Hamilton Business Pioneer:Sam Netkin

My father worked for this man back in the 1950's at the Netkin family produce company that was located on the lot that is now Hamiltons Jackson Square. My father was 15 at the time and started out hooking up the horses to their delivery carts. A few years later he began driving for them. From all accounts from my father, Sam Netkin was very generous, especially with the Christmas bonuses.

Even in the toughest of times, Sam Netkin was willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it. Click on sacn to read full story.

The Route Canada Saga

The Route Canada saga reads like a trashy crime novel. The main character's the Fingold brothers a couple of devious business men who manage to buy a government owned trucking company in a suspicious deal. Corruption is the rule of the empire for 20 months until the kings of deceit are finally toppled. In the end thousands of employees face a mountain of red tape as they try to save their pensions and find new work. My father was one those victims who managed to find work with another trucking company and eventually received all of his pension money, others where not so lucky. Click on the scans to read the details.

From The Hamilton Spectator 1991























Later,
Kenaz

Hamilton's sordid characters

From The Hamilton Spectator Tuesday March 1991

Among the people charged so far-police are still seeking more more suspect-are a wide variety of individuals ranging from a horse farmer to a professional wrestler to a self-professed minister. See scan of the clipping for more of this sordid tale of crime, grime and grit from Hamiltons near past. This story has a personal note, a the time of his arrest I was working at Sam's Place and I remember well the story. Sam got his buddy and part time bouncer to dummy up so he ended up with a light sentence of a few weekends in jail.

Business Leaders in Hamilton:Cabano Transport

From The Hamilton Spectator Tuesday May 26,1992

Quebec based trucking leader Cabano is taking over Kingsway Transports Ltd., a major player in Ontario, to become the second largest trucking company in Canada. See scan of the clipping for more.

So you think being a mascot is fun?

Talk about getting no respect!

It's been a tough few weeks for the guy inside the Hamilton Tiger Cat mascot outfit.

First, his football team spends the season losing ugly. Then he gets laid off from his job at the Ford plant in Oakville. And last week he gets the kicker to the whole package when he's robbed of his rent money while performing at the Canadian Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony at City Hall.

During the 90-minute function, his wallet was in his pants in an office at the hall of fame. When he returned, he noticed his credit cards had been rearranged and the cash was gone.

It's an especially cruel kick in the butt for a guy -- he's not allowed to make his name public -- who does more than 200 appearances a year to promote the team and the city. He drives all over the place, dances around in his microwave-hot costume as often as three times in a day, washes it constantly to keep it from stinking, and gives up much of his free time to the cause for just a few bucks and some gift certificates from the team.

All because he likes the reaction he gets from kids who light up when they see him. Nice way to get thanked.

Later,
Kenaz