Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - October 8, 2008, Winnipeg, Manitoba C m y k Page a5 Winnipeg repress. Com top news Winnipeg free press wednesday october 8, 2008 a 5 s Ecret donations to Winnipeg charities made in 2001 in memory of James Bond creator Ian Fleming Are being revealed now to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the authors birth. The Money was raised when Winnipeg business tycoon Albert d. Cohens personal correspondence with Fleming and autographed first edition copies of his books were sold at auction by Chris ties in London. Ism probably the Only Canadian who knew Ian Fleming As a Friend said Cohen chairman president and ceo of Gendis inc. The Low key Media shy Mogul agreed to talk about the gifts now As an homage to his late Friend who would be 100 if he were alive today. Cohen met Fleming through a Mutual Friend William Stevenson. Stevenson had told Cohen to look up Fleming the next time he was in London and gave him two novels or. No and Casino Roy Aleto read. Cohen had plenty of time on his flight Back to Winnipeg to read the books and he quickly established a Bond with Bond. James Bond. Later Bonds creator would become intrigued by the mild mannered Manitoba businessman. Cohens Globe trotting Wheeling and dealing in places like Tokyo and his adventures in soviet Era Eastern Europe inspired the author to inscribe a first edition copy of thunderball to Albert d. Cohen Man of action. From Ian Fleming. When Cohen first met Fleming in 1959, it was after Cohen and his czech born wife Irena escaped from behind the Iron curtain during a visit to Prague. A decade earlier a 20 year old Irena had fled the country before migrating to Canada and marrying Cohen. She stayed in touch with her parents in Czechoslovakia and when it seemed the communist regime was opening up to the outside world Cohen started doing business there. They needed hard currency he said. Cohen was Able to establish a business relationship he hoped would help his wife get Back to the country to visit her family. Before making the trip though Cohen checked with the embassy in Ottawa and was told Irena by now a Canadian citizen would have no trouble visiting the soviet regime. They took their three year old son Anthony with them to Prague where Irena saw the family she Hadnot seen in More a decade. They had to surrender their passports at their hotel where their phone Calls were monitored. When was time to leave Irenaus passport was withheld. She was told the police wanted to see her. They were scared. Cohen had been warned by another official in Ottawa about visiting Prague with Irena. Dont Ever let your wife enter an office without you being there snatch her and youll never see her again Cohen was told. If that happened Cohen was to get in touch with the official in Canada and use the code word red River. At the police station officials did try to take Irena into an office away from Cohen who refused to leave her Side. He told the police her passport was the property of the Canadian government and they would get into trouble if they took it. They told had 24 hours to get out. They did and flew to Paris where Cohen contacted Fleming who sent a to meet them at the Airport in London. At his Home the author welcomed the Cohens who were total strangers and still shaken from their trip to Prague. Ian said you dont know How Lucky you Are you stuck your head in the in 2001, Cohen sent the books Fleming gave him and their correspondence to Chris ties in London. At auction the collection fetched $ 10,000 can. Cohen donated the proceeds to the health sciences Centre foundation the Victoria Boniface general Hospital research foundation and the Winnipeg free press collection for the Christmas cheer Board in memory of Ian Fleming. Carol. Sanders free press. My. Ca do you leave your shovel and scraper in your car year round do your eyes get moist seeing a Winnipeg jets logo has your car recently been broken into or stolen if so you might relate to a list of what defines Manitoban compiled in a new publication devoted to the province. After a Nova Scotia based publishing House launched a series of titles dedicated to Canadian provinces and cities in 2005, the 208 Page publication Manitoba Book of everything hit store shelves for the first time this fall. Written by local freelance authors Christine Hanlon Barbara Edie and Doreen pen Gracs for Lunen Burgos Macintyre Purcell publishing the Book explores the minutiae of what it Means to Hail from the Keystone province. Manitoba sounds like an awesome place and id like to go visit said Kelly Inglis Macintyre pure Ellis marketing director a hons never visited Here but helped edit the publication. Inglis estimates 90 per cent of buyers Are people who already live in the province each Book covers. The series started by focusing on Nova Scotia but Inglis said it extended to the rest of the maritime and beyond after the series popularity caught on. Weave had much More Success with the provincial books then we have with the City books said Inglis referring to titles the publishing company has done on cities like Calgary. People seem to have More Pride in their province. When you re from a place like Saskatchewan Manitoba Nova Scotia Newfoundland right you care about where you live. The Book includes sections on local Slang including references to what aut Opac confusion Corner and Jam busters mean to locals. Contributor Mike Mcintyre of the free press sent in on his top five craziest excuses hers heard in his 13 years covering crime. It also includes Quirky sections like what Yourd find on a ukrainian restaurant menu borscht Erogies Holub tsi Klobassa Paska or the top five Manitoba born nil greats Andy Bathgate Terry Sawchuk Bobby Clarke Ron Hextall and de Belfour. The Book is available on Macintyre pure Ellis website wow. Booko everything. Com As Well As in major bookstores in Winnipeg where it retailed tuesday for around $ 15. Inglis said the company has ordered a reprint after an initial run of 5,000 copies met with Success. Gabrielle. Giro Day free press. My. Ca new Book is All about us by Gabrielle Giro Day explores the fabric of our province donations from Bond books secret. Till now than ass heir n it Ort pore nor e nto us we re Coa car d Lions Mouth and you got out a Cohen recalled. He and Fleming kept in touch Over the years. I 2001 c h t the b k al general Hospital foundation st. Bonifi g l h it l r h f by Carol Sanders Winnipeg tycoon auctioned off autographed novels ism probably the Only Canadian who knew Ian Fleming As a Friend Winnipeg tycoon Albert d. Cohen letter to Albert Cohen from James Bond author Ian Fleming a 05_ oct 08 08. Ind a5 1 0/ 7/ 08 8 22 10 pm ;