Past National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada National President Len Langlois receives rare honour for his dedication to EMS profession

Len Langlois received Governor General's Exemplary Services Award Medal 3rd bar

Article by Ellwood Shreve, Dec 22, 2020

Thousands of people have received the Governor General’s EMS Exemplary Services Award Medal, but Len Langlois has joined a rare club to have received their 3rd bar recognizing 50 years of service.

The 81-year-old former owner-operator of the Chatham & District Ambulance Service, received the honour on Monday while in his hospital room at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance in Chatham.

But a ceremony was still able to take place at the Doug Arbour EMS Headquarters in Chatham, via video link, where his two sons Kevin and Ken, both paramedics who followed his footsteps, took part.

“Thank you for this honour and recognition today,” said Len Langlois. “Special heartfelt thanks to my family for their support and my two sons, Kevin and Kenny, for following in my footsteps.

“This is a wonderful Christmas present,” he added. “May you all stay safe, healthy and happy this holiday season.”

Ken Langlois said he and his brother learned the ropes from their dad by partnering with him for years when they worked a day shift.

“Right from management all the way through right down to patient care . . . it was fun times,” he said.

“He was actually harder on us than a normal boss, because he was our chief and we had to do it his way,” Ken Langlois said.

Len Langlois, seen in this video link, is pictured with his sons Ken Langlois, left, and Kevin Langlois, both paramedics, after receiving the Governor General's EMS Exemplary Services Award Medal 3rd bar, which represents 50 years of service, during a ceremony held at the Doug Arbor EMS Headquarters in Chatham on Monday (Dec 21, 2020). (Ellwood Shreve/Chatham Daily News)

“We had to toe-the-line, wear a tie every day and boy things have changed since we worked for him,” he added.

John Prno, chair of the national advisory committee for the Governor General’s Exemplary Service Medal, said about 7,500 paramedics to have received this medal across Canada, but Langlois is one of only eight to be recognized for 50 years’ service.

“So, it’s an extremely rare occasion to have someone receive that third bar for 50 years,” he said.

He added one of the other seven was the late Doug Arbour, a former Chatham councilor, who employed Langlois before selling him the ambulance service.

Langlois’ career began in Windsor in 1956 and he continued working with various private services including Arbour Ambulance in Chatham and London Ambulance through 1974. In 1975, he opened Chatham & District Ambulance Service operating as chief until the Chatham-Kent EMS was created.

Prno said Langlois is receiving the honour for his “extraordinary career” as manager of the ambulance service as well as for the role he took in retirement to preserve the history of EMS by opening the Southwestern Ontario Ambulance/Emergency Service Museum.

“Every paramedic in Ontario owes him a debt of gratitude for that,” said Prno.

Mike Sanderson, provincial committee chair for the exemplary service medal, said, “To be clear, the EMS Exemplary Service Medal is not a long service medal – it is not awarded solely on the basis of having achieved a set number of years’ service – it is awarded only to individuals whose service has been recognized as being exemplary in nature, as confirmed locally, at the provincial committee level and at the national committee level.”

He said Langlois was instrumental in the development and support of both the local EMS service, educational requirements, mentoring of future leaders, and as a leader of the provincial management group, the Ontario Ambulance Operators Association, where he served with distinction on the board for many years including terms as board member, president and past president.

Don MacLellan, general manager of the Chatham-Kent EMS, thanked Langlois for what he did to establish what is the local paramedic service today and preserve and promote the EMS profession.

“You have certainly built a great legacy that I do see through Ken and Kevin . . . in how they treat patients and how they serve the community,” MacLellan said.

Ronald Haines…. Retires

New Brunswick NAACC Director retires after 13 years of significant service.

As president and CEO of the National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada I wanted to take this opportunity to personally and publicly recognize and thank Ron Haines for his significant contribution to the NAACC and to the collector car hobby in Canada. Ron is often the first to volunteer. Please call up the New Brunswick Proclamation page and you will see Ron with the Minister of Tourism proudly accepting the Automotive Heritage Month and Collector Car Appreciation Day Proclamation. On behalf of the National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada thank you Ron for all that you have done for the collector car hobby. We wish you fond memories and look forward to visiting with you and your wife Ann on the next Cross Canada Tour.

Our warmest regards.
John Carlson
President/CEO
NAACC

Ronald Haines with Bill Fraser, Tourism, Heritage and Culture Minister for New Brunswick

Hints for keeping your white wall tires bright and clean…. Hints Part 4

By John Carlson January 2018
Some helpful hints for detailing your vehicles include brightening your white walls.  SOS pads work well for general cleaning, as well as for blemishes and stain removal on whitewalls. Use Simple Green as a general cleaner. To brighten the white, use either baking soda or a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. To use Black Magic Bleche-Wite, make sure to follow the instructions on the label. To use an SOS pad, wet both the tire and pad.       more>>

Service NL June 29, 2018

June 27, 2018
“Certificate of Recognition” from the Government of Saskatchewan designating July 2018 as Automotive Heritage Month for the seventh consecutive year. Thanks Doug for looking after this!

Doug Keith
SK Director NAACC

On June 10th the Antique Chapter of the VCCC along with the Regional Group of the ‘Horseless Carriage Club of America’ rolled into Penticton to take in the 36th annual three day tour in the South Okanagan . This group of Twenty Four Antique Cars ranging from 1909 to 1927, with the drivers and spouses dressed in their vintage clothing was certainly a site to see.
Read full report>>antique-chapter,-orchards—vinyards-2018

Ban the Automobile: Instrument of Death, written by Rudy Croken former NAACC PEI Director.

Here is what Greg Williams’ review.  | AUGUST 22, 2017

At the turn of the last century, automobiles were busy reshaping North American cities and making travel more convenient. That is, all except in one Canadian province. In the early 1900s, automobiles were banned from the roads of Prince Edward Island.

“When I first heard that, I thought it was ridiculous,” says author Rudy Croken, whose book Ban the Automobile: Instrument of Death, released earlier this summer, shines a light on a little known aspect of P.E.I.’s past.

“When I was growing up, my dad told me about the ban, but I thought it might have been for a month or so,” Croken says. “I had no idea (it was more than a decade-long struggle) to get cars on the road.”
read more>>

Hemmings Classic Car

With RFS reform bills, Congressmen intend to preserve market for ethanol-free fuel

Daniel Strohl on Mar 19th, 2018 at 8am


While ethanol advocates claim that a pair of recently introduced bills aimed at reforming the Renewable Fuel Standard will dismantle the program responsible for countrywide distribution of ethanol-blended fuels, backers of the bills argue they simply intend to fix a policy that has become “a well-intended flop.”
more>>

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#105 NAACC Presidents Report – 2019

  • Many Provinces including the British Columbia Government have issued 2019 Proclamations declaring July 12th as International Collector Car Appreciation Day across the USA & Canada and July as Automotive Heritage Month across Canada. Nearly all Provinces in Canada have now adopted this project.  semasan.com/collector-car-appreciation-day-2019-announcement  
    Read More>>

CENTENNIAL CARAVAN: CANADA’S COASTERS RIDE AGAIN! 2017

By: Michel Lamoureux

  For Fraser Field of Deroche, British Columbia, the start of the 2017 Centennial Caravan is the result of much hard work and planning. The cars will gather on Vancouver Island to dip their wheels in the ocean and then head across Canada. The NAACC will be pleased to report on the progress as many of the participants are going along for the “Ride”. The president of the NAACC John Carlson and his wife Koko, along with a few others will send report back regularly so you can follow their progress.
For more info on the cruise click here>>

John Carlson and his wife Koko have finished crossing Canada with the Canadian Coasters Coast to Coast tour.
Here is a photo of John Carlson at Mile zero at the end of the tour.
Click here for a gallery of images from the cruise>>

As seen in the Official SEMA Publication

Province of Nova Scotia Again Proclaims July 2018 as “Automotive Heritage Month”

Thanks to the efforts of the National Association of Automobile Clubs of Canada , Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil has again issued a proclamation designating July 2018 as “Automotive Heritage Month” in the province.  Since 2010, the U.S. Senate has passed resolutions at the SEMA Action Network’s (SAN) request to acknowledge “Collector Car Appreciation Day” which serves to raise awareness of the vital role automotive restoration and collection plays in American society.  This year’s celebration is scheduled for Friday, July 13th. 
more>>

Art and the Automobile – Jewelry

at the Canadian International Auto Show

(commonly known as the Toronto Auto Show) Feb 16 to 25, 2018

For those who are interested, the Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance team has again curated this year’s Art and the Automobile exhibit, complete with a player piano and 16 classic cars. more>>

Expo 86 –1986 World’s Fair

Vintage International Antique Auto Show
Vancouver, British Columbia Canada

A Retrospective Overview by John Carlson, Chairman

One of the major events organized around the Expo 86 World Fair was the Vintage International Antique Auto Show held at BC Place Stadium between July 6-10,1986. The event featured the “Wheels of Time.”

According to organizer and Show Chairman John Carlson, the 500 vehicle car show and Concours was a World Exposition first.
Read More>>

It is official!! The proclamation for Automotive Heritage Month  in Newfoundland Labrador has been officially signed by the Honourable Perry Trimper, Minister of Service NL
(back row)

– Bobby Ford , NAACC Membership Director

– Connie Hilliard, treasurer and past president of Newfoundland Antique and Classic Car Club (Front row)

– Bob Ford NAACC NL Director

– Honourable Perry Trimper,
More Heritage info>>

Rotary Car show 2019, Penticton

Check out more event coverage here>>

2017 Concours d’ Elegance.
An amazing array of photos from Bobby Ford from his visit to the 2017 Concours d elegance. A full report to follow as well as photos from his visit to the
Coffee and Cars at Cobble Beach and the Steve Plunkett Collection!
photo gallery>>

The NAACC has renegotiated with ImageWare/Marks for our 2021 & 2022 NAACC discount package.

Our 10% Discount Package is good until April 30, 2022. Click here and go to the Members page, use the Members password your club rep has given you. The password starts with an upper case capital ‘P’ Use the same password to open up PDF file to print. 

Click here>>

2017 Pebble Beach Concours d Elegance!
A new update of almost 9,000 words on the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d Elegance!
The Photos are prepped from the whirl wind  tour of Car Week and the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d elegance gallery is loaded and the story is being written….here is a link to the photo gallery>>

The NAACC is now interacting with the Canadian Federal Government to define and streamline the Heritage requirements for the exportation of Collector Vehicles that are 50 years old or older.

Club and Officers/Directors Insurance

The NAACC clubs insurance program fees have remained the same for the past ten years.

plus more>>

The 6th annual Crescent Beach Concours D Elegance was held Sept 2 2017 at Blackie’s Spit in Crescent beach, part of Surrey BC
more>> 

Please keep aware of what is happening in your area.

I am going to write mayor and council and ask that, if and when, they do ban all cars from the Vancouver downtown core that they make exception for old cars that are on a club sanctioned event or are performing a chartable service such as a wedding.

Soon we will be overrun by By–Laws here in the Vancouver city core.
John Carlson  More>>


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