May 27, 2008
Lodge 128's Joe McLean Receives Award
On the Left, Prime Minster of Canada, Stephen Harper and Lodge 128's Joe McLean
Joe McLean, an apprentice of Lodge 128, received an award for outstanding apprentice for all Trades in the Sarnia/Lambton county of Southern Ontario on May 22, 2008 at the 40th anniversary of the Mechanical Trades Apprentice Graduation for the class of 2007.
In front of Boilermakers, Ironworkers, Pipefitters, Millwrights, Operating Engineers and other trades, Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke on the need for more skilled tradespersons in Canada and congratulated the graduates for choosing such a rewarding career, along with handing out the award to the apprentice who has the highest mark of all trades in the Red Seal, Joe McLean.
Joe McLean was honoured to have the Prime Minster of Canada hand him the award. Brother McLean said, "I want to thank Ed Hoffmann, my Boilermaker instructor for everything he did; he made the class enjoyable and made us work for our marks." He added, "Ed Frerotte, Lodge 128's Training Coordinator has helped me a lot and people should know if they don't know already, Ed Frerotte is a good man."
Brother McLean, who represented Lodge 128 at the 2007 Canadian Boilermaker Apprenticeship Competition, further stated, "I wish all the trades would get along. We are all union members working together to get the job done right the first time, it would just move our cause further ahead."