opened a small private hospital that had 30 beds and serviced patients in many different languages. This was around the time that Canadian multiculturalism began. Their small, private Central Hospital represented multiculturalism in the health sector. The hospital caught the attention of the provincial government and it assisted them in expanding Central Hospital to 170 beds. Health services were offered to patients in 36 languages. Even the meals were tailored to various ethnic groups. The John Rekai was the Chief of Staff of the hospital and Paul Rekai its Administrator. Central Hospital was a fully-equipped health facility and operated with great success for many years. In March, 1997, however, under the 'Health Services Restructuring Commission', the Harris government merged Central with the Wellesley Hospital to form the Wellesley-Central Hospital. That facility was eventually demolished and many of its staff and services were transferred to St. Michael's Hospital. To commemorate the achievements of the Rekai brothers and what they gave to the community, two multicultural long-term care facilities in Toronto, the Rekai Centres, were established. John and Paul Rekai, John's wife, Kati Rekai, their son-in-law, Donald Rickerd were all appointed to the Order of Canada for their remarkable achievements in their fields. The Rekai family is one of a very few (if not the only) families in which four members have been appointed to the Order of Canada. There are two simultaneous time lines in the film. One is chronological; the other is retrospective memory, through personal interviews with former colleagues, doctors, nurses, staff and family members who tell us their stories of the Rekai brothers, describing their personal characters. My goal was to honour these two exceptional men and to preserve their legacy. They were immigrants who were always grateful for the opportunity they were given by their new home country, a country that can be very proud of them.
William Kosaras
Writer and Producer, Toronto
Languages: Hungarian and English
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