Welcome aboard to WPC 2013 in Montreal next year. It truly is a "MUST DO" event.
Please check the website and pass the word along!!
You can reach me personally at ryan@worldpdcongress.org if you have any questions or concerns.
Theme: "Advancing Science...Promoting Community...Inspiring Hope!"
"If you change the I to We, then Illness becomes Wellness!" Ryan Tripp
Ryan,
My husband has family in Montreal, but unfortunately, have quite a different "experience" with the region.
We have had to go to two funerals in Montreal:
The first one was for my husbands cousin...We arrived, by car, in the evening hours. Instead of calling family at 10 p.m., we "tried" to check into a hotel....The following is the "God's honest truth".
When we walked into the lobby of the hotel, everyone was speaking the french language, which did not intimidate us, as we "assumed" a hotel would speak both French "and" English.
The parking lot was 75% empty. While we waited our turn, the clerk was speaking in French to the individuals in front of us, very "friendly" like, and gave them a room key.
When it came our turn, we "politely" ask for a room, "in English", and were met with a very "snubby" attitude, and were told "There are no rooms left.".....Here we were, tired, because of the long drive, (driving through a snow storm), and were met with very "unhospitable" attitude......We only had 4-5 hours before we had to continue to the funeral location.
My husband said, "What?....the parking lot is pretty empty!" .. To this the clerk just reiterated his first response.
Going across the street from the hotel, my husband called the 1-800 number of the hotel chain, and again asked if there was room at that location. The response was, "Yes, there are many rooms available."....We had to reserve a room by the 1-800 number to attain a room .
When we returned to the hotel, the clerk was "again" very unhospitalble, and reiterated his first response......When he was told we had reserved a room via the 1-800 number, we were assigned a room next to the janitorial facilities, which was not very accommodating.....being that, by this time, we only had "3 hours" left that we could rest before continuing our journey to the funeral....we accepted it.
Recently, within the last two months, we have had to attend another funeral. "This time," we stayed at a hotel in Platsburg, N.Y., before going on to Montreal.
Speaking to our relatives, who've lived in Montreal, "all their lives", we've been told some very "disturbing" facts............There is a law in Montreal that "Prohibits" signs in the "English" language, if a place of business displays such a sign, they are to pay a "fine"....they can't even have a sign in French "and" English......only French.
The same goes for getting a job there. My husbands, cousin, is a single mom, divorced. She can not get a job because she is not "fluent" in the French language......The officials, in Montreal, would rather hire "foreign" people that speak French fluently, "rather than hire their own people. ".......I find this very disturbing.
Here, in the "states" we give all people a chance of employment, as long as they can relate to the customer.....even though they may not be "fluent" in the English language.
Our relations are not happy living there, but because their mothers and fathers are in "ill health" they are unable to move. Some have moved to other locations, but many cannot.
I'm sure when this "conference" in October arrives, "money will influence" the local law. That is sad.
I'm very sorry that you have had this bad experience. My visits, which have been quite often, have been the very opposite. The people, culture, entertainment and food have been excellent and very positive, especially in the downtown, Congress center and Old Montreal areas.
Looking forward to the congress Ryan. Thanks for posting this. I went to the last one in Glasgow and It was superb. Over 3000 attended from 70 different countries. I am particularly impressed that doctors and neuros and scientists and patients and support people are all together at the same congress. Very unusual and what a great opportunity to meet. This from the website sums it up well.
"The World Parkinson Congresses provide an international forum for the latest scientific discoveries, medical practices and care initiatives related to Parkinson disease. By bringing physicians, scientists, nurses, rehab professionals, policy advocates, care partners, family members and people with Parkinson's disease together, we aim to create a worldwide dialogue that will help expedite the discovery of a cure and best treatment practices for this devastating disease."
CJ49 that was quite an experience, have you been tc France or indeed other overseas countries? I have not been to Canada but im hoping to find the money to go and thanks for the reminder to practse the few French phrases i know! They just may be handy.
My husband and I (I sound like the Queen!) attended the WPC in Glasgow. It was the best way of meeting new people, finding out what the Parkinson's world is up to WRT research, therapies and just feeling part of community that we have found. Clinicians and scientists need to meet people with Parkinson's and listen to what they want and put their research and practices into context. This was a good facilitator.
As for Montreal? We spent a few weeks in the area serveral years ago and found that most people in shops and hotels took our English accented English on as part of a challenge! Afterall, we had money to spend.
With a following wind we'll be there in2013.
MANNITOL: empty stomach or not? 
Accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative!!!
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