Author name: The Suburban

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Montreal police chief Fady Dagher took part Thursday in a virtual public meeting organized by B’nai Brith Canada’s Quebec regional office and another meeting with Federation CJA and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) to reassure the Jewish community about the SPVM’s ongoing efforts to protect Jewish institutions.

That has included a 24/7 police presence across from where I live, at Yeshiva Gedola School on Deacon Road in CDN-NDG. That school was fired upon twice last month.

Dagher told the B’nai Brith meeting, moderated by Quebec regional director Hank Topas, that patrols and visibility have increased and almost $2 million has been invested so far to protect such institutions as synagogues and schools since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, and subsequent antisemitic incidents in Montreal, including 116 hate incidents.

Dagher said 7,600 officers are patrolling 24/7 and the effort is ongoing, and hate crimes have lessened as a result. He also announced all officers will be trained to handle complaints of potential hate crimes.

In his meeting with Federation CJA CEO and president Yair Szlak and CIJA’s Quebec vice-president Eta Yudin, Dagher also said that security has been constant around Jewish community institutions, and that he sees anxiety and stress in the community.

Szlak acknowledged the police visibility, but pointed to recent antisemitic incidents, such as the Molotov cocktails thrown at Beth Tikvah Synagogue and Federation CJA’s West Island headquarters in Dollard des Ormeaux, and the Jewish Community Council, and the shots fired at Yeshiva Gedola and United Talmud Torah, and asked about the status of the investigations and potential arrests.

“Some of the [hate crime] incidents that happened in the past six weeks, we have made some arrests, and the people who have been the victims of these events know [that],” the police chief said. He repeated the same, in French, to Yudin.

Dagher also said, “I really want to make sure my community, the Jewish community, that their behaviour does not change.

“The mezuzah, [other Jewish items], don’t touch them. Keep them and be proud of it. The kippah that you’re wearing, don’t cover it. Continue what you were doing before [the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel]. We should not let the fear get to us.”

Dagher also told Yudin and Szlak he does not know of any direct threat to the Jewish community.

“Please, go to Hanukkah [events]. Celebrate!”

Szlak and Yudin expressed appreciation for Dagher’s efforts.

“You’ve continued to listen to our concerns and I think it’s important for our community to hear that,” Szlak told Dagher. n

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The previous Hampstead administration under Mayor William Steinberg rushed the initial process for the town’s redone tennis court, Mayor Jeremy Levi told a resident at the Dec. 4 council meeting.

Earlier this year, when asked why the cost of the court increased from $1.3 million to $3 million, Levi, who did not refer to his predecessor by name, said he did not know what took place with the process before he became Mayor. At the December meeting, he had more information.

“It’s important you have context to this,” the Mayor said. “The way that tennis turned out with the new construction, nobody’s happy about it, full stop. There was an initial contract that was issued, and that was issued under a previous mandate, it wasn’t when I was Mayor. The Mayor at the time rushed through a contract. The procedures to create the bid document were not done properly. There were a lot of missing parts that needed to be formulated, and by missing some information, there was a company that was selected that really should never have submitted a bid to begin with, because they were not qualified.”

Levi added that after the election took place in which he became Mayor, “they demolished the existing tennis court and there was nothing to do. The company didn’t show up to work, to carry out the construction of the tennis courts, it was a very big problem.

“We tried many different ways to force them to finish, we had three choices. One was to do nothing, leave it as is and the entire town would be without the tennis courts. Two, we could take legal action, pursuing the warranties and it could drag on in court and cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to enforce the contract, and years would go by until we had tennis courts. Or three, we could go back to the drawing board and renegotiate with the existing company to buy the product we already secured and hire somebody else to do it. None of those options were great, but those were the cards we were dealt. That’s what we inherited from a previous mandate.”

Levi added that if it was known what the cost of the redone court would eventually be, “I guarantee you there wouldn’t have been anyone on this side of the table [council] that would have been in favour of demolishing the court to begin with.

“But because there was a rush on the initial contract to get the contract out and redo the courts, certain things were missed. And although the courts cost a significant amount more than what we anticipated, we have been able to significantly increase the fees and I think we collected about $150,000 of revenue just from the tennis courts. So based on that, in a 10-year period, we’re going to recover maybe 80 percent of the costs of this expenditure.”

Councillor Harvey Shaffer, a lawyer by profession, agreed that if the legal case route was pursued, “the likelihood would have been that we would not have had any tennis for our residents for several years.”

When the resident later pointed out that the current council is mostly made up of the same people as the previous council, he was told they did not have the same information then that they have now.

Steinberg replied to The Suburban that “first, we were not rushed and five of the six members of the current council voted for the contract on the advice of consultants and management.

“The vote was unanimous. The problem was that the company hired did not fulfill the terms of the contract. The new council did not sue the company hired and instead paid them off for cancelling the contract. I can’t imagine why they did that. Then they paid far too much for the new company and in total, with the payoff, the cost more than doubled from what my council wanted to pay.”

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Some 80 law firms have sent an urgent letter to Canadian law school deans, calling for a meeting in light of a surge of antisemitic harassment and incidents at universities. At a recent House of Representatives hearing in the United States, some university heads could not bring themselves to say that calls for genocide against Jews violate university policy.

The letter from lawyers across Canada says, “among the core values at each of our law firms is that every person is entitled to be treated with respect and be free of any discrimination or conduct that targets their identity or that may be offensive, hostile, intimidating or inconsistent with their personal dignity and rights.

“Over the last several weeks, we have been alarmed by the surging reports of anti-Semitic harassment, vandalism and assaults on university campuses. These include protesters calling for the death of Jews. Such antisemitic acts would never be tolerated at any of our law firms, nor should they be tolerated at our Canadian universities. We also believe that universities should not accept student societies and outside groups engaging in acts of harassment and threats of violence, as has been occurring and tolerated on many campuses.”

The letter points out that some of the student groups associated with many universities have shown support for the terrorist group Hamas, which carried out the attack on Israel Oct. 7 that killed 1,400 people, and left thousands injured and with more than 200 people taken hostage.

“Students look to you for guidance and protection in a manner that affirms key core Canadian values being: respect, equality, safety and peace, all of which we as Canadians hold dear. We understand that as educators of higher learning, you must encourage discourse on various issues. This comes with the responsibility of managing a balance of the free exchange of ideas with the respect, safety and security of its students. As the leaders of these institutions this responsibility falls squarely on your shoulders.”

The lawyers added that at each of their firms, “we prohibit any form of discrimination, hostility or harassment, whether verbal, visual or physical.

“Let us be clear: there is no room for antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism or any other form of violence, hatred or bigotry on your campuses, in our workplaces or our communities. As employers who recruit from each of your law schools, we look to you to ensure your students are prepared to join workplace communities such as ours that have zero tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment. We continue to carefully monitor the situation and trust that you will take the same unequivocal stance on your campuses. We also invite you to meet in order to arrange a respectful dialogue so that we can understand how you are addressing with urgency this serious situation.”

The signatories are: Allen McDonald Swartz LLP, Anglehart et al., Azancot & Associates Inc., Bereskin & Parr LLP, Boro Frigon Gordon Jones, Breder Law, Brownlee LLP, Chaitons LLP, Choueke Hollander LLP, Consumer Law Group Inc., Cooper, Sandler, Shime & Schwartzentruber LLP, Cozen O’Connor, De Grandpré Chait LLP, De Louya Markakis Avocats, Derhy Lawyers and Notaries, Diamond & Diamond LLP, DLA Piper, Duncan Craig LLP, Dunton Rainville L.L.P., Eidelmann Law Inc., Epstein Cole LLP, Fishman Flanz Meland Paquin LLP, Fogelman Law PC, Francis Mehr LLP, FWCanada, Gluckstein Lawyers, Goldman, Spring, Kichler & Sanders LLP, Goodman, Solomon & Gold, Green and Spiegel LLP, Greenspoon Lawyers, Guardian Law Group, Halpern Law Group, Hatch Law, Hladun & Company, Hoffer Adler LLP, Igor Ellyn ADR, JML Law Corporation, Kahn Zack Ehrlich Lithwick LLP, Kaufman Lawyers LLP, KRB Lawyers, Kugler Kandestin LLP, Labarge Weinstein, Law Office of Cynthia Lauer, Law Office of Harriet Altman, Lax O’Sullivan Lisus Gottlieb, Leo Adler Law, Leora Shemesh Criminal Law, Levine Frishman S.E.N.C., Levy Tsotsis, Lex Group Inc., MacDonald & Partners LLP, Manis Law, MBM Intellectual Property LLP, McCague Borlack LLP, McLennan Ross LLP, Neuberger & Partners LLP, Parlee McLaws LLP, Pinto Law, Pitblado LLP, Rachlin & Wolfson LLP, Ravinsky Ryan Lemoine, Robins Appleby LLP, Robinson Sheppard Shapiro LLP, Rosen Sunshine LLP, Rosenstein Law, Scharfstein LLP, Schneider Legal, Segev LLP, Shadley Knerr s.e.n.c.r.l., SOS Legal, Speigel Nichols Fox LLP, Spiegel Sohmer Inc., Stein & Stein Inc., Steinbergs LLP, Taylor & Blair LLP, Teplitsky LLP, Tilda M. Roll, Professional Corp; Torkin Manes LLP, Tutino Joseph Grégoire, Victor Vallance Blais LLP, Wagner Sidlofsky LLP and WLG Law. n

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The CHU Ste. Justine and Montreal Children’s Hospital came together in a call for public cooperation, urging parents not to bring their children to crowded hospital emergency rooms unless the medical situation is urgent and immediate care is needed.

Officials from both children’s hospitals say both of their ERS are “under heavy pressure from the high volume of cases of respiratory viruses.” Dr. Laurie Plotnick, Medical Director of the MCH’s ER, said that “patients are seen in order of priority following a nurse’s assessment. Therefore, any patient who presents with a cold, flu or gastroenteritis and whose symptoms are mild should plan to wait several hours before seeing a doctor in the ER.”

The Montreal Children’s Hospital and CHU Sainte-Justine also emphasized that, on the other hand, “no child in need of medical care will be turned away from the ER. Emergency services should be reserved for people whose condition requires immediate care, and for children who are not seriously ill or injured, other solutions can be considered, such as the 811 line, or walk-in clinics,” said Dr. Antonio D’Angelo, Medical Chief of the CHU Sainte-Justine Emergency Department.

The hospital officials pointed out that between Nov. 17 and Dec. 1, “patients with a minor health problem (categories P4-P5) accounted for an average of 57.73 per cent of visits to the MCH ER. For the same period, the average occupancy rate of the MCH ER was 157.47 per cent. The average occupancy rate in the CHU Sainte-Justine emergency department was 172.13 per cent between Nov. 17 and Dec. 1. Patients with minor health problems (categories P4-P5) accounted for an average of 37.26 per cent of visits to the CHU Sainte-Justine emergency department between Nov. 5 and 28.”

The doctors emphasized that care at home is often the best solution.

“Mild flu symptoms, gastroenteritis and fever, which generally last three to five days, can be treated at home,” said Dr. D’Angelo. “When in doubt, you can consult your community pharmacist for prompt advice from a health professional. If symptoms persist, a consultation with a physician remains the preferred option.”

Dr. Plotnick said that “preventive measures, such as vaccination and good hygiene practices like regular hand-washing, are effective ways to reduce the number of unplanned emergency room visits and the long waits that follow during the busiest time of the year.”

Other options include:

• “In case of symptoms, first call Info-Santé at 8-1-1. Nurses are available at all times to assess your child’s condition, advise you and let you know when and whom to consult.”

• “You can also contact your family doctor, the Primary Care Access Point (GAP), your local Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS) or a walk-in clinic. Pharmacists are also excellent advisors.”

• “The MCH and CHU Sainte-Justine websites also offer a wealth of advice and information for families.”

A parent should bring a child to the ER in cases of:

• Fever in a baby under three months of age or fever with torticollis.

• “Unusual sleepiness or confusion.”

• “Difficulty breathing.”

• “Vomiting or diarrhea with an inability to retain fluids and/or signs of dehydration.”

• “Injuries such as head trauma with loss of consciousness, confusion or repeated vomiting.

• “A cut that may require stitches.”

• “An injury where a broken bone is suspected (example: swelling or inability to use the limb).”

• “Eye injury.”

• “Burns resulting in blistering.”

• “Ingestion of a poison, drug or unknown substance.”

• “Skin rash resembling small bruises.” 

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

It’s usually a cliché to say “you could hear a pin drop” to describe a silent, rapt audience listening to a compelling story, but that accurately describes the atmosphere at Federation CJA when former Torontonian Shye Klein Weinstein, now in Israel, described the harrowing story of his near brush with death from Hamas terrorists.

The impact was felt even more as Weinstein told the story in an understated but intense way.

Weinstein, who also showed photos and video of Oct. 7 before and during the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, told of how he attended the Super Nova music festival, in Israel, with a cousin and mutual friends, and how he made new friends at the festival.

“Some of the feelings you might have at one of these events — anxiety, nervousness, adrenaline, love, compassion, excitement — those are all feelings I felt at my first music festival on Oct. 7.”

Weinstein then, in exacting detail, told of how the attendees first saw hundreds of Hamas rockets being repelled by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, then hearing the sound of machine gun fire, how they slowly and excruciatingly left the festival grounds, and had to drive through fields where they saw abandoned cars — some with dead bodies in them.

Weinstein and his companions then had another harrowing drive towards Tel Aviv, where they passed numerous cars on the road — he chronicled the trip with video and warned those in the audience who could not tolerate such scenes to look away from what were dead bodies strewn all over the road. The occupants of the car containing Weinstein and his friends could be heard yelling and swearing in shock.

At one point, they passed Hamas terrorists who had their guns raised, but miraculously, they were not shot. They made it to Tel Aviv, and most of the people they met at the festival hid for hours before being rescued by the IDF and other military personnel. Sadly, two people they met were killed, along with 258 others.

Weinstein’s understatedness was in evidence during the question period, when The Suburban asked, as someone who was present during the attack, what did he think of the global media coverage of Oct. 7 and its aftermath, and the constant pro-Hamas demonstrations taking place.

“That’s not something I’m sure I can answer well enough to satisfy what you want to hear,” he said. “I am just a photographer. My apologies.”

Stephen Rabinovitch, of Federation CJA, who introduced Weinstein, asked where the former Toronto resident gets the strength to recount his story on several occasions.

“I am exempt from IDF service, so fighting is not an option,” Weinstein said. “This is my way of fighting and this is my way of helping.”

Weinstein told another attendee that he went back to the festival grounds to view the aftermath of the massacre.

“It was an alien world. The trees were all covered in blood, tents soaked in blood; people’s IDs, phones, wallets, glasses, art, their bags, their jackets, their belongings, bullet holes in the ground and in the streets. An ambulance burnt out, wrapped around a tree; I even visited Kibbutz Be’eri…whatever you’ve seen, it’s worse.”

Weinstein also told a student that he is returning to Israel following his speaking engagements. Applause followed.

“I would not have left Israel if it was not for the faces of Oct. 7 reaching out to me — everybody I loved and risked my life for there. My mom and brother still live here in Canada. I refused a rescue flight. I will be going back to Tel Aviv to be with my friends and family after my speaking tour.”

CSL resident Stanley Grunfeld asked if Weinstein had any military training or a sixth sense that prompted his fast reaction to leave the festival with his friends.

“I’m the kind of friend who, when you’re at a party with me, I’m done early and I’m making sure everyone has water,” Weinstein said. “I’m also an older brother, so I feel like that has something to do with it. I was in a new environment, a festival, and a new situation with hundreds of rockets. A lot of things were just feeling that something was wrong, the same feeling I felt when I thought I heard the gunfire, that feeling of sickness inside of me. Whether it’s luck or intuition, or a mixture of both…. I don’t know why we survived, I don’t know why those two men on the side of the road decided not to shoot us….We left at the right time to be just in the eye of the storm, safe from everything in front and behind us. I personally think it is just dumb luck, but that’s just me.”

Beryl Wajsman, The Suburban’s editor-in-chief, said Weinstein was no longer just a photographer, but a photojournalist. Wajsman asked about the Israeli security presence during the Oct. 7 attack.

Weinstein said that “during the festival, there was security, armed security and those who were there to make sure people didn’t take too much of anything. By the time we were in the parking lot, there was no security present within that region, they had all gone to the back of the festival and they were helping people. I’m sure much of the gunfire we heard was from security forces at the festival. I’m sure an equal amount was not.” 

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Côte St. Luc residents pleaded with the city council to use its bylaws to counter scammers who go door to door offering services and fleecing residents of their money.

Resident Nathalie Guitta, speaking at the Nov. 13 council meeting, cited Bylaw 2470, Article 7.1 regarding solicitation, “selling products and services on the public domain, door to door.”

“In September, I called you personally, a roofing company destroyed numerous homeowners’ roofs,” Guitta told Mayor Mitchell Brownstein. “How could we enforce this bylaw? How can we protect the citizens of CSL so that this doesn’t happen again in the spring? They will come back. There are six homeowners that are probably going to start a lawsuit against them. This is long from over. A lien was placed on a house on Davies six days after they got their bill, and four days after that they got a 60-day notice that Revenue Quebec is auctioning off their house.”

Mayor Mitchell Brownstein responded that the city needs to communicate as best it can “that there are scammers out there of all types, and you can be scammed in so many ways, including the way these people did, and it is illegal. We need to provide more information to educate people. It’s really tough to catch a scammer if a resident lets them in.”

Guitta said the scammers can be seen on her Ring camera.

“I didn’t call them, they came to the door. They seem very legitimate, the give you a reasonable quote, they make a hole in your roof and, boom, $83,000. They say you have structural and mould problems and they did that to six other CSL homeowners.”

Brownstein said that could result in a criminal or civil suit between the residents and the company.

“Just don’t answer your door, or if it’s the phone, hang up,” he added.

Councillor Steven Erdelyi said that with Artificial Intelligence, scammers will become an even bigger problem.

“It happened at my day job — someone pretended to be me and got someone to purchase gift cards,” he pointed out. “Try to be careful.”

Guitta responded that “these guys are professionals. They’re bikers, they’re dangerous and they’re going to come back!”

Brownstein said that “what can be done is call the police, call Public Security.”

“The city should be doing more to protect its citizens,” Guitta said.

“When we know about it, we’ll stop them,” Brownstein said.

Another resident, Ayala Antel, told Brownstein a company representative came to her door and claimed he was from Hydro-Québec.

“I asked for paperwork and they had none. It got heated and he dropped the F-bomb on me. That’s when I called CSL security, nobody answered, I called you up because they were not disappearing.”

Regarding the advice not to answer the door, “you have to understand, these people are very professionally savvy in playing with your mind and somehow getting their way onto your property.

“You said ‘call the police.’ I called Station 9, they came. The company couldn’t produce the proof in the end, but they did a number on the police and according to your bylaw, they’re supposed to give a fine of between $100 and $1,000. None of that was done! [They] just let them go! This is not enforcing the bylaw! CSL public security can also enforce the law. Are they?! We need to do a better job of raising awareness of Article 2470.”

Brownstein said the city “needs to look into ways to enforce” the law.

“I got the message. Let’s follow up off line to see what can be done.” n

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The monthly protests against language law Bill 96 held by the Task Force on Linguistic Policy came to the west end Sunday, with a procession of cars that travelled from Walmart on Jean Talon in Côte des Neiges to Trenholme Park in NDG, attracting hundreds of participants. Other motorists honked in support as the caravan proceeded through the streets, and at Trenholme Park. Previous caravans took place in the West Island, downtown and other locales.

Andrew Caddell, head of the Task Force, told The Suburban at Walmart that “we’re going to be heard, we’re not going away, and we’re going to continue these rallies to raise awareness of all the egregious elements of Bill 96.” At Trenholme Park, Caddell, joined by many other speakers. also discussed the CAQ government’s plan to almost double Quebec university tuition fees for students outside of the province, another of a series of policies after Bills 96, 40 abolishing school boards and 21 banning religious dress for those in authority under provincial jurisdiction and teachers.

“This is another attack on our institutions of the English-speaking community!” he said. “The cavalier rejection of Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry of the compromise position of McGill, Concordia and Bishop’s was a sign of a total lack of compassion, leadership and a lack of respect for our community!” Caddell said the tuition increase is the first step of a 50-point plan to “stop the so-called decline of French on the backs of the anglophone community, as if we were some kind of fifth column that is trying to undermine French rather than the largest bilingual and trilingual community in all of Canada!

“This is unacceptable! This is not time for intolerance on any side! We are better than that!” Caddell said Premier François Legault has said he wants Quebec to be the equal of Ontario.

“But by obsessing over language and attacking our institutions, he is undermining our economy and building an international reputation for bigotry and parochialism. Despite all these negatives, the CAQ doesn’t seem to care!… We are calling on the entire English-speaking community to come together and show we are a united front! We need your voice to join in an overwhelming chorus to say ‘enough is enough!’”

“Enough, enough!” the crowd chanted.

Marc Perez of the Task Force told The Suburban “we have to stop the CAQ’s appetite for intolerance.

“These [policies] all have one goal, to weaken the English community that has contributed enormously to this province. That’s why we have a lot more people, with all the rallies we have been doing, we’ve been raising awareness, people have been donating and calling us with their stories about Bill 96.”

Alex Montagano, a former CDN-NDG candidate, said the political system must be changed.

“We need to find ways to take back control of our city and our province.”

For more information about the Task Force on Linguistic Policy, go to www.thetaskforce.ca. n

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A fire took place recently on Westminster North in Montreal West, Councillor Lauren Small Pennefather told the late October town council meeting.The property is near the Westminster rail bridge and is under investigation for a previous fire.

“The SPVM requested the assistance of our Public Security officers to help control traffic at Northview and Westminster, as Westminster was closed between Radcliffe and Westover,” she explained. “There is actually a criminal investigation underway by the SPVM, as the building was vacant due to an original fire that occurred two months previously. Luckily, nobody was hurt in either fire.”

The councillor, in her monthly report, also pointed out that car thefts continue to be “rampant.”

“It’s not only in Montreal West, it’s across North America,” she pointed out. “If you see some of the news specials on television, or on social media, this is a very significant issue and there have been vehicles in Canada that have been tracked to Africa, so this is not in isolation for the Town of Montreal West. There are certain measures you can take. There are certain devices that you can add to your vehicle that can assist if thieves try to break in. I suggest taking this up with your car dealership or your insurance company to get more information on how to protect your vehicle. We had the SPVM here in May to talk about this and some other security issues.”

Small Pennefather also informed the meeting that there were some car theft attempts on Oct. 22.

“Toyota Highlanders were targeted and another Highlander was stolen from the Westminster parking lot. One was targeted on Brock North as well.”

Police in other locales have issued alerts about thefts of Toyota Highlanders, saying the perpetrators use “relay and reprogramming technology” and that the targeting of these vehicles has been a growing trend this year.

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Jewish students and a teacher filed a $15 million class action suit against Concordia University, for not doing enough for more than 20 years to counter antisemitism.

They are asking for $10 million in general damages, and $5 million in punitive damages. A judge will have to approve moving the case forward to a hearing.

The claimants have asked the media not to reveal their identity for fear of reprisal, especially in the current atmosphere of the Israel-Hamas war that has prompted numerous antisemitic incidents in Montreal, including Jewish students being attacked by pro-Hamas individuals, Jewish schools being fired upon and Molotov cocktails thrown at Beth Tikvah Synagogue and Federation CJA’s West Island headquarters in Dollard des Ormeaux.

The class action claims stretch back to 2002, the year a planned appearance by now-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sparked a riot, assaults and damage to the Hall building downtown. At that time, this reporter was told by an anti-Israel individual to “go back where you came from.” The speech never took place, only press conferences before and after the riot.

The suit, obtained by Le Journal de Montréal, cites other incidents at the university, including the attacks by the pro-Hamas students on Nov. 8.

The suit claims negligence on the part of Concordia, alleging it did not investigate the cases, discipline wrongdoers, train university staff to handle them, and offer a safe space to study.

The claimants also say the incidents over the years have prompted them to have nightmares, a fear of certain public places and of practising their religion. n

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The SPVM’s hate crimes unit is investigating a Nov. 21 incident in which a 21-year-old woman was seen damaging and trying to remove a City of Côte St. Luc-approved poster of hostages being held by the terrorist group Hamas since Oct. 7.

SPVM spokesperson Veronique Dubuc told The Suburban that the suspect was not arrested, but an SPVM officer did approach the individual and established her identity. Dubuc added that no names are revealed to the media until an individual appears in court.

Mike Bensimon posted a picture of the alleged offender on the CSL Ideas Facebook page, in which the woman appears to be mocking those taking her picture. She also appears to have a boxcutter in her hand.Bensimon posted that the incident “happened in CSL today. [Mayor] Mitchell Brownstein, are you going to do something about this? The city needs to get on this. It’s unacceptable!!! The Hampstead Mayor [announced] last week that he would fine people like those $1000.”

The city responded that it is “aware of an incident on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023, in which a person removed part of a sign installed on municipal property that featured dozens of photos of hostages held by the terrorist group Hamas. “The Montreal Police Department (SPVM) is investigating the incident and—through the quick reactions of witnesses who communicated with the SPVM—knows the identity of the person who committed the act. The SPVM will determine what charges to file.” At least one of these posters is at the corner of Cavendish Blvd. and Kildare Road.

During the Nov. 13 council meeting, Brownstein told residents there were no plans to follow Hampstead’s lead in fining those who remove posters $1,000, as putting up posters on public property without a permit is illegal in the first place. But in the case of the Nov. 21 incident, Councillor Dida Berku posted on the CSL Ideas page, “this sign is different. This is a city sign.

“The city has recourse and police can and did intervene. On the other hand, posters on public poles are by their very nature not allowed in cities in general, not in CSL or Hampstead. (Except during elections) They are tolerated. Imposing fines for removal of hostage posters as opposed to garage sale posters is by its very nature very complex.”

Hampstead’s bylaw specifies that the fine applies to posters, not specifically hostage posters, approved by the town.

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Mayor Mitchell Brownstein assured residents that the City of Côte St. Luc will not take down posters of those kidnapped and held by the terrorist group Hamas since their attack on Israel Oct. 7.

The city has its own posters up at Cavendish Blvd. and Kildare Road.

Dr. Renée Karp, a longtime resident, said she had heard rumours, and asked Brownstein to clarify CSL’s policy.

The Mayor replied that CSL does not take down those posters of hostages that are put up on the city territory.

“So there’s no problem with the posters being up?” the resident asked.

Brownstein said that “our Public Works department, nobody in the city, is taking down posters.”

“Thank you,” Dr. Karp said.

A resident named Laurence said some were under the impression the city was not allowing them. The City of Montreal, on the other hand, has been taking down those posters, for which they were condemned by many, including Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi.

“I was wondering if it was possible to take the lead, or follow Hampstead’s lead, and fine those who take them down,” the resident asked.

Hampstead, at its Nov. 20 council meeting, passed a bylaw instituting a minimum $1,000 fine for those removing posters on public property authorized by the town.

Brownstein commended the move by Hampstead as a “very nice sentiment in terms of the message that it sends, and I congratulate Hampstead on that.

“But legally, we all do have bylaws that say that anything you put up is illegal, so any poster, any garage sale, anything that is put up without a permit, it’s illegal,” he explained, before the exact wording of Hampstead’s bylaw was known the following day, Nov. 14. “So if you say you’re going to give a fine for taking down a poster that’s illegal in the first place, it’s not going to hold up in court. It’s a nice sentiment, but it has no legal effect.”

Asked about this, the Hampstead Mayor said the town’s modification to its nuisance bylaw “was verified by outside legal counsel.” He also confirmed that the issue of the fine for removing posters is handled by the provision of the bylaw that says the rule applies to posters approved by the town, and thus not illegal to put up.

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The City of Côte St. Luc is tolerating tempos, temporary car shelters erected during the winter, throughout the city with some exceptions, it was revealed on social media.

CSL and many other municipalities have resisted, or still don’t allow, tempos because they are not aesthetically pleasing.

Resident Orel Zipper asked on Facebook, “how do we get some action to unban tempos from those select streets [where it is] arbitrarily not allowed to put them up? Ridiculously unsafe, especially for older residents or those with mobility issues. More so for those with an inclined driveway. I have brought it up before, but if there’s anything one can do would be great to know.”

The city’s Facebook administrator responded that “for the 2023-2024 winter season, the city will tolerate tempos in areas where they are not zoned. Here’s what this means in practice:

“If you live in an area where tempos are allowed, it is business as usual,” the message adds. “If you paid the one-time fee, you can erect the tempo again this year. If you live in an area where tempos are allowed, and have never applied for a permit, you need to do so. Then you pay the one-time fee. Then you can erect your tempo.”

In areas where tempos have not been allowed up to now, “you can erect a tempo this season. No permit is required and no fee is required this season. You must follow all the installation rules and the tempo must be removed by April 15, 2024.”

As well, “tempos are never allowed at townhouses, apartment buildings, or condo buildings.”

The city posting added that CSL is “considering standardizing the tempo rules across the city as part of the Master Plan and Zoning Bylaw Revision.”

Councillor Dida Berku explained to The Suburban that “when we did the tempo bylaw, we did it by zone, and in certain zones, 12 residents signed a register, and we decided not to proceed with referendums zone by zone.

“Over the past few years, we’ve realized that the tempos have not proliferated like mushrooms, they’re very few and far between, and in those zones where we don’t have tempos, there are residents in very precarious situations, they have steep driveways or have medical conditions, so we tried to find a way to introduce it in the zones, where they’re not allowed, for a year, on a pilot project basis. At the end of the year, we’ll evaluate it.”

We also asked about the fact those who can put up tempos where they have not been allowed do not, right now, have to pay the one-time fee, while those who have yet to put up tempos where they are allowed do have to pay.

“It’s only a one-time payment anyway, so eventually if it does become a permanent situation, they will have to pay,” Berku explained. “In the end, everyone [who wants a tempo] will have to pay. For this year only, they don’t have to pay because it’s a pilot project, and we can’t introduce a fee for something that’s not in our fee schedule.”

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

St. Laurent Mayor Alan DeSousa called on the business community to create a large solar park in the borough, an electricity generating system connected to a utility grid.

DeSousa spoke Nov. 2 at the annual meeting of the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Saint-Laurent-Mont-Royal. He also told La Presse such a park could be installed quickly, as opposed to dams and wind turbines.

DeSousa pointed out in his speech that 70 percent of St. Laurent’s territory is “dedicated to professional, retail, manufacturing and industrial activities, thus presenting a unique landscape in the Greater Montreal Region.”

He added that in 2019, “this led to the roofs on St. Laurent businesses and parking lots being identified as the two main culprits responsible for the major urban heat island phenomenon experienced in Saint-Laurent.”

DeSousa said the borough has worked to alleviate the heat island situation “by adopting a number of programs, bylaws and other initiatives relating to parking lots and roofs. These have generated numerous accolades in addition to creating a snowball effect in other communities.”

The Mayor also pointed out that an assessment conducted in 2018 “estimated the net surface area of some 1,400 industrial and commercial roofs is capable of accommodating solar panels in St. Laurent at 4.5 million square metres, or the equivalent of 850 football fields.”

Also in 2018, “a study was conducted to evaluate the overall potential of industrial roofs in St. Laurent to produce 521 gigawatts-hours of energy, which is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 24,000 households.

“The study concluded that St. Laurent has tremendous solar photovoltaic and thermal potential, and it is an ideal location for the installation of solar setups on roofs, given that the buildings are the same elevation and there are few trees in the areas in question. The same study also revealed that the installation of solar equipment would enable certain buildings to achieve partial energy independence. What’s more, the City of Montreal receives 25 percent more sunshine than Paris, boasting an annual average of 2,051 hours versus 1,662 hours for the European city.”

In light of all this and the existence of the Fermes Lufa greenhouse and IGA Duchemin greenhouses, DeSousa urged the business community to “consider the potential benefits of creating a collaborative project centred on solar energy,” pointing out that “several businesses have already begun experimentation in this respect.

“The pursuit of this solar park project could represent an excellent endeavour for the emergence of an urban solar segment in Quebec, while emphasizing that solar is just one of the solutions that can be developed on-site when it comes to renewable energy – and one that could also include the recovery of waste heat, cooling and geothermic.”

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Crime in the borough of St. Laurent in the first nine months of 2023 increased 22.3 percent from the same period in 2022, from 2,320 to 2,838 incidents, says SPVM Station 7’s June to September 2023 report.

Throughout this year and last, The Suburban and others have been reporting on numerous incidents in St. Laurent, such as murders, arson of businesses and cars, shootings and stabbings.

According to the SPVM statistics, murders decreased from two in 2022 to zero in 2023. However, at the beginning of October 2023, just after the tabulation period, a 23-year-old man died after being stabbed several times in the upper body at his home at Alexis Nihon Blvd. near Côte de Liesse Road.

Attempted murders increased from three to four incidents. Assaults jumped from 377 to 423, a 12.2 percent increase. Instances of discharging a firearm decreased from 10 to four. Sexual aggression decreased from 63 to 54. Robberies jumped from 61 to 76, a 24.6 percent increase. Other violations of the law against people jumped from 156 to 195, a 25 percent increase.

Acts of arson jumped from 14 to 35, a 150 percent increase — some of these are said to be extortion attempts against Arab business owners. Break-ins increased from 174 to 187 incidents. Car thefts increased from 482 to 647, a 34.2 percent increase. Simple theft increased from 571 to 640, a 12.1 percent increase. Fraud jumped from 253 to 346, a 36.8 percent increase and mischief increased from 127 to 201 incidents, a 58.3 percent hike.

Incidents this year included:

• The seizure of contraband tobacco from some establishments.

• Stolen cars, some of which were recovered in searches and for which people were arrested.

• On Sept. 9, the arrest of two individuals for breaking into a vehicle and a break and enter into a commercial enterprise.

During the Nov. 7 council meeting, a resident asked St. Laurent Mayor Alan DeSousa what the borough is doing about the many instances of criminality in recent months, such as shootings in residential areas.

DeSousa replied that he was not aware of any recent shootings in residential areas. However, there have been shots fired in industrial areas in October and May.

The Mayor added that crimes are being investigated and in numerous cases solved by Station 7 and its commander Pierre Luc-Gauthier, who said early this year that St. Laurent is still a safe and secure community notwithstanding the many incidents that took place in 2022.

“What we do is try to make sure through police patrols, information given to our residents, our own urban patrols, that there is a visibility given so that people living in the area feel safe and have a sense of security,” the Mayor explained.

The Commander said DeSousa provided a good summary. n

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Yeshiva Gedola School on Deacon Road in Côte des Neiges-NDG was fired upon for the second time in four days.

A nearby resident told The Suburban that he was awakened by four shots at around 4:45 a.m. Sunday Nov. 12. Police were called at 5 a.m. by several residents, and a vehicle was seen fleeing the scene. We saw officers questioning nearby residents.

The first shooting at the school was on Thursday. A second shooting that day took place at United Talmud Torah. This followed violence against Jewish students at Concordia and firebombings at Beth Tikvah and Federation CJA’s West Island headquarters in Dollard des Ormeaux.

There have been police and hired security presence around the school, in recent days, including during a recent event.

In the morning, the entire area around Deacon was surrounded by police tape, from the corner of Lajoie to Van Horne, and from Lajoie and De Vimy to Van Horne. Access from a palliative care centre from Deacon to DeVimy was also blocked. The tape was removed early in the afternoon.

SPVM spokesperson Caroline Chevrefils said that nobody was in the building when the shots were fired, near the intersection of Deacon and Van Horne. Police located a projectile in the front of the building, and other shell casings were found.

Former CDN-NDG councillor Lionel Perez, speaking for the school, said the shooting was a “terrorist act.

“Their objective is terrorize, to stop our prime mission, which is to educate kids, and they will fail! This second incident demonstrates the gravity of the situation and escalation, and we’re counting on the police to redouble their efforts to ensure the safety and security of our school, of our children and our community. We ask our elected officials to continue condemning. We appreciate their support, but they have to ensure the SPVM has all the means necessary for them to do their job and condemn any and all hate speech in society.”

This reporter, who lives on the street, noted that police and a security vehicle had been on the street almost constantly in recent days. We asked if either had been on the street at the time of the incident. Perez responded that he would not get into details.

“All I can say is that that there have been specific security measures that have been put in place after the first attack, and we will let the police continue their investigation.”

Mayor Valérie Plante appeared on the scene later in the morning, as did Eta Yudin, VP for Quebec of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Federation CJA CEO and president Yair Szlak, Côte des Neiges-NDG Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa; Henry Topas, Quebec regional director of B’nai Brith Canada; and Snowdon councillor Sonny Moroz, amongst others.

“Violence has no place in our democracy!” Plante said to a phalanx of reporters. “We’re talking about an establishment where kids are attending! This is not the Montreal we want! We can disagree, we can think out loud, we can protest. It’s a complex conflict that is happening [between Israel and Hamas], absolutely, but we can have those conversations with respect, and not using fear and not having this kind of violent act towards the Jewish community! That is wrong! My message to those who think this is a way to spread a message, it is not! I get messages from all kinds of people from different religions in Montreal, and nobody accepts this, nobody wants it, nobody will say it’s okay!”

Plante said for those committing such acts, “the SPVM is working really hard, and we will find them!”

Yudin, of CIJA, said “We have been saying for weeks that the antisemitism and incitement to hatred being heard at rallies in the streets of Montreal will lead to action if unchecked. This is no longer discussion about free speech. Those responsible must be held accountable. The SPVM needs more resources. We thank all those who have spoken out today and condemned these incidents, including our Premier, Prime Minister and Mayor and many other leaders across the political spectrum.”

Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre tweeted Sunday morning, “terrorists again fired bullets at a Montreal Jewish school overnight. The government must take concrete action immediately to protect Canada’s Jewish community from the heinous acts of antisemitic violence and intimidation.”

For all of Nov. 12, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had not posted a reaction, but he did retweet a post from MP Karina Gould, saying “I am horrified to learn of another incident of gunshots fired at the same Jewish school in Montreal early this morning. Thank goodness no one was harmed, but this threatening antisemitic violence cannot go on.”

Premier François Legault tweeted, “every effort will be made to find and punish the culprits. The Quebec nation is peaceful. Let’s not import the hatred and violence that we see elsewhere in the world.”

Mount Royal MP Anthony Housefather tweeted, “this kind of antisemitic act cannot be allowed to become the new normal. Jews have every right to live safely in this country. And it is hard to believe that this level of violence is not directly traceable to the incitement to hate happening at demonstrations. Police need to act.”

B’nai Brith Canada posted, “we are aware of yet another shooting at a Montreal Yeshiva, the same one that was targeted by gunfire last week. Police in Montreal are investigating. We are deeply disturbed and are on the scene to assist.” n

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Ye Olde Orchard Pub, which is in NDG and other Montreal locations, is changing its name to Maison Publique Orchard, a year after the establishment received a letter from the Office Québécois de la Langue Française due to a language complaint.

The change is similar to those made by other establishments to comply with the language law, adding a French-language descriptor to an English business name. Examples include Winners Mode and Best Buy Electronique.

The Quebec government has said more strict sign laws are coming June 1, 2025, as part of Bill 96, but have not released details. As reported by The Suburban this past May, those new rules are expected to at least demand that the French descriptors be more prominent.

Owner Joe Pilotte told The Suburban this past spring that he would have already added the descriptor if that was all that was needed, but that he also wanted to maintain the pub’s longtime identity. However, he said the law’s specifics were unclear.

“They gave us a heads-up the rules will change, and even then my sign might not work if it’s got English words,” he said in May. “You see it isn’t clear. So we’re a little bit in limbo.”

Now, Pilotte, who said his dealings with the OQLF have been amicable, is still not sure his new sign will be in compliance with what is coming in a year and a half.

“We don’t want to spend thousands of dollars or get fined, or upset anyone, because remember at the end of the day it’s the government we’re dealing with,” Pilotte said in May. “We’re just trying to make it work and I’m sure we’ll find something that will make them happy.” n

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Town of Hampstead held its annual Freedom of the City ceremony, which began 15 years ago, and this year was granted to the Canadian Grenadier Guards.

The ceremony was mainly held at the Adessky Community Centre, and featured Mayor Jeremy Levi, all the members of the town council and members of the CGG, and a large audience. D’Arcy McGee MNA Elisabeth Prass was also in attendance. The planned parade through the town’s streets was cancelled due to rain.

In a statement prior to the event, the town pointed out that “this tradition, rooted in British and Canadian history, symbolizes the strong bond between the regiment and the community.”

Mayor Levi told the gathering that the ceremony represents an “extraordinary moment in our town’s history.

“We are gathered here not only to confer the Freedom of the City honour but to pay tribute to an exceptional group of individuals whose valour and commitment to justice have left an indelible mark on our world,” he said. “This honour is not just a symbolic gesture; it is a recognition of the sacrifices made by this remarkable regiment, sacrifices that paved the path of freedom for future Canadians….Today, as we gather in this beautiful town of Hampstead, we celebrate their valour, their legacy, and the role they played in shaping the destiny of our great nation.”

Levi also highlighted the CGG’s exceptional role in liberating the Netherlands town of De Grotestratt Le Borne during World War II, saying it “symbolized the triumph of good over evil, the liberation of the oppressed, and the restoration of human dignity…. The liberation reminds us that the Canadian Grenadier Guards were not just soldiers but bearers of hope and symbols of a better future.”

Levi also pointed out that the CGG has “also been pivotal in preserving the memory of their comrades who made the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of freedom,” including Sergeant Samuel (Moe) Hurwitz.

“Moe Hurwitz was not just a soldier but a symbol of the diversity and inclusivity that define Canada. Born in Montreal in 1919, he was the eighth child of 13 born to Bella and Chaim Hurwitz. He was a proud Canadian whose family had immigrated to this great nation from Russia, seeking a better life and the promise of freedom. It was the same promise that motivated Moe to join the Canadian Grenadier Guards….He made his mark at a time when prejudice and discrimination were still prevalent in many parts of the world. Yet, he, along with many others, served our country with unwavering dedication, transcending differences to protect the values that bind us together. The dedication of a room in the armory to Moe is a poignant and meaningful gesture, representing more than just a physical space. It symbolizes the enduring bond between the Canadian Grenadier Guards and their comrade-in-arms, Moe, and serves as a lasting reminder of his contributions and the values he upheld.”

Levi also spoke about the current war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, saying that in the face of adversity, “Israel has demonstrated remarkable resilience and resolve. Just as the Canadian Grenadier Guards have defended the freedom and principles of Canada, the people of Israel have stood up to protect their homeland, the values of democracy, and the right to live in peace. It is a testament to their commitment to preserving freedom in a region marked by complexity and conflict.”

“Thank you, Canadian Grenadier Guards, for your service and for embodying the values that both Canada and Israel hold dear. This moment serves as a reminder of the shared commitment to these values, and it is our hope that it contributes to the collective efforts to achieve peace, security, and freedom in the region and around the world.”

Commanding Lieutenant-Colonel Joe Nunez thanked the town for bestowing the honour on the CGG, and added that “the Freedom of the City is a very old tradition, one that we, the CGG, intend to exercise yearly depending on our status as a regiment.

“2024 and 2025 will see many of the Grenadiers standing in the back of the room perhaps deployed overseas, representing Canada and its various commitments around the world.”

Nunez also presented the Mayor and council with a “unique Grenadier coin” inscribed with the words “Twice the soldier.

“The men and women of this regiment have the ability to excel both in the scarlet tunic as they did today and in a combat uniform as they will do tomorrow.” n

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Some 5,000 Montrealers poured into the downtown area Sunday, near the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization’s headquarters, to support Israel and to demand the release of 239 people being held hostage in Gaza by the terrorist group Hamas.

The kidnappings took place amidst the Oct. 7 attack during which the terrorists brutally killed more than 1,400 people, and injured thousands more — men and women, children, babies and soldiers. The largest single day slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust.

Sunday’s event was organized by Federation CJA in partnership with dozens of organizations. Participants held pictures of hostages and the hashtags #BringThemHome and #BringThemBack and chanted “Am Yisrael Chai!” Many people wept.

Numerous speakers were on hand, including Israeli Consul General Paul Hirschson.

“1943 — we’ve been there before!” the Consul-General said. “We’re not going there again! They chose the wrong generation of our people to do this to! They will regret what they chose to do! Your support is critical. We’ll need you today and the long weeks ahead. The more you’re out in public, standing your ground, the more secure you will be!”

Human rights lawyer, and former federal Justice Minister and Mount Royal MP Irwin Cotler, who was also the Canadian government’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, electrified the thousands.

“Oct. 7 was the worst day in Jewish history since the Holocaust, with horrors too terrible to be believed, but not too terrible to have happened! The hostages remain a looking glass into Hamas’s mass atrocities, remembrance and reminder of their war crimes, crimes against humanity, and standing incitement to genocide! Let there be no mistake about it! The immediate and unconditional return of the hostages, which includes children, toddlers, the elderly, disabled and Holocaust survivors amongst them, is a humanitarian imperative of the first order!

Cotler added that “all state parties are obliged — it’s not a matter of choice — to secure the immediate release of the hostages as a fundamental international responsibility! Bring them home! Bring them home!”

Rabbi Reuben Poupko of Côte St. Luc’s Beth Israel Beth Aaron Synagogue pointed out that the event was taking place near a UN building.

“You all heard the Secretary General of the UN, he said there’s a context to what happened on Oct. 7! He’s right! There is a context! The context is that from the moment they began to organize themselves, Hamas has preached one thing — the murder of every Jewish man, woman and child in the world! When children in Gaza take a math class, the lesson is, ‘if you have seven Jews and you kill four of them, how many do you have left!’ That’s the context! They preach hate!”

Mount Royal MP Anthony Housefather told the large crowd that he has been communicating in recent weeks with the family members of hostages.

“They don’t know if their family member is alive or dead. They don’t know what condition they’re in, if they’re being tortured. These people are civilians! They were never trained to go into Gaza, in enemy territory. These people are scared every day for the fate of their loved ones. I try to give them reassurance, but I have no control over that reassurance. It’s something so disturbing, so profoundly scary, and if it’s scary for us, just imagine what it’s like for the families and the loved ones of these hostages, including two Canadians believed to be hostages. Bring them home!”

Former Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre asked where the current Mayor, Valérie Plante, was.

“Today, like the great former rabbi of Jerusalem said, ‘I don’t speak because I have the power to speak, I speak because I don’t have the power to remain silent!’ Coderre said. “I want to offer my thoughts and prayers to the people of Israel! There is no room for compromise. Israel has a right to exist and defend themselves, period, end of story!”

Other speakers included D’Arcy McGee MNA Elisabeth Prass, Gail Adelson-Marcovitz of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu on behalf of Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and Patrick Essiminy of Federation CJA. n