Yves Boisvert

Wednesday 16 May 2001 A conversation that lastsThis evening, as all the Wednesdays since 1001 weeks, a trentaine of persons meet with David Nicholson and Diana Thébaud. One will comment on there the current event. It will be there question of political, of economy, of art.
Une conversation qui dure Ce soir, comme tous les mercredis depuis 1001 semaines, une trentaine de personnes se réunissent chez David Nicholson et Diana Thébaud. On y commentera l'actualité. Il y sera question de politique, d'économie, d'art.

Yves Boisvert

A conversation which lasts

This evening, like every Wednesday for 1001 weeks, about thirty people have met at David Nicholson and Diana Thébaud. The topicality there will be commented on. It will be there question of policy, economy, art.

Nicholson have established a kind of record by holding show in Westmount for 20 years. They also changed a little the city into allowing the meeting of ideas and people engaged in the most various fields.

The leading figures in politics montréalaise or main road, of the intellectuals, Profs of university, managers of undertakings, analysts financial, artists, lawyers, diplomats pass each other each Wednesday, Christmas included/understood there.

The rules are simple. It is necessary to be invited there, to bring a wine bottle and anything to publish what there known as. It should be waited until David Nicholson gives the word and to cease speaking when it has enough of it.

Nicholson is the bad lot of the street. In the medium of richly maintained manors, its immense house victorienne learnedly neglected is a kind of foot of nose in the vicinity.

One wonders a little, moreover, who is this character with the vague beard, affublé of a red jacket and a ascot around the neck, which seems to have given up any gainful employment little by little to devote its life to the preparation and the animation of these famous evenings which have finally other goal only the pure pleasure of the conversation.

" the legend wants that I was born in a taxi on the way for the Victoria hospital, March 27, 1932, one evening of eliminating heats of the Stanley Cut, which made to enrager the doctor ", says it.

It was pilot in the Canadian army (it was an air force RCAF) before becoming broker and advising in placement. The Press formerly dealt with " buffoon " to have predicted the collapse of the titles québécois in the event of victory of the PQ in 1989. The PQ lost that year and many souverainists, though minority, are among the guests of Nicholson.

Buffoon, at least a little actor, it is necessary for him to be it minimalement to animate in all immodestie these evenings never didactic. They started at the time where Nicholson lodged the economist Carl Beigie, of the University of Toronto, which came to teach each Wednesday evening in McGill. One joined together around wise the some spirits lit to cause economy. And Stock Exchange.

Diana, a Franco-American refined high in diplomatic circle of Washington, found the subjects tackled heavily economic and suggested opening the horizons a little. Wednesday Nights had been born.

Around the large dining-room table enlightened by candles, David Nicholson presents a video of the current events of the week and extracts of emissions devoted to the principal subject. The discussion is in English.

Pierre Marc Johnson was often seen there, just like is still the ex-minister John Ciaccia.

" One can converse there without taking account of the rules of the political correctness ", known as the lawyer Julius Grey. " I am often minority in the left wing of the group, but it is very changing. One can have a discussion on Kosovo with an ex-ambassador, then another on a scientific subject, and another on fusions. "

Dee & Yves Boisvert

There Yves Michaud came to speak about the banks. Innumerable ministers still come there. High-speed motorboats of passage. Even Pierre Bourque. " He would like to return, but I am afraid that my gang of WASPs antifusion launches stones to him! " known as David Nicholson.

Jean Doré there came when he was a mayor and very often since he is not it any more. He still speaks.

The evening of the thousandths, one could see

Michel Prescott being explained lengthily, but not with Jean Doré, who caused data-processing. " You, Miss, would you like are candidate for the RCM? " launched Prescott, semi-joker, semi-dredger, with a young guest. It is that in 20 years, one exchanged only ideas, at Nicholson.

The mayor of Westmount, Peter the Trent, attends the place since 1985. " They know so much world and it is so heteroclite; the gauge of the discussions is excellent and that comes out me of the municipal businesses. "

" Of the friends of Nicholson tried to make the same thing in Toronto, and that did not function, says it. Initially because in Toronto, there is not Nicholson. But especially because the idea to bring together 30 people around a table, every Wednesday, to discuss in good mood by drinking wine very late is not so much torontoise. "