundraiser Governance Committee, spoke about the importance of members being involved in club fundraising. He reviewed its purpose: to raise funds, develop fellowship and help build a better community with Rotary as a leader. If you can "champion" a fundraiser that you think would be a winner for OB Rotary, please talk with The Force!

Jack Petrie our Fines Master, provided fun and laughter trying to stump the members with questions about country music as we celebrate Jack's "Music Month"!   Most of the members were pretty hip on the subject but Jack raised some cash anyway!  One of Cactus Jack's favourite country tunes is entitled "I kissed her lips but left her behind for you". We all sang a few verses and some folks giggled a little!

Speaker, Leyland Cecco. Photo source: Leyland's Facebook page.

Sabrina introduced our guest speaker, Leyland Cecco, who was born and raised in Victoria and graduated from Oak Bay High School . He was the OB Rotary Youth Exchange student when in Grade 11, and a Rotary Exchange Student to Slovakia in 2004-05. Leyland was president of our Interact Club in 2005-06 and our Rotary Ambassadorial scholarship student to Turkey in 2009-10. He graduated from Dalhousie University with a degree in Philosophy in 2011.

Leyland photographing in Cairo. Photo credit: Amru Salahuddien

The situation in Egypt is very complicated by politics and religion. Leyland began his presentation with a video and photo's taken by himself as a photojournalist in Cairo. He went to the Middle East because of his interest in the history and politics in the region. He now works as a freelancer and does work for Al Jazeera and the Sunday Times of London. He is also a high school teacher in an English school in Cairo. His photo presentation dealt with various groups of the Egyptian population and their involvement in the most recent revolution that began June 30 of this year when the Islamist government led by Dr Morsey was brought down.

Leyland spoke specifically about:

1. Youth:  Age range is 17 - 24 years. Most of the protesters we see on television are these young people who Leyland says want to be seen by the media to help their cause - the majority of them are unemployed and uneducated.

2. Military: The military in Egypt is very different from how it is perceived in Canada. In Egypt they control and operate 60% of the economy and control most of the country's wealth. 

3. The Poor:  Most of Egypt is very poor - up to 50% live below the poverty line and are illiterate. Many live on bread doled out by the government of the day - in an effort to keep them onside as voters.

Egypt is heavily subsidized by other countries including Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in the form of so-called loans. The US government provides Egypt with 1.4 billion dollars annually. Leyland explained how when the people saw that the elected Islamist Brotherhood government was not abiding by the so-called democratic rules, five groups came together to protest and topple the regime. Egyptians protest anything, Leyland says, with nearly 10,000 protests in one year. Egypt is now under military control and, as Leyland describes it, is now entering its next phase. He states that Egyptians don't respect a democracy as we might and will protest the next democratically elected government which begs the question - why have elections?

Leyland feels that civil war appears on the horizon and that democracy may not survive in Egypt, and possibly the country needs to be under military rule.  Despite this, Leyland will return to Cairo August 23 to his teaching position. In addition, his next project is to work in the mental health field. There are just five mental health facilities in Egypt - a country of 90 million people.

Our membership was very impressed with this young man who did a special job of sharing a very complicated religious and political story with us. It was one of those presentations where, unfortunately, the time was too short to hear more on this very interesting subject.