Leonard Cohen: Jean Kirkham and American Elections

leonard cohen: And yet, closer to home there was plenty of courage, generosity and kindness to celebrate, according to The Waterloo Record. As we contemplate the waning year 2016, individual acts of decency keep our hopes high in a painful world. We felt helpless as we watched the bitter discord of the American elections, as we witnessed refugees from Africa and the Middle East flood into Europe, and as we mourned the many deaths this year of artistic luminaries, from David Bowie to Leonard Cohen to Carrie Fisher. Heartfelt thanks to Shirley Irish, Brian and Jean Kirkham, and many other people who put their shoulders to the wheel to help welcome refugees from Syria and elsewhere. Irish and the Kirkhams were three volunteers I met out of many who sponsored a family and lovingly furnished a home to welcome them. In the massive influx of refugees from Syria that began about a year ago, Waterloo Region accepted more refugees per capita than any other place in the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.