Local Journalism Initiative

Members of provincial Official Opposition and student representatives decry tuition hike

Local Journalism Initiative / The Record / October 28, 2023 / William Crooks

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

Members of the provincial Official Opposition (PLQ) and student representatives decried the planned tuition hike for university students at a press conference held at Bishop’s University (BU) Oct. 27. The hike will nearly double the fees out-of-province students will pay per year at Quebec universities, from around $9,000 to $17,000, starting in the fall of 2024. Over 40 media, students, staff and politicians attended, notably including Sébastien Lebel-Grenier, BU’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor.

Marc Tanguay, PLQ member and Leader of the Official Opposition, emphasized he was there to demonstrate his support for BU in their cause against the hike. The hike will have a negative effect on all Quebec universities, especially BU, he insisted. Doubling fees for out-of-province students will have a “devastating impact” on BU’s identity and finances. “The cause is just and justified.”

Catherine Bibeau-Lorraine, President of the Quebec Student Union, said the provincial government is raising tuition “for no good reason and no good pretext”, and demanded the hike be canceled.

BU Student Representative Council President Sophia Stacey disputed what she sees as the government’s view that out-of-province students contribute less to the “post-secondary landscape” than Quebec students. The government’s actions “[undermine] the autonomy of young people to determine their educational path”. What is ultimately at stake is students’ sense of belonging to Quebec, she insisted.

Stacey was raised in Alberta, but has grown to love her “French heritage”. She participated in an exchange program to St. Hyacinthe in her youth, which is why she came back to Quebec to study at BU. Her personal story and that of thousands of others outweigh the government’s reasoning for raising tuition, which is not “research-based”. “Education is a right to all,” she said.

Marwah Rizqy, spokesperson for the Official Opposition on matters of education and higher education, said every university has a major role to play in our society. Even if some BU students eventually leave Quebec, they become ambassadors for the province to the rest of English Canada.

“We need to attract… and keep English students,” she insisted. Universities are looking for the most talented people they can get, wherever they can find them. Many French students also believe that any student can find a place here, she noted. She listed off a group of French political and business leaders; it is not just ‘angryphones’ that disagree with the government’s decision.

The government has made no study of what kind of impact this legislation will have, she continued. Come and meet with the staff and the students of these universities, she suggested, addressing Pascale Déry, Minister of Higher Education, to get an idea of the grave consequences, financial and otherwise, of your actions.

Members of provincial Official Opposition and student representatives decry tuition hike Read More »

Champlain CEGEP board responds to union statement on alleged harassment

Local Journalism Initiative / The Record / October 28, 2023 / William Crooks

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

During an Oct. 27 public meeting of the Champlain CEGEP Board of Governors in Lennoxville, the Champlain Lennoxville teacher’s union made a statement concerning a recent news report outlining alleged psychological harassment and other problems at the institution, asking “what concrete actions you will take to address [them]”. Board Chair Matthew Mazur presided over the meeting, which started nearly an hour later than advertised and had around 20 members of the public in attendance, including two Higher Education Ministry investigators charged to look into the finances and management of the CEGEP as a whole.

Near the beginning of the meeting, Mazur acknowledged that follow-up questions were sent into the board by the news organization that released the article in question. A board member asked if a response to the allegations would be made during the meeting and was told it would be dealt with during the “correspondence” portion of the meeting. During the “correspondence” portion of the meeting, receipt of the questions was officially acknowledged and a commitment to circulating the follow-up questions among the board and “answering appropriately” was made, but no timeframe was given. No official response to the allegations was given.

Question period- union statement

Geneviève Dufresne-Martin, a vice-president and treasurer of the Syndicat de L’Enseignment du Collège Champlain de Lennoxville (SECCL), represented the union in reading out a statement to the board during the question period, detailed below:

On Oct. 26, a news organization published an article detailing allegations that the head of Champlain Lennoxville, Nancy Beattie, created a toxic workplace and psychologically harassed others. “Since then, there has been a steady stream of faculty members that have communicated their understandable concerns to the union executive of the… SECCL.”

“For many years now, the union has witnessed numerous problems related to the work climate and governance at Champlain College Lennoxville and has brought these to the attention of Human Resources (HR), discussed them in our regular litigation prevention meetings with the representatives of the College Administration, formally relayed our preoccupations to the interim Director General, Mr. Yves Rainville. Despite the union’s many efforts, the issues have yet to be fully addressed and resolved.”

“Unfortunately, many events over the past few years have contributed to the deterioration of the overall climate and have eroded the faculty’s trust in the College Administration. We are therefore turning to the Champlain Board of Governors to ask what concrete actions you will take to address the problems raised in the article and by our union and what timeframe you propose for the implementation of these actions.”

The article was signed by the executive members of the SECCL, the President of which is Brigitte Robert.

Mazur thanked the union for their statement and stated that the situation is “ongoing”. He assured the group that the board is actively cooperating with the investigation and the timeframe for action depends on its results. “Hopefully we find a resolution,” he said, to conclude his response.

A former member of the board in attendance then asked what the board was going to do to “ensure the longevity of the leadership of the college”, regardless of whether or not the aforementioned allegations are true.

“I want to take things in a new direction,” Mazur responded, but he does not have a concrete answer to this question right now. A future action plan will depend on the recommendations resulting from the investigation. Everything will be made public, he assured the questioner, “this is a public meeting, a public forum… everything will go out to you guys.”

Another board member emphasized that the primary objective of the board was to “ensure the longevity of the institution”.

Champlain CEGEP board responds to union statement on alleged harassment Read More »

PHS unveils new multi-sport court project

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / October 27, 2023 / Camilla Faragalli

Camilla Faragalli, reporter

Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

Pontiac High School (PHS) is celebrating the official completion of its new multi-sport court project.
Several of the projects various benefactors, along with Shawville mayor, Bill
McCleary, gathered at the school on Friday to mark the occasion.
“You can actually play tennis, pickleball, badminton, volleyball, basketball
and road hockey all on the same court now,” said Darcy Findlay, the
school’s physical education teacher and one of the project’s key
organizers.
According to Findlay, the courts will be fully accessible to the community.
“Anyone is more than welcome to come and use it at any time,” Findlay said,
emphasizing how projects between school and community are essential for
regional development.
“They provide opportunity and reason for young
families to move here,” he said, “They showcase a possible lifestyle,
and the facilities and recreational opportunities that we can provide
them.”
The project was started about two years ago, during the
pandemic. “I think it’s a long time coming for us to do something with
it,” said Holly Anabelle Smith, a student at PHS, adding that the tennis
court that had existed there previously was old, cracked and in
disrepair.
Cade Kuehl, another student at PHS, said he believes the outdoor basketball courts in particular will get a lot of use.
“I think it’s awesome to see new stuff coming in the community, and being
able to hang out outside is great, rather than being cooped up like we
have been for the past few years,” he added.
Roughly $100,000 went into the project, which was funded by the Shawville Lions Club ($7,500),
the Municipality of Shawville ($5,000), the Municipality of Clarendon
($5,000), the Shawville Rotary and the Maison des Jeunes ($1,000). The
remaining balance was covered by the Western Quebec School Board.

PHS unveils new multi-sport court project Read More »

Seniors’ meet-and-greet fosters Connexions

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / October 27, 2023 / Camilla Faragalli

Camilla Faragalli, reporter

Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

The Connexions Resource Centre held its first meet-and-greet of the
season for the 55+ community on Thursday morning in Shawville.
Seated in a semicircle at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church hall, the group shared personal stories over coffee, tea and snacks.
It was the first part of a two-hour gathering facilitated by Dianne Wheatley, an activity coordinator for the organization.
“The closeness in this community, the engagement… They are so dedicated to
their wellbeing, to being inclusive, it’s wonderful to see,” said
Wheatley. “Everybody made everyone feel so welcome.”
Introductions were followed by an animated game of Bingo which taught participants
more about each other, and even managed to evoke an impromptu rendition
of the national anthem. A simple card-prompt game, with questions and
answers ranging from silly to sincere.
Gordon Cave of Shawville said his daughter, who lives in Columbus, Ohio,
heard about the event online and encouraged him to attend.
“This is my first time here,” Cave said. “I didn’t know what to expect, but it was very pleasant and fun.”
Socialization is important at any age, and a plethora of Canadian research exists to
demonstrate how social isolation and exclusion is related to serious
negative health effects and reduced quality of life for seniors,
specifically.
“Seniors need to make connections with people, too,”
said Outreach and Engagement Coordinator for the MRC Pontiac, Shelley
Heaphy. “And it can be difficult in the Pontiac to meet people, because
we have such a large, vast territory.”
“For anyone who is isolated or
alone or has no one to talk to, something like this can be a really
great part of their week and keep their mind active,” Heaphy said.
According to the Connexions website, the non-profit exists to promote the health,
social wellbeing and vitality of the English-speaking community in the
Outaouais through empowerment, participation and collaboration.
“I don’t know anybody that works there [Connexions] that doesn’t love what they do,” Wheatley said.
“You have to love the community, you have to be in touch, you have to
believe in inclusivenes . . . and that’s what makes it work.”
The next Connexions 55+ meet-and-greet will be held in Buckingham on October 30.

Seniors’ meet-and-greet fosters Connexions Read More »

The Atwater Community Pantry: “Free food, mutual aid project for all”

Local Journalism Initiative / The Link / October 26, 2023 / Food insecurity, Montreal

The Atwater Community Pantry welcomes donations from everyone, and encourages the community to take from the box when needed. Photo Cate Gransaull

Shyam Ragavan
Local Journalism Initiative

Located in the Congrégation de Notre-Dame, the Atwater Community Pantry is a bright green wooden cabinet often stuffed with bread, juice boxes and hygiene products. The pantry was founded by the Green Earth Club, a student association at Dawson College which focuses on helping the community and fighting climate change.

Over five million people used food banks and similar discounted or free food initiatives across Canada per month in 2022 according to Second Harvest, a national food rescue organization. This year, the number is expected to rise to over eight million, a 60 per cent climb.

As mutual aid projects emerged during the pandemic, it sparked inspiration for a group of Dawson College students. One of these students was John Nathaniel Gertler, a former member of the Green Earth Club turned co-founder of the Atwater Community Pantry.

“Some people give from their own pantry at home, some people go to the grocery store and buy things. The main way that the community [pantry] gets filled is volunteers go to bakeries and restaurants to pick up food,” Gertler says.

The pantry welcomes donations from everyone, as long as the food is non-perishable.

“It transforms people’s mindset in the sense that we’re here to help each other. We aren’t saying this is mine or this is yours. We are helping everyone,” says Ana Sofia Hernandez, another member of the club.

The pantry is about mutual aid, rather than charity. “There’s a lot of people who volunteer and take food from the pantry. That’s the whole idea of mutual aid. It’s not like the rich helping the poor, [but rather] about people supporting one another,” Gertler says.

Other food aid services in Quebec such as the Welcome Hall Mission’s Marché Bon Accueil and The Depot Community Food Centre (formerly the NDG depot) require either membership cards or registration. The Atwater Community Pantry, however, is free for anyone to use.

“There are a lot of people housed in precarious situations who take from the pantry. A lot of [unhoused] people, members of the Atwater community and even I take from the pantry,” Gertler says.

The club organizes community meals to meet the people involved in the project. Due to the pantry’s anonymity, it can sometimes be difficult to know who is interacting with the pantry. “We’re still learning and trying to get better at bringing together the community,” Gertler says.

Gertler and other members of the club went to nearby restaurants and asked if they would like to donate leftover food instead of throwing it out. Shaughnessy Café and Forno West bakery were among those who agreed to contribute to the pantry.

Resilience Montréal, a non-profit day-shelter, also orders food for the pantry. The partnership came about as many students had volunteered there.

Non-perishable food donations include: bagels, granola bars, water and canned food; as well as staples like rice, flour and sugar which are accepted by the pantry. Apart from food, menstrual products are also welcomed by the pantry.

Tianqi Wang, a student at McGill University, volunteers at the Atwater Community Pantry. It was his first time volunteering for the pantry and he had brought a huge bag packed with bread from Forno West bakery.

“I saw the poster near the Atwater metro. I followed their Instagram and then I signed up with the link in their profile,” he says.

Wang hopes that people who have access to surplus food and resources would donate to the less privileged groups in order to reduce inequality.

The pantry’s heavy reliance on volunteers, or lack thereof, has caused problems during the summer when most students are not around to fulfil a needed quota for the pantry. This is just one of many challenges faced by the club. For example, the initiative is based on the Congrégation de Notre-Dame, a women’s religious order founded in 1658. This community was directly associated with the Société de Notre-Dame de Montréal, and helped to found Ville-Marie, now Montreal.

Members of the convent of the Congrégation de Notre-Dame established a boarding school for Indigenous girls which operated with the goal of Indigenous religious conversion to Christianity and cultural adaptation to French norms. The system followed a structure similar to residential schools found in late nineteenth and twentieth century Canada.

Indigenous people make up a large part of the unhoused community in Atwater.

“We see a lot of concrete effects of settler colonialism. We see people struggling with intergenerational trauma, whether it be drug abuse and mental health issues,” Gertler says. He continues by lending his perspective on the congregation’s seedy past:

“As far as we know, the Congrégation de Notre-Dame wasn’t directly involved in setting up or servicing residential schools, but it was a part of a network of catholic institutions [involved in] genocidal activity. We have a discomfort being involved with an institution like that, but at the end of the day, [The congregation has] been really good hosts to us, and haven’t questioned some of our more political activity, which is hard to find, even in a more progressive institution like Dawson.”

While the unsettling history of the congregation lingers on with the pantry, the students have their eyes set on more ambitious projects.

“We [also] organize clothing drives. In the winter, we have a bin where anyone can put their old garments, which we then take to Resilience Montréal,” Hernandez says. “This semester, we plan to organize fundraisers for Guatemala, Hawaii and Morocco. [The countries] are suffering from humanitarian crises and environmental effects of climate change.”

Their Instagram is regularly updated with news about their latest initiatives, ways to get involved and how to sign up as a volunteer.

The Atwater Community Pantry: “Free food, mutual aid project for all” Read More »

Hudson gets set to unveil long-awaited planning rules

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / October 26, 2023 / BRENDA O’FARRELL

BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1019 Report

Hudson town council will unveil its long-awaited planning bylaws next month, a major step that will lead to the lifting of the building freeze that was imposed in the municipality, in part, since the end of 2021.

Drafts of the new planning bylaws will be presented at the council meeting on Nov. 6. These regulations will outline the changes the town proposes to make governing what can be developed, including where and how these developments will be permitted.

Hudson Mayor Chloe Hutchison said the new bylaws will contain provisions in four categories: preserving the existing tree canopy by imposing additional limitations to tree cutting; protecting natural areas; increasing the contribution towards parks, natural areas, play areas and green spaces; and minimizing the environmental impact of new developments on natural areas.

“There seems to be strong support towards defining corridors for biodiversity through the town and support from the community to work with tighter rules and requirements to strengthen and preserve this biodiversity,” Hutchison said in a statement.

Once introduced, the town will host consultation meetings to explain the proposed changes in detail and solicit feedback from residents during the third week of November. Based on that feedback, council will then present a final version of the planning bylaws for formal adoption in December. This final version could include amendments that reflect the feedback council hears during the consultation process, Hutchison said.

Following final adoption in December, the bylaws will then be sent to the MRC for the regional authority to review and ensure that they conform to their guidelines. This process could take about 120 days, Hutchison said, explaining that the new bylaws would come into effect in spring of next year.

The new bylaws will replace the temporary building freeze imposed by the current administration.

But this will not be the end of how the town deals with development, Hutchison said, explaining that the provincial government continues to impose tighter environmental control and provide municipalities with new laws to frame how development projects can be rolled out.

“This is an ongoing process,” she said in a statement to The 1019 Report. “I expect that there will be successive waves of tightening regulations through the years, as legal tools and judicial support are provided by the higher levels of government to preserve and conserve natural areas without having to be repeatedly exposed to claims of disguised expropriation by promoters, developers and speculators looking to recuperate anticipated losses of profitability.”

Imposing the building freeze was one of the first moves the current administration made following the general election in November 2021. The first iteration of the freeze, official known by its French term – a Réglement de controle interim, or RCI – slapped a complete moratorium on all new construction on a wide swath of territory that stretched across 37 per cent of the municipality’s land mass. The affected areas have previously been identified in studies to have the most ecologically value.

The initial 90-day freeze was replaced in February of 2022 by a new bylaw that imposed similar restrictions but with a list of exceptions that allow construction and some tree cutting under defined circumstances. It is this moratorium that will be replaced by the proposed planning bylaws that will be presented next month.

In a separate move in April 2022, the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal imposed a building freeze of its own on a vast tapestry of undeveloped spaces across its territory in the Greater Montreal region. In Hudson, the CMM freeze included much of the land already included in the municipal moratorium. That freeze will continue to be enforced.

Hudson gets set to unveil long-awaited planning rules Read More »

The long, winding saga of repairing, replacing the Île aux Tourtes Bridge

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / October 26, 2023 / BRENDA O’FARRELL

BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1019 Report

Residents of Vaudreuil-Soulanges have been dealing with reduced lanes due to repair work on the Île aux Tourtes Bridge for years.

Traffic jams, accident delays, unexpected mishaps and speed traps are among the things motorists have to face – regularly. It has been a long road. And it is far from over. Work on the span will continue until the new bridge is opened – a date that at, according to the last pronouncement from Quebec Transport officials, is set for 2026.

Here is a rundown of the saga commuters in this region have had to contend with.

2016: Repair work on the Île aux Tourtes Bridge begins.

December 2018: Plan to build a new bridge to replace the aging span is announced. At this time it is estimated that planning will take about six years, while construction will unfold over four to five years, which will put the opening of a new span in 2028 or 2029.

2020: Work begins to repair and reinforce the supports under the roadbed. This will continue until the end of May 2021. Lampposts in the central island of the bridge are also replaced.

September 2020: The Coalition Avenir Québec government includes the bridge plan among a list of 181 infrastructure projects it proposes to fast-track in an effort to stimulate the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. No details, however, are released on how the timeline for the project will be accelerated.

January 2021: Transport Quebec wraps up an online consultation of the proposed architectural plans for the new bridge, which includes three lanes of traffic and a reserved bus lane in both directions, as well as a path for pedestrians and cyclists.

February 2021: Trucks and other heavy vehicles are again banned from the eastbound lanes of the span as two lanes are closed to allow ongoing work to continue to maintain the structure.

April 2021: The Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) holds a public online information session on the Quebec Transport Ministry’s plans to build a new bridge. The goal of the consultation session is to outline the project, including the scope of the proposed construction plan and design of the span.

May 19, 2021: Quebec Transport Minister François Bonnardel orders the immediate emergency closure of the bridge.

May 22, 2021: Vaudreuil-Dorion Mayor Guy Pilon sends Bonnardel a letter outlining his dissatisfaction with the provincial government’s failure to address the transportation needs of the region.

Said Pilon: “…the bridge has already required $110.4 million in maintenance work. The Quebec Ministry of Transport expects to have to inject $172.4 million into it by 2031 to keep it in service before construction of a new bridge.”

Pilon also calls on the provincial government to move on another long-ignore proposal – to build a highway bypass route for the seven-kilometre stretch of Highway 20 through Vaudreuil-Dorion and Île Perrot that is the longest section of an autoroute in Quebec that is controlled by traffic lights. “A commitment was made some 50 years ago by the government to upgrade Highway 20. We are still waiting.”

May 26, 2021: Quebec Transport Minister François Bonnardel says: “We will try to accelerate construction of this new bridge, adding work could begin in spring of 2023 with a completion date some time at the end of 2026 or beginning of 2027. The original timeline pegged for completion was in 2028 or 2029.

May 31, 2021: One lane in each direction on the span is reopened to traffic.

June 7, 2021: Two eastbound lanes and one westbound lane on the bridge is opened for morning rush hours, switching to two westbound lanes and one eastbound for the afternoon rush hours.

June 14, 2021: Two lanes in each direction of the span are reopened. The goal of having three lanes open in each direction is planned for June 21, but this never happens.

November 2021: Transport Quebec unveils latest designs of the proposed new bridge that are strikingly similar to the plans presented to the public earlier in the year. Three lanes and two shoulders in both directions are still planned for the new span. The bike and pedestrian lane on the westbound side of the bridge is still there too, although it is slightly wider in the new designs. The only difference is the timeline – the completion is now pegged for 2028 or 2029 at the earliest.

Another new item in the plans: a corridor adjacent to the new bridge is now reserved in the event Quebec’s executive council decides to proceed with a Réseau express métropolitain (REM) extension to Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

“We don’t know if the government is going to go ahead with bringing the REM to the area,” a Transport Quebec spokesperson says. “That’s not our call. All we can do is plan for the possibility that it happens.”

November 2021: Transport Quebec reveals it will spend more than $172 million by 2031 to ensure that the old bridge remains safe.

November 2021: Although precise cost estimates are not revealed, the price tag for the new span is confirmed simply as being “more than $100 million.”

Fall 2022: As part of its regular infrastructure monitoring process, Transport Quebec discovers the progression of certain existing cracks on a box beam located on the north side of the bridge in the westbound lanes.

December 2022: The number of lanes are reduced to two in each direction to accommodate ongoing work on the span, creating traffic delays and sparking complaints from commuters. Once this latest work, which includes the repair of cracks along the span, an additional lane will be reopened, officials promise. That additional lane was finally reopened earlier this month – about 10 months later.

Jan. 23, 2023: A Transport Quebec spokesperson admits the bridge will never reopen fully. Said the spokesperson: “Unfortunately, until we get that new bridge, we have to manage and work with what we have at the moment.”

Last week of January 2023: Vaudreuil-Dorion Mayor Guy Pilon describesa meeting between Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault and the 23 mayors in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges MRC to discuss the traffic hurdles caused by recent maintenance work on the bridge as “a lot of blah, blah, blah.” Pilon blasts the minister for not coming to the meeting prepared, as well as presenting mitigation solutions that are out of touch with the realities of the region.

Feb. 8, 2023: Commuters share their comments about ongoing traffic delays on the span with The 1019 Report:

Richard Lamontagne of Rigaud: “It seems like nobody in the government gives a damn about what happens west of Montreal.”
Paolo Quercia of Vaudreuil-Dorion: “Commuters have been living with problems on the bridge for years. But now, some people are finally at their breaking point.”
Rachel Leider of Hudson: “These closures affect real people, their families and their mental health. The state of the bridge has gotten to the point of gross negligence and politicians are to blame for not taking care of their constituents.”

Feb. 14, 2023: The town of St. Lazare calls on Transport Quebec to treat the traffic woes caused by ongoing maintenance work on the Île aux Tourtes as a top priority. In a strongly worded resolution, the town demanded that the government “act urgently and ensure a better transit experience between Vaudreuil-Soulanges and the island of Montreal.”

Feb. 14, 2023: A spokesperson for the Transport Ministry confirms ongoing work on the bridge will cost the province an additional $234.6 million.

Feb. 14, 2023: Updating an earlier promise, Transport Quebec says it expects to open a third lane in the direction of rush-hour traffic in April. That lane remained closed until earlier this month.

February 2023: Trucking companies lament the traffic delays caused by work on the bridge, calling the situation a “nightmare scenario” that is costing them tens of thousands of dollars a week.

February 2023: According to the Transport Ministry, new bridge will not open until 2029.

Feb. 22, 2023: LaPresse reportsthe new bridge will come with a whopping $2-billion price tag, which represents a 45-per-cent increase from the previously estimated cost of $1.4 billion.

Feb. 23, 2023: Transport Quebec refuses to confirm figures reported by LaPresse.

March 6, 2023: Transport Quebec confirms that a consortium made up of Roxboro Excavations, Dragados Canada and Construction Demathieu & Bard will take on the construction of the new Île aux Tourtes Bridge. The group confirms the cost of the new bridge will be more than $2 billion.

March 2023: Crews begin preparatory work at the site of the long-awaited new bridge, including clearing trees, conducting geotechnical drilling operations and bringing

equipment to the site.

March 21, 2023: A petition is launched by Vaudreuil MNA Marie-Claude Nichols at the National Assembly calling for the new span to include a structure that would extend the Réseau express metropolitain (REM) light-rail network to Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

April 5, 2023: The 1019 report motorists caught by photo radar traps on the Île aux Tourtes Bridge in 2022 have been slapped with $7.7 million in speeding tickets. Almost 21,000 infractions were issued in 2022, including almost 12,000 tickets stemming from the trap in the eastbound lanes, which carried fines that totalled almost $3.6 million, and 8,962 infractions issued by the detector in the westbound lanes, which was set up in September 2022. These tickets carried fines that totalled roughly $4.1 million.

April 17, 2023: Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault reveals the total cost of the new bridge has ballooned to a whopping $2.3 billion – roughly 64-per-cent more than the $1.4 billion forecasted in 2022. The increase is blame don inflation and difficulties in securing labour.

April 17, 2023: Transport Quebec announces details about how the new bridge will be built in phases, pushing forward the opening of the span by 18 months to the end of 2026. A bike-pedestrian lane on the north side of the span will be completed in 2028. The old bridge will be demolished in 2029. And final landscaping touches will be added in 2030, marking the end of the project.

June 7, 2023: A petition calling on the provincial government to extend the Réseau express metropolitain (REM) light-rail network to Vaudreuil-Soulanges via the bridge amasses 3,363 signatures since it was launched on March 21.

October 2023: Transport Quebec reopens three lanes in the direction of rush-hour traffic across the span, while two lanes are maintained in the opposite direction.

The long, winding saga of repairing, replacing the Île aux Tourtes Bridge Read More »

New clinic offers first MRI scanning service in region

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / October 26, 2023 / JOSHUA ALLAN

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1019 Report

With the official opening of a new medical scanning facility in Vaudreuil-Dorion last month, residents of Vaudreuil-Soulanges in need of an MRI no longer have to travel over a bridge, although having private medical insurance will make this option more attractive.

The new Radimed Trois-Lacs clinic – on Dutrisac Street in Vaudreuil-Dorion, is the company’s second location in the municipality and its seventh location in the Greater Montreal area. It officially opened Sept. 26, when it unveiled its new MRI machine.

The magnetic resonance imaging technology represents a “meaningful step” for Radimed and for the region, Dr. Adel Assaf, president and chief medical officer of Radimed, said in a statement.

Local residents have already begun taking advantage of the new clinic, which has been in operation since July 3, as the centre has been receiving hundreds of calls a month, said Nathalie Séguin, Radimed’s director of marketing, research and development.

For years, the Vaudreuil-Soulanges population had been “held hostage” by having to travel to either the Hôpital du Suroît in Valleyfield or the Lakeshore General Hospital in Pointe Claire to get MRI scanning, said Assaf, speaking with The 1019 Report.

“Either they have to go to Valleyfield, which is at least 15-20 minutes away from Vaudreuil, St. Lazare and Hudson, and if they go to the Lakeshore, they have to cross the bridge, and it’s not very nice these days,” Assaf said.

Radimed was the only clinic to be approved by the Quebec government to include a new MRI machine into its services in the past year.

“So, it goes to show that there was a need for such a machine in the area,” Assaf added.

Though patients are unable to use their RAMQ cards to cover the cost of MRI services at Radimed, Assaf pointed out that private insurance “covers at least 80 per cent of the cost of these exams.”

As the Vaudreuil-Soulanges population increases at a rate above the provincial average, so too do the number of people who participate in extracurricular activities, especially youth, Assaf added. As a long-time soccer coach, he said that there are between 6,000 and 7,000 youth who participate in sports across Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

“All these young people, when they get to age 13-14, and they get serious injuries in these sports, they need an MRI to look at the ligaments,” he explained, adding that appointments at Radimed are usually scheduled within a week, greatly benefitting these young athletes.

“Elite players have to wait six months to get an MRI at the Valleyfield hospital, now they can get it fairly fast,” he said.

New clinic offers first MRI scanning service in region Read More »

“Too many people are hungry”

Local Journalism Initiative / The Record / October 26, 2023 / William Crooks

Townships faces high rates of food insecurity, reveals 2023 Hunger Report

By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative

The battle against hunger intensifies in the Eastern Townships, with the region witnessing an unprecedented spike in food insecurity. A new Hunger Report for 2023 indicates that organizations combating hunger in the Townships have seen their numbers rise dramatically by 67 per cent since 2019. Seven related community organization leaders held a press conference on the issue Oct. 25 at Moisson Estrie in Sherbrooke.

Of concern is the increase in children affected by this crisis. There has been a 73 per cent rise in hungry children since 2019, with a 14 per cent jump from the previous year alone.

With surging demands, community organizations, notably those like Moisson Estrie and Moisson Granby, are feeling the pressure. Economic challenges, including the rising cost of living, heightened interest rates, soaring food prices, and escalating housing costs, are pushing more people towards food assistance. There’s been a 36 per cent surge in individuals seeking help, individuals who, until very recently, were managing without such assistance.

While the data paints a grim picture, the community’s resilience is evident. Over the last five years, there’s been a 31 per cent increase in food donations, and organizations have upped their purchasing budgets by 15 per cent. Yet, the needs far outweigh the available resources.

Looking forward, community stakeholders are taking proactive steps. A significant regional conference is scheduled for Nov. 2, bringing together over a hundred partners from across the nine MRCs. They aim to strategize and develop actionable plans to combat the challenges of food supply and distribution.

Christian Bibeau, General Director of Moisson Estrie, presided over a press conference on Wednesday to discuss the issue of food insecurity. He thanked the other organization leaders who were present, and who are “on the ground” facing these challenges day-to-day, for speaking out.

Patrick St-Denis, General Manager of Moisson Granby, held the floor first. Moisson Granby has helped 8,591 people in their region with food issues so far this year. Demand has increased everywhere, he noted. Every organization is looking for more money to cover its costs. There has been a 17 per cent increase in clients that they usually do not serve: the employed. They are working with the provincial government and locally to better serve their clients.

Pierre Bélisle, Chairman of the Board of Moisson Estrie, spoke next. Moisson Estrie’s biggest current issue is “daily troubleshooting”. Forty per cent of their clientele visits their building directly to help deal with their food issues. In 2019, an average of 250 clients visited them per week, whereas today that number has increased to an average of 450 per week. In the past few weeks, they have served over 500 per week. If you do the math, he continued, they are now helping more than 1,200 Sherbrooke residents per week. They need to be creative, he insisted. He admitted that increased donations are helpful.

Marjorie Tyroler, General Manager of the Coaticook Volunteer Action Center, then conveyed her organization’s situation and concerns. Last year, they distributed more than $600,000 worth of food in their region, which makes up four per cent of the Townships’ population. In 2019, they served 15 clients per week; now, the number is between 30 and 40 per week. It is not easy for them to handle those numbers with their current infrastructure. They serve three categories of clients: 1) those who simply do not have enough money, 2) those with precarious or inconsistent employment, and 3) those who are employed but are having difficulty making ends meet due to other financial responsibilities. More food and money would be helpful, but her organization is facing a “point of no return” in terms of lack of personnel. She hopes they can find a collective solution.

Michel Morisset, Chairman of the Board of the Memphrémagog Food Bank, addressed the gathering. His organization has a grocery store and delivers food. Since April 1, they have served 37 per cent more clients than normal. Some 2,500 to 3,000 people in his region have food issues, and there are many they cannot serve properly due to its size – from Stanstead, up to Magog, and down to Mansonville. It is not reasonable to expect those from Mansonville or Stanstead to make the trip to Magog for food. Serving the many isolated villages in their region is their greatest challenge going forward.

Isabelle Falconetto, Services Coordinator of the Cowansville Volunteer Action Center, gave remarks. Her organization faces an “astronomical” 60 per cent increase in the clientele they serve. “We’ve never seen this before.” Part of the increase is due to there being more homeless in the area. They serve nearly 300 people in total. New registrations for their service are nearly daily, another first.
Vincent Boutin, General Manager of “La Grande Table”, then came forward. They distribute frozen meals for $1 a piece – a service begun during the pandemic. In 2020 they gave out zero, last year 65,000, and this year he speculates it will be up to 80,000. Another service they provide involves lunches for school children. They gave out 200 two years ago, 500 last year, and will likely hit the same number this year. They are planning to expand from the 10 schools they serve in Sherbrooke to all 40.

We are saying, together, there is something that is not working, Bibeau said, summing up the conference. “Too many people are hungry.”

“Too many people are hungry” Read More »

Canada should build two new military bases in the Arctic, says Jean Charest

Local Journalism Initiative / The Laval News / October 26, 2023 / Martin C. Barry

Canada has been “derelict” in failing to effectively occupy its Arctic regions, claims former Quebec Premier Jean Charest. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Martin C. Barry

The federal government should build two new military bases in Canada’s Arctic – including one with a deep-seawater port – to boost the country’s presence in its farthest northern regions, while also honoring a commitment to help maintain global peace, former Quebec Liberal Premier Jean Charest suggested during a talk at Concordia University last week on Canada’s prospects as a “middle-power.”

During his wide-ranging address on global economic and security issues hosted by Concordia’s Jurist in Residence program, Charest, who is now a partner at Montreal-based McCarthy Tetrault law, concluded that Canada needs to assert its sovereignty over the north – and the Northwest Passage in particular.

Arctic bases needed

As well, he said the country needs to take responsibility with respect to national and international defence, and this should especially involve creating new military bases in the Arctic.

In PowerPoint notes, he said Canada “continues to be overly reliant on the U.S. for trade” and needs to diversify in this respect with Europe, Asia and the Indo-Pacific region, while being more affirmative of Canada’s interests in relations with the U.S.

“Sovereignty over the north and the Northwest Passage in particular for me is an emerging development and an emergency issue,” said Charest, whose Liberal government launched the northern-Quebec-focused Plan Nord in 2008, with an eye to opening up the province’s far northern reaches for industrial/economic development.

Canada’s ‘failure,’ he said

He said Canada has been “derelict” in failing to effectively occupy its Arctic regions, while noting that “Russia is a physical neighbour of ours” in the Arctic. “But at the end of the day, if you don’t occupy your territories, you’re not behaving as a sovereign nation.”

He said that if we do build the new bases, “we’d serve our own interests, but we’d also serve the interests of our allies,” while honoring a commitment Canada made to its NATO partners to spend at least 2 per cent on military defence.

He noted that in 2019, then-U.S. Secretary of State in the Trump White House Mike Pompeo stated in a speech in Finland that the Northwest Passage did not belong to Canada because it is in international waters. The Canadian government maintains the Northwest Passage is part of Canada’s internal waterway system.

Focused on the North

It is not the first time Jean Charest has shown himself keenly interested in the development of Canada’s far north. When Plan Nord was first announced by Charest just before the 2008 election which he won, and also just before the 2012 election when he lost, political observers interpreted it as an electoral pitch.

The concept, which has never been abandoned by changing governments and for which a provincial planning office still exists, focused on the development of mineral resources (including nickel, gold, lithium, vanadium, iron, diamonds and rare earths) in the far north over a 25-year period.

Another longer-term aspect would be the completion of a permanent highway extending Quebec Route 389 – which currently runs from Baie Comeau on the St. Lawrence River to Fermont and the Newfoundland/Labrador border – all the way to Nunavik, Quebec’s rocky, northernmost subarctic territory.

Left, Concordia University’s Jurist-in-Residence Morton Minc is seen here on Oct. 19 with former Quebec Premier Jean Charest. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Sympathetic to China

On other economic and security-related issues, Charest conceded that the People’s Republic of China “aren’t totally wrong in some ways” with respect to the realignment of superpowers for a new model of global governance that would replace the western-led international order that emerged after the Second World War.

“They’re saying to the rest of the world ‘we don’t to play by those rules anymore,’” Charest said, while adding that some people might find his words shocking, but that the facts add credence to the argument.

Citing an example, he said voting rights at the World Bank do not reflect the size and the importance of China. “We have not adapted the UN institutions to these emerging countries,” he said. “The point is if we’re going to have a functioning world, we need to adapt our institutions to every part of the planet.”

Need to adapt, said Charest

Commenting on the emerging bloc of developing countries known as the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), Charest noted that after the Second World War, the U.S. created global institutions which were American-led.

“And they have served us well and they served Canada well,” he said. “But the world has changed, it has evolved, and we have to be able to adapt to bring these countries in. They’re not wrong to say the system is weighed in the direction of the Americans.”

Although Charest stated at the beginning that he had little to say about the Legault government’s recent decision to double tuition fees paid by international students, he opened up at the end.

“I’m hoping that a lot of people in Quebec will stand up and say that this is a wrongheaded policy and it’s the wrong thing to do,” said Charest.

Canada should build two new military bases in the Arctic, says Jean Charest Read More »

No surprises’ for regional schools this year numbers-wise

Local Journalism Initiative / The Low Down / October 26, 2023 / Madeline Kerr

By Madeline Kerr

After years of uncertainty during the pandemic, regional schools are breathing a sigh of relief that enrolment numbers are steady and predictable this year.

According to George Singfield, the director-general of the Western Quebec School Board (WQSB), the slight increase in the number of students registered with his board’s 31 schools was no surprise. Singfield reported that the WQSB welcomed 7,990 students from K4 through Grade 11 this year, up from 7,909 last year.

Homeschooling numbers, which Singfield said used to hover around 70 students who were registered with the school board but receiving their education at home, jumped up to 300 during the pandemic but have settled to 117 this year.

“There’s always a little bit of fluctuation,” said Singfield. “The ministry gives us good projections.”

The region’s French school board, the Centre de services scolaire des Portages-de-l’Outaouais (CSSPO), has seen similar growth across its 25 schools, with an increase of 352 students this year. CSSPO communications coordinator Maude Hébert told the Low Down that the jump to 18,261 total students across the region was expected.

Recently, Chelsea municipality announced that it was one step closer to building a new French language elementary school, which it hopes to do by 2026. A spokesperson for the municipality told the Low Down that the number of students requiring placement in a French school in Chelsea will climb by 300 by 2026. Until then, CSSPO plans to accommodate surplus students at Grande Boisé, currently Chelsea’s only French elementary school.

Both WQSB and CSSPO report that all schools in the region are currently fully staffed, despite an announcement by Quebec’s Education Ministry at the start of the school year that the province faced widespread teacher shortages.

Earlier this month, news outlets reported that violent incidents were on the rise in Quebec schools. Regionally, that is not the case, according to local school authorities. Neither Singfield nor Hébert reported heightened concerns regarding violence in their schools.

“Thank goodness we have not seen this [increase in violence] at our school,” added Hadley Junior and Philemon Wright High School principal Dodie Payne.

No surprises’ for regional schools this year numbers-wise Read More »

Tillotson Coaticook Region Fund donates $134,000 to local organizations

Local Journalism Initiative / The Record / October 26, 2023 / William Crooks

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

The Tillotson Coaticook Region Fund (TCRF) gave out 34 grants to local community organizations at a gathering at the North Hatley Legion Oct. 25. The grants were disbursed one by one, and the recipients said a few words about their projects and thanked the foundation for its donation. Notable was a speech given by David Edgell, Border Curling Club President. Over 60 people attended and socialized, enjoying some wine and cheese during and after the event.

“We were a little glove company in Coaticook,” TCRF President Michael Everett explained, referring to the regional fund’s beginnings. The company employed 50 to 60 people from 1978 until recently. It was owned by Neil Tillotson.

Tillotson was an American who lived in New England and owned a lot of nearby land in both Canada and the United States. He also owned companies all over the world, producing mostly latex gloves.

When Tillotson passed away in 2001, he left quite a bit of money (over $100 million) to the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. $3 million was used to start the TCRF. The money is invested, and the returns are distributed amongst community organizations twice a year.

The Fund focuses on helping the community out with its basic needs, like educating kids and services that support the elderly.

Edgell’s speech

David Edgell fondly remembered childhood drives through Dixville Notch, where a well-lit factory stood, believed to produce balloons. Neil Tillotson, who began with balloon manufacturing in Canaan, Vermont, later initiated the Dixville Notch Foundation for environmental and educational causes.

Edgell was inspired by the Tillotson Foundation’s community projects after reading about them in the Sherbrooke Record. In the backdrop of changing economic times, closed factories, and border challenges due to the pandemic, Edgell recognized the need for community rejuvenation. He focused on the Border Curling Club in Beebe, a bilingual club founded in 1955. Edgell sought the Tillotson Foundation’s support for an educational and recreational curling program for elementary school students. The project aimed to foster community interaction, encourage physical activity, and combat youth sedentariness.

With the help of the Tillotson Foundation, the program would debut in Stanstead, combining classroom learning and on-ice curling. Edgell envisioned children sharing their curling experiences with families, thus strengthening community ties. He thanked the Tillotson family and the foundation for their support, emphasizing the importance of community connection and expressing hopes for the project’s positive impact on North Country.

Organizations and grants given

Collège François Delaplace: $2,490

Operation Backpack: $5,000

Centre d’Action Bénévole de la MRC de Coaticook: $10,000

Camp Massawippi: $6,000

Fondation Lampe Foundation: $4,000

Clubs Lions de Compton Inc: $6,000

CÉA Coaticook: $1,000.00

Clinique Médicale de Coaticook: $6,500

Association Sportive du Lac Wallace: $2,000

Musée Colby-Curtis/Société Historique de Stanstead: $2,800

École Saint-Luc: $1,600

Alexander Galt High School: $2,600

Ayer’s Cliff Elementary: $10,000

École Sacré-Coeur: $614

Club de l’âge d’or de Saint-Malo et de Compton: $5,000

Centre d’action bénévole de Stanstead: $4,800 (for three separate projects)

Centre culturel et communautaire de Waterville: $1,300

École Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides: $6,000

École Sacré-Coeur: $3,976

CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS: $8,500

North Hatley Elementary School: $2,000

Phelps Helps: $10,000

Grace Village Care Foundation: $10,000

Bibliothèque Lennoxville Library: $1,022.42 (for two separate projects)

Association du baseball mineur de Sherbrooke: $3,000

Le Renaissance Manoir St. Francis: (not specified)

FADOQ-Coaticook: $4,000

Club de curling Border Curling Club: $3,000

Royal Canadian Legion: $5,000

Sunnyside Elementary: $3,800 (for two separate projects)

Tillotson Coaticook Region Fund donates $134,000 to local organizations Read More »

St. Lazare has biggest income gap in region: report

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / October 25, 2023 / BRENDA O’FARRELL

BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1019 Report

Of the five biggest towns in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region, St. Lazare has the biggest income gap among its residents, according to a ranking of Canadian municipalities by the Local News Data Hub at Toronto Metropolitan University.

The ranking lists the 418 municipalities across the country with populations of 10,000 or more, focusing on the gap between the highest earning households and the households with the lowest incomes in each town.

St. Lazare, with a population of 22,350, ranked 279^th on the list, well within the lowest half of towns when measured by the discrepancy between the households that earn the most and those that earn the least within its boundaries.

The other four towns in Vaudreuil-Soulanges that made the list were Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot, which ranked 360^th; Île Perrot, which ranked 366^th; Vaudreuil-Dorion, which was 394^th; and Pincourt, which came in at 398^th.

See INCOME GAP, Page 2.

INCOME GAP: Richest households in St. Lazare make 3.1 times more than poorest

From Page 1

Income inequality has been recognized as a social measure that has a negative impact on health, happiness and community ties and can limit opportunities for financial stability, according to researchers.

According to the data, the most affluent households in St. Lazare make 3.1 times more than the least well off in the town.

The data shows that median after-tax income of a household in St. Lazare in 2021 was $100,000. Despite this apparent wealth, a total of 555 people, or 2.5 per cent of the population of 22,350, live in poverty.

In Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot, where the median after-tax household income in 2021 was $99,000, the most affluent households make three times more than the poorest households. According to the ranking, 230 people, or roughly 2 per cent of the population of 11,420, live in poverty.

In the town of Île Perrot, where the median after-tax household income in 2021 was $64,500, the most affluent households make 3.1 times more than the poorest households. According to the ranking, 560 people, or roughly 5 per cent of the population of 11,180, live in poverty.

In Vaudreuil-Dorion, where the median after-tax household income in 2021 was $76,000, the most affluent households make 2.8 times more than the poorest households. According to the ranking, 1,625 people, or roughly 4 per cent of the population of 42,190, live in poverty.

In Pincourt, where the median after-tax household income in 2021 was $81,000, the most affluent households make 2.8 times more than the poorest households. According to the ranking, 495 people, or 3.4 per cent of the population of 14,700, live in poverty.

The data shows that both the towns with the biggest and smallest gaps between rich and poor households were found in Quebec.

Westmount is where the biggest gap exists – with 10 per cent of households earning 10.9 times more than the lowest earning households in 2020. Meanwhile, in St. Amable, a municipality of just more than 13,000 residents north of Beloeil, the most affluent households make 2.6 times more than its least well off.

The Local News Data Hub also pointed to a recent Statistics Canada report that showed the wealthiest 20 per cent of households in Canada controlled two-thirds of the country’s net worth as of early 2023, while the bottom 40 per cent accounted for just 2.7 per cent.

The StatsCan report also noted the wealth gap between rich and poor in Canada widened at the fastest pace on record in the first quarter of this year. Compared with the wealthiest households, lower-income Canadians accumulated more debt, saw their savings shrink and received less investment income.

The Canadian median after-tax household income in 2020 was $73,000, according to the data.

To compare income inequality across Canada, the Local News Data Hub ranked the country’s 418 largest municipalities using Statistics Canada’s 2020 Gini index for adjusted after-tax household income. The Gini index is an internationally recognized tool statisticians use to measure how income is distributed across a society. it takes into account wages, pension income, investment earnings and government payments like social assistance.

St. Lazare has biggest income gap in region: report Read More »

Traffic delays on Île aux Tourtes lessened, but far from over

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / October 25, 2023 / JOHN JANTAK

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The reopening of a third lane in the direction of rush-hour traffic across the Île aux Tourtes Bridge earlier this month has given commuters some relief from long delays, but it does not signal the end of roadwork to maintain the aging span.

In fact, the ongoing work has no end in sight. Restricting traffic over the span in the form of additional lane closures is expected to continue regularly over weekends at various intervals.

“What we know for sure is that there is going to be maintenance work until the bridge is dismantled,” said Transport Quebec spokesperson Sarah Bensadoun earlier this month.

But one detail involving the ongoing work that is coming into sharper focus is its cost, which has now been pegged at $376.7 million.

That figure includes the nearly $176 million spent before the beginning of this year on safety and repairs of the two-kilometre bridge. The earlier work, carried out from 2020 to 2022, include reinforcement of the bridge supports, replacement of the central mall and relocation of the lighting.

The latest $43.7-million contract was awarded to carry out work that will continue into 2025, which includes beam and slab repairs, installation of a waterproofing membrane, asphalt replacement and other related work.

Reinforcement work on the bridge was carried out between December 2022 and September 2023.

“The bridge will not be back to full capacity with three lanes of traffic in each direction by the time the new bridge is fully commissioned,” said Bensadoun.

The Transport Ministry’s objective now is to maintain five lanes of traffic, including three lanes in the direction of peak traffic.

Three eastbound lanes are now open during the morning rush hour towards Montreal from 4 a.m. until 11 a.m. and three westbound lanes towards Vaudreuil-Dorion are open during the afternoons and evenings, from 1 p.m. until 2 a.m. the following morning.

As for future lane closures for maintenance work, Bensadoun said the procedure will be to close one lane if necessary during the off-peak traffic hours when necessary.

“This means during evenings, nights and weekends,” she specified. “Most of the time it should be during these times unless we have another emergency situation.”

And this will be on an ongoing basis.

“We will have lane closures on the bridge until 2026,” Bensadoun said.

Transport Quebec will provide information and updates about upcoming lane closures on the span on its website before they occur.

Traffic delays on Île aux Tourtes lessened, but far from over Read More »

New hospital generating about $70 million municipal upgrades

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / October 25, 2023 / JOHN JANTAK

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

While the province of Quebec is footing the bill for the $2.6-billion price tag for the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Hospital – touted as the largest public investment project in the region’s history – taxpayers in the city of Vaudreuil-Dorion will be paying the tab for part of several infrastructure upgrades related to the project.

The upgrades will come in the form of everything from road network improvements to the building of a new water reservoir, work that will cost between $67 million and $75 million, according to city officials. But the city will only have to cover about 40 per cent of those costs, or between $26.8 million and $30 million.

“The reason why there’s still a bit of a range is because in some cases, in some of the projects, we’re still at the concept stage,” said Pierre Lacoste, the project manager of the hospital infrastructure division within the city’s engineering and environment department.

“We don’t want to make the mistake of announcing a price and not being able to meet it,” Lacoste said in an interview with The 1019 Report.

The city is working closely with the Société québécoise des infrastructures (SQI), the project management team that is building the hospital, on all work being carried out.

Vaudreuil-Dorion Mayor Guy Pilon said the infrastructure upgrades will benefit not only Vaudreuil-Dorion, but all residents in the region when they are completed, and the hospital itself will serve the region well.

“For me, as for any mayor, this is a big, big plus. All the hospital services will be here so people will no longer have to drive to the Lakeshore. I know the citizens will be happy to see the results of having a new modern hospital with all the technologies,” Pilon said.

Among the roadwork planned as part of the hospital project is the reconfiguration of the intersection of De la Gare and Cité des Jeunes boulevards, expansion of the city’s water and sewage networks and adding a new water reservoir to expand the municipality’s water capacity.

Lacoste said Quebec will pay roughly 60 per cent of the cost for all the work that is undertaken in the city by channelling the funds to the provincial departments involved in each part, including the health and transport ministries.

The funds are managed by the provincial treasury and distributed through the appropriate ministries involved, Lacoste said.

The city will pay for the full cost of upgrading the roadways in its territory, while the Transport Ministry will pay for the portion of roadway along the Highway 30 exit ramp.

The city will, however, have to pay the entire cost to reconfigure the intersection at Henry Ford Street and Cité des Jeunes, near the hospital.

“Henry Ford is a municipal intersection which belongs to the municipality and the city manages it,” Lacoste said.

“Things that are under the transport ministry will be paid by the SQI and the city will pay for everything on its territory,” Lacost said. “The SQI, through the Conseil de Trésor, are paying roughly 59 to 60 percent of the work that has to be done in the city,” Lacoste added.

One project that is almost completed is the reconfiguration of Chemin de la Petite Rivière at Route 340, west of Highway 30.

The roadway was straightened at the intersection to align with the hospital entrance and a right turn lane onto Route 340 east (Harwood) was added.

The 404-bed hospital, which is expected to open in the beginning of 2027, will create 10,034 jobs between now and 2026, according to a study prepared last year by Développement Vaudreuil-Soulanges, the regional economic agency, and the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Montérégie Ouest. Once opened, the hospital will also generate 3,200 permanent positions, including doctors, nurses and orderlies. According to the study, the facility and the jobs it creates will trigger more than 1,600 households to relocate to Vaudreuil-Soulanges, leading to a major real estate boom and allowing municipalities to collect more in property taxes.

The facility will have an annual operating budget of $465 million, including $330 million in salaries and benefits.

New hospital generating about $70 million municipal upgrades Read More »

No solutions, just evictions: Jacco Stuben, an unhoused man who recently experienced a challenging eviction, faces the threat again

Local Journalism Initiative / The Link / October 25, 2023 / Hannah Vogan

Jacco Stuben trying to move his belongings before he is evicted by Transport Quebec. Photo Tuza Dulcinée

Hannah Vogan
Local Journalism Initiative

In a small forested area just steps away from a Westmount Sherwin-Williams paint store, tents and trinkets lay low beneath the trees, where Jacco Stuben and one other unhoused individual reside.

The residents were evicted from their previous encampment only two and a half months prior, enduring a hellish cycle of eviction and displacement. After recently being evicted from the encampment under Route 136 of the Ville-Marie Expressway, Stuben can’t seem to escape the shoving hands of the Transports et Mobilité durable Québec (MTQ).

“[MTQ is] throwing people out […] just rushing everybody out, all the people are [now] scattered on the streets,” Stuben told The Link.

One year ago, MTQ had signed a contract to do repair work on Route 136 of the Ville-Marie expressway; about 20 individuals had lived in the encampment for roughly five years. As preparations for construction began, MTQ realized it would threaten the safety of the individuals living under the expressway if construction proceeded, calling for an evacuation of the area.

MTQ faced criticism from activist groups, allies and shelters for evicting the residents of this encampment without providing adequate alternatives. On account of the campers’ first official eviction date, Montreal’s Autonomous Tenant Union (MATU) organized a public demonstration in retaliation, thus delaying the eviction to a later date.

MTQ’s pattern of proposing an eviction, receiving pushback from the community, and then halting evictions continued until March 2023, when campers were verbally informed by MTQ that the camp was to be vacated along with their belongings by the end of the month. Fifteen days after this notice, Mobile Legal Clinic (MLC), a team that represented the campers’ rights in court, solicited an injunction to prolong the end-of-month eviction against MTQ and arrange for suitable alternatives to the encampment. MLC sought to defer the eviction until mid-July to allow for the relocation of campers in friendly weather while culminating an action plan that redirects these individuals into stable housing, offering social reintegration programs and aiming to permanently detach them from the cycle of homelessness.

This gruelling legal battle ended after the judge ruled construction could no longer be postponed and that the campers would be evicted on July 11, 2023.

MTQ spokesperson Sarah Bensadoun said MTQ had only one purpose throughout all this, “to be able to find long-term housing for the campers.”

In documents acquired by The Link, it is revealed that from the period of Nov. 2022 to July 2023, MTQ spent $38,415 on protection activities—such as fencing and concrete barriers—for the campers and $57,210 on relocation (containers).

Still, only four people who lived under the bridge moved into government-subsidized housing. The others could put their belongings in lockers provided by MTQ and were left to scatter throughout the city.

Photo Tuza Dulcinée

Not only were the campers evicted, but more than half of them currently resorted to more threatening situations than before.

“Everyone is interested in looking good […] We all wanna look good. Frequently, people choose to look good over facing real problems that are with us,” David Chapman, the executive director of Resilience Montreal, told The Link. “They (MTQ) had people going in for the purposes of saying that they did [help the campers]. That was largely about the optics.”

Two and a half months after the Ville-Marie eviction, Stuben finds himself scrambling as he prepares to be ejected from a different piece of MTQ property in a matter of days.

“Everywhere, the [MTQ] want to conquer,” Stuben said.

Chapman has worked with Montreal’s unhoused population for years and has fought alongside encampment members for their rights since the beginning.

“If simply an alternative location would have been given to the people, there would’ve been no court case. All they needed to do is say where they could go. That proved impossible,” Chapman said, sharing his disappointment about Stuben’s situation.

According to Chapman, dismantling encampments and displacing campers ushers them in search of dark alleyways, small forested spots, and abandoned buildings, which isolates them from the community and forces them into dangerous situations.

“What’s concerning is for some of the folks who’ve headed to abandoned buildings, they won’t even tell me as an intervention worker where they are,” Chapman said. He added that the more secret the location, the lower the probability of eviction. However; “If something goes wrong, you really are in a predicament. There is no one there to administer naloxone. There is no community looking out for you. What it does is it just hastens the probability of an early death.”

On Apr. 11, a judge overseeing the case between MTQ and MLC found that if no alternative solution was granted to the campers in the event of an eviction, the campers would suffer irreparable harm.

“Bonds have been formed between them and as a result of the mutual assistance between them […] they consider themselves a community, which gives them a certain sense of security,” said Judge Chantal Massé in French.

Stuben has been told he is facing eviction due to complaints from neighbours. According to Bensadoun, MTQ must intervene with an encampment when a request by the city, police, or emergency services is made. Guillaume Rivest, press relations for the City of Montreal, told The Link in an email that “the City must intervene very quickly for the safety of all.”

The issue with the dissolution of encampments is the lack of options for those continually displaced.

Rivest declared that, “For the City of Montreal, urban encampments are not a viable, safe or lasting solution.”

Chapman believes rather than shutting down encampments, one could designate an area of a park, or an unused spot under a bridge, “an area where you can be left alone in the meantime,” said Chapman. Without resources to help people transition into subsidized housing and access to affordable housing, Chapman emphasized that encampments will continue to exist.

Shelters aren’t permanently a solution, either. Chapman told The Link, although shelters were liberally offered by MTQ partners to the campers, not one of them went.

Shelters tend to have strict rules, making accommodating individual needs challenging. Out of the 79 shelters listed on Quebec 211 on the island of Montreal, only six allow pets. Some shelters are gendered (which restricts heterosexual couples from living together), only offer daily accommodations or have limited bed availability. Others require interviews and applications by phone or email, and some shelters bear a zero intoxication tolerance, requiring users to do the difficult task of going cold turkey.

Stuben has plenty of belongings that make it difficult to move anywhere: he has an expensive grill he was gifted, which he loves to cook on. On Sept. 28, he was told he had 24 hours to evacuate his new spot. After some negotiation, MTQ asked Stuben to leave by Oct. 9. As of the last contact with Stuben, he is still struggling to collect his belongings and desperately needs a moving truck for transportation. All belongings left behind are thrown in the trash.

Evictions with no solid solution only shake the ground for the unhoused trying to find their footing. “It’s not fair. Don’t treat us so bad,” Stuben said.

No solutions, just evictions: Jacco Stuben, an unhoused man who recently experienced a challenging eviction, faces the threat again Read More »

Concordia Health Services refers student to “unprofessional” clinic: An out-of-province student was charged $150 with no receipt, for lacklustre service and a prescription of Reactine

Local Journalism Initiative / The Link / October 25, 2023 / Hannah Vogan

Hannah Vogan

Local Journalism Initiative

Fresh into the semester, Olivia Steer, a second-year out-of-province full-time Concordia student spent days coping with a full-body rash and hives. When Steer began to miss classes as a result of her ailment, she sought refuge in Concordia Health Services (CHS). CHS is available to all students who pay their Student Service fee which is the sum of $11.11 per credit each semester.

On Sept. 29, Steer described her symptoms to a CHS nurse. After examination, the nurse advised Steer to see a doctor. However, Steer visited CHS on a Friday and the clinic only schedules doctor appointments Monday through Thursday. The nurse then handed Steer a sheet with two referral clinics listed: Queen Elizabeth Health Centre and Clinique Médicale Crescent, to which Steer called the latter of the clinics listed and booked an appointment. Steer was met with disappointment after CHS referred her to a clinic where their quoted client testimonials are dummy text, and the attributed photos are stock images.

Steer eventually arrived at the clinic at around 4:10 p.m. As she walked in, she felt uneasy. Steer notices printouts that read “seven dollar Botox,” and that the clinic was packed. Those who were unable to take a seat on the chairs provided stood or sat on the floor. As she checked in with the front desk, Steer clarified she is an out-of-province patient, to which the receptionist told her a fee of $150 is required for the appointment. When Steer said she would pay by card, the receptionist told her it was cash or e-transfer only, mentioning to Steer that there was an ATM across the street.

“I should’ve known just from that,” Steer told The Link.

The receptionist handed her a large printed paper with the email in which to e-transfer. After Steer sent the money, she was subsequently told that there was still a bit of a wait. The receptionist emphasized that the time you booked your appointment is not the time you will receive treatment.

Over five hours of sitting on the floor later, Steer was still waiting.

Meanwhile, Steer’s mother called the clinic to request a refund for her daughter as the service at this clinic had been anything but timely.

The clinic staff told her mother that there was no need for a refund, and that Steer was already in the doctor’s office: Steer was still in the waiting room.

By the second time Steer’s mother called, “They picked up, said nothing and hung up,” Steer said. “At this point, I’m fed up. This is not worth waiting this long. I could literally have traveled back to Ontario and saw my family doctor for free in that amount of time.”

Feeling irritated, Steer requested a refund so she could leave the clinic. Insisting they were unable to e-transfer her back, the receptionist insisted Steer would see the doctor shortly.

“I don’t know why they made it seem [impossible to issue a refund]. They literally refused to give me my money back,” Steer said.

The way the clinic took payments, you were unable to obtain a receipt. In Steer’s case, there was no way to verify that she paid for the service, she was unable to cover the treatment under her insurance.

Once again, Steer requested a refund; she wanted to go home. The receptionist then told her to “wait,” and put Steer in front of everyone who had been waiting longer than her.

By the time Steer met with the doctor, she told him, “before you say anything, I want a refund,” to which the doctor started to diagnose her. Compliantly, she told him her symptoms.

“I don’t know why I said anything, I should have kept it quiet,” Steer said. “He (the doctor) just didn’t care.” The doctor proceeded to prescribe her Reactine. “I could’ve gone to a pharmacy, and they could’ve told me that for free.”

With 111 reviews averaging a 2.3 star rating on Google, Steer questions why Concordia could not conduct a simple background check.

“I feel betrayed,” Steer said. “The fact that Concordia is making people go to this place is very odd. I feel like they haven’t had a background check on that place. I think whoever put that place down has never been.”

Steer’s experience is not unique.

Carly Hylton, a Quebec resident, is a registered nurse (RN) who is completing her bachelor’s degree in nursing at McGill. This past June, Hylton booked a blood draw at Clinique Médicale Crescent.

Hylton described the clinic as strange.

“It didn’t look very hygienic,” Hylton told The Link.

She noticed the clinic was hot, sticky and crammed. The prices for services were slightly higher than other private clinics, the two receptionists were on their phones texting—not really being responsive to patients—and the Botox advertisements plastered around the clinic alarmed Hylton.

The receptionists were confused about her requests to get her blood drawn. They told Hylton to sit and wait to see a doctor. This weirded Hylton out, she told them that for a blood draw she just needed to see a nurse.

The receptionist kept asking questions about her blood test, even though it was written on her requisition. “How do you not know what this is?” Hylton said.

Hylton left as the clinic exhibited “too many red flags.”

“I felt like the environment was very unprofessional, and kind of sketchy […] I waited for a half hour with no idea of what was happening.”

When told about Steer’s situation, Hylton was shocked.

“As a healthcare professional I am surprised,” Hylton said. “I think it is strange that [CHS] would be referring people to this clinic […] If I am referring people somewhere I personally check out the place.”

Hylton additionally expressed how prescribing Steer Reactine does not require an in-person physical assessment. “I think Concordia should take a stronger stance on this and help students access good care.”

She mentioned how there are tons of other private healthcare clinics in the downtown area. At a different clinic only minutes away, Hylton got her blood drawn “quicker,” for cheaper, and in a “clean environment.”

Concordia spokesperson Vannina Maestracci said Concordia has never received any formal complaints about this clinic, and only removes clinics from their reference list if they are told the clinic engages in problematic practices.

Clinique Médicale Crescent declined The Link’s interview request. A Link photojournalist was harassed on the street as she attempted to photograph the building.

Concordia Health Services refers student to “unprofessional” clinic: An out-of-province student was charged $150 with no receipt, for lacklustre service and a prescription of Reactine Read More »

Palestinian students claim Concordia dean of students waved middle finger at them: The university denies the altercation between Andrew Woodall and the students

Local Journalism Initiative / The Link / October 25, 2023 / Iness Rifay, Maria Cholakova

Maria Cholakova & Iness Rifay

Local Journalism Initiative

On Oct. 12 around 6 p.m., Bara Abuhamed and his friend Yusuf, who wished to be given a pseudonym for his safety, were driving on Mackay Street while waving the Palestinian flag through the sunroof.

As the car passed by the Hall building on the Sir George Williams Campus, the students noticed a familiar figure at the nearby Bixi station. “We were parking the car when we saw an old man giving us the middle finger,” Yusuf said.

“Obviously, we were shaken,” Abuhamed said. “Why was he flipping us off?”

As the man loaned out a bicycle from the station, Abuhamed recognized the man to be Concordia Dean of Students Andrew Woodall.

“When I recognized him, I said ‘you’re the Dean of Students,’ and he said ‘yeah’ and drove off,” he said. “That’s when I stopped the car and told him that I’m a student. That’s when he stops, turns around and comes to apologize.”

In a video of the apology sent to The Link, Abuhamed confronted Woodall, calling him out for the disrespectful action. He also told the Dean he was being a hypocrite.

Abuhamed’s accusation of hypocrisy comes from his previous work with Woodall. In 2017, a letter threatening to set off a bomb in two of Concordia’s downtown buildings was sent to the Muslim Student Association (MSA). Abuhamed, who was the association’s VP at the time, worked with Woodall to ensure students were safe. Now, six years later, Woodall is allegedly giving the finger to the same person with whom he worked alongside.

Woodall apologized again and blamed the pressure on a “ton of pressure going on.”

Abuhamed responds “on us too,” telling the Dean that the Palestinian Concordia students community has gotten their private information leaked online–or doxxed–by Zionist extremists.

Woodall repeated his apology once more as Abuhamed told him that if a similar interaction transpired again, he would file a formal complaint.

“You do what you need to do,” Woodall said.

The Link contacted Concordia’s spokesperson Vannina Maestracci for comment on the situation, and she denied that Woodall made the gesture. According to Maestracci, “He [Dean Woodall] did give a look to the student,” given the statement that was sent on Wednesday about ‘high-charged moments such as the one we are in right now.’”

Upon hearing the spokesperson’s official response, Abuhamed wasn’t happy about how the university was dealing with the incident.

“If she’s going to accuse students of a lie, she’s either saying that my eyes don’t work or she wants to deny a situation that she knows Andrew is guilty of,” he said. “It’s clear as day what a middle finger looks like.”

Abuhamed also believes that if he and Yusuf had not disclosed that they were students to Woodall, he would not have come back to apologize.

Anti-Palestinian racism has been on the rise across North America in the past week. Two days prior to Abuhamed’s encounter with Woodall, a Tunisian woman got verbally harassed by a Montreal author, who wished upon the victim to get sexually harassed for carrying a Palestinian flag. On Oct. 14, CNN reported on a six-year-old Muslim child who was stabbed 26 times in Illinois by his family’s landlord and passed away the same day. His mother was also stabbed more than a dozen times.

In the wake of such hatred, demonstrators have started to gather not just in support of Gaza and Palestine, but the wider Arab community.

Palestinian students claim Concordia dean of students waved middle finger at them: The university denies the altercation between Andrew Woodall and the students Read More »

The fight for fair pay continues: Care and CREW-CSN are demanding better wages for TAs and RAs

Local Journalism Initiative / The Link / October 25, 2023 / Maria Cholakova

Maria Cholakova

Local Journalism Initiative

Unions across campus have started negotiations with Concordia University to increase workers’ pay and sign new collective agreements.

The Concordia Association of Research Employees (CARE) has been at the negotiating table for over a year, demanding livable wages that match inflation and that are comparable to other universities in Montreal.

According to the union’s secretary-treasurer, Gabrielle McLaren, negotiations with Concordia have been “extremely difficult.” CARE’s collective agreement expired on May 31, 2022 and the union started negotiations three months later. However, McLaren noted that Concordia didn’t want to budge on salaries.

“They’ve been really unflinching, which is a problem,” she said. “It took us a really, really long time to even get Concordia to talk about money.”

She said she believes Concordia’s unwillingness to increase salaries is unfounded when comparing research employee salaries to those at McGill. “[McGill] just takes research more seriously and it shows financially,” she said.

Depending on the job employees unionized under CARE have, the hourly salary as a research assistant (RA) is a minimum of $23.43 per hour. In contrast, McGill pays RAs a minimum of $28 to $30 per hour.

By November 2022, negotiations were slower than CARE would have liked. “It became really clear that it was sort of [Concordia’s] way or the highway, which isn’t how bargaining works. That’s not how negotiations work,” McLaren said. Then, CARE decided to take matters into their own hands.

On Feb. 22, 2023, one hour before their meeting with Concordia’s negotiating team, CARE members gathered in front of the Faubourg Building, giving out flyers and informing passersby on the need for an increase in RA wages. The gathering was quickly shut down by Concordia security, who asked union members for their IDs.

“It became really clear from the start of that meeting that the university was unhappy that they had been greeted downstairs by our group, and it was a really difficult meeting that ended up with Concordia telling us that if we didn’t agree with them, we should just leave,” McLaren said.

For McLaren, the meetings weren’t productive anymore. “[Concordia] wasn’t respecting what we were bringing to the table, they weren’t showing up at meetings ready,” she said.

CARE then moved to conciliation, a step in bargaining where a neutral party would get involved to facilitate and fast-forward negotiation discussions.

“At first, we were sensing a change of attitude,” McLaren said. “Tensions in the room were releasing, the dialogue was more productive, but […] that did not last.”

In early August, Concordia presented an offer. Although some demands were met, the minimum salary was not increased for 2023. “It is ridiculous, given inflation. Plus, the minimums aren’t that high, they’re like $21,” she said.

Concordia refusing to increase wages was unacceptable for CARE. “You’re asking people to have research expertise, to have specialized skills with different software, different computing, different financial systems, different administrations; that’s not a competitive salary,” said McLaren.

CARE didn’t accept the offer and waited until September for Concordia’s new offer, which never came.

“Often our colleagues would ask, ‘How’d it go?’ And it was really tough,” she said. “How do I tell them that the employer just wasted two months of our time in the most diplomatic way possible.”

According to Vannina Maestracci, Concordia’s spokesperson, “The parties continue to negotiate and we are committed to reaching an agreement.”

The struggle for better pay has been felt by CARE and CREW-CSN alike.

Zachary Mitchell, a CREW-CSN militant and a teaching assistant (TA) and RA in the history department, said that considering inflation hit 5.2 per cent, the union will demand pay to at least match inflation.

“Fundamentally, a lot of us are being priced out of our own city. This is where we work, this is where we live. If we can’t afford rent, if we can’t afford food, what are we supposed to do?”

Mitchell said a better working environment culturally would benefit TAs and RAs as a whole. “We’re contracted for [a certain] number of hours, but often the expectation is to work above those hours, and there’s a real culture around it that’s developed over the years,” he said.

Mitchell added that Concordia’s negotiation strategies should change in order for unions to see change. “Concordia really has signalled sort of a policy of austerity in the past years, despite record inflation, but a very selective austerity,” he said.

He used Concordia President Graham Carr’s 10 per cent salary increase as an example in contrast to their strict no-pay increases for unions.

“Some of the unions here, even ones which are asking for very little—like four or five per cent—they’re kind of getting snubbed,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell added that all hope is not lost. “When things fail at the bargaining table, that’s when unions begin to take larger steps doing things like industrial action, possibly even escalating eventually to strikes,” he said.

The fight for fair pay continues: Care and CREW-CSN are demanding better wages for TAs and RAs Read More »

Pro-trans protest counters OMMC for a second time: Another country-wide protest opposing LGBTQIA2S+ school policies meets a mass pro-trans response around Canada

Local Journalism Initiative / The Link / October 25, 2023 / Julia Israel

Julia Israel

Local Journalism Initiative

On Oct. 21, clashing protests outside the Ministry of Education office occurred between the One Million March for Children (OMMC) group protesting LGBTQIA2S+ inclusive school curriculums and a collection of counter-protesting groups advocating for the rights and safety of LGBTQIA2S+ youth.

This is the second time they’ve gathered since Sept. 20 to counter the country-wide protests against gender-inclusive curriculums and policies in schools.

Counter-protesters arrived early to occupy the area in front of the Ministry of Education building on Fullum Street. They managed to block the whole street, redirecting OMMC protesters to regroup on the other side of the building.

The crowd of hundreds of counter-protesters played music, provided free meals and refreshments, and strictly controlled access to the gathering for safety purposes. Social media posts by organizers Celeste Trianon and Sarah Worthman stated that the aim of the counter-protest is to disrupt a movement that wants to deprive students of comprehensive and inclusive educations that support the rights and freedoms of all.

With signs reading “our kids belong to us” and “stop indoctrinating and sexualizing our children,” the OMMC protest stands against LGBTQIA2S+ inclusive policies in schools. These policies include a child’s right to use their preferred pronouns and preferred first name without parental consent, mixed-gender bathrooms, and education on sexual orientation and gender identity. The rise of this movement was originally sparked by the New Brunswick government’s policy of parental consent for teachers to use students’ preferred pronouns and first names in June. Additionally, Saskatchewan’s subsequent adoption of this bill on Oct. 20 does the same.

The rise of these protests around the country has raised fears and concerns for safety among the LGBTQIA2S+ community and its allies. A number of protesters in cities across the country were arrested for inciting hate and disruption in this past month. Police reported that anti-LGBTQIA2S+ hate crimes have risen 64 per cent since 2021, according to Statistics Canada.

Counter-protester Alex Nelson said he felt hypocrisy among the protesters in their messaging about child protection. “They have nothing against child’s pageant contests, which is really sexualized,” said Nelson. “They only have a problem when it’s trans kids expressing themselves.

No statement on the protests has been made by Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville who said he objects to mixed-gender bathrooms in schools last month.

“It’s about showing up and being an ally,” said Sharon Desouza, a counter-protester, “we want to make sure that our communities are being fully represented.”

High school teacher Elyse Bourdeau emphasized that LGBTQIA2S+ policies aim to create safe spaces for students at school who might otherwise not have a place to express themselves safely. She said that parental consent policies single out trans and non-binary students, putting them in particularly vulnerable positions. “The teenager must have a safe space in school to experiment, to try to discover themselves. And our goal is never to hide anything from the parents. But sometimes we have to, and most of all, we must protect the teen,” Bourdeau said.

When protesters with the OMMC started arriving around 11 a.m., they were directed to the other side of the Ministry of Education building by counter-protest volunteers at the blockade on Fullum Street and St Catherine Street East. Some non-violent hostile interactions occurred between sides. The groups faced off near the Ministry of Education building for a couple hours until the OMMC protesters dispersed.

Once the protesters dispersed around 1:30 p.m., counter-protesters marched down St Catherine Street East to Frontenac Metro. “There’s no place for hate in Montreal, there’s no place for transphobia in Montreal,” cheered counter-protesters.

Pro-trans protest counters OMMC for a second time: Another country-wide protest opposing LGBTQIA2S+ school policies meets a mass pro-trans response around Canada Read More »

Thousands rally in urgent last-minute demonstration for Gaza: Following the Israeli bombing of al-Ahli Arab Hospital, protesters called for an immediate ceasefire

Local Journalism Initiative / The Link / October 25, 2023 / Abby Cole

Abby Cole

Local Journalism Initiative

On the evening of Oct. 17, pro-Palestine protesters filled the street in front of the US Consulate in downtown Montreal.

This emergency protest was called in response to the deadly Israeli air raid attack on al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, where at least 500 people were killed, according to the Gaza health ministry. This is the third protest in support of Palestine this week in Montreal, with more to come.

Organizers, including the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) and Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) Concordia, organized the demonstration in only a couple of hours after hearing the news.

“There are over 5,000 people here with under two hours of mobilization,” explained Sarah Shamy, an organizer with PYM.

“This shows that our people are glued to the screens,” she added, “they want to see justice and they want to see accountability.”

The rally shifted into a march as protesters headed to the Israeli Consulate. Chants including “Free, Free, Palestine” and “Solidarity with Palestine” could be heard across the crowd, with many attendees moved to tears while still processing the day’s atrocities.

“Part of me is here to seek support from our community,” said Noor, who is part of SPHR Concordia. “I can say for all my fellow Palestinians, that this week has been almost unbearable. A lot of survivor’s guilt, of course, wondering why we’re here and why we’re not there.”

Many people in attendance were grieving for family and friends in Gaza. One demonstrator, Rania, attended the rally “to defend the people of Gaza, to give them a voice.”

“I have a lot of relatives in Gaza,” she said, “[my husband’s] family house, his whole neighbourhood, was bombed today. All his childhood friends and neighbours died. His family made it out miraculously.”

“This is not a retaliation,” she continued. “This is a massacre. It’s a genocide.”

Shamy added that many people are not able to get in touch with their families. On Oct. 7, Israel cut off electricity to Gaza, alongside food and other supplies.

“Some people’s families have been murdered,” she said. “And this is what we’re seeing today and this is why people are angry.”

Shortly after the attack in Gaza, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a public statement. “The news coming out of Gaza is horrific and absolutely unacceptable. International humanitarian and international law needs to be respected in this and in all cases.”

“Canada is trying to save face,” Noor said in response to Trudeau’s comment.

Up until this point, Trudeau has routinely expressed Canada’s support for “Israel’s right to defend itself in accordance with international law.”

“[Canada has] already ruined the relationship with an entire Arab community and more now,” said Noor. “But I think really all we can do is just look at the people, and try to get them to put more pressure on the government.”

“We want an end to the bombing of Gaza immediately,” said Shamy. “The civilians are dying as we speak. And they are being bombarded as we speak. And we want Canada to end its material support and its diplomatic cover for the Israeli state.”

On Oct. 12, Canada began airlifting citizens, families and foreign nationals out of Tel Aviv. The country also announced $10 million in funding for humanitarian assistance for Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.

“[SPHR Concordia has] kind of mixed efforts right now. Part of it is towards our own community,” said Noor. “[we’re] setting up healing circles, vigils—anything we can, really, to make sure that we are taking care of ourselves and each other. And of course, we’re also looking to educate the community.”

Thousands rally in urgent last-minute demonstration for Gaza: Following the Israeli bombing of al-Ahli Arab Hospital, protesters called for an immediate ceasefire Read More »

Finance update: ConU President’s trip to Israel: A breakdown of Graham Carr’s university-funded expenses during 2022 trip

Local Journalism Initiative / The Link / October 25, 2023 / Adam Gibbard

Graphic Adam Gibbard

Maria Cholakova & Zachary Fortier

Local Journalism Initiative

In August 2022, Concordia President Graham Carr participated in a trip to Israel to visit Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv and build academic connections. Six months after the trip, The Link spoke to Palestinian students and Canadian academics about their reactions and to understand why Concordia decided to participate.

Since the article’s publication in February 2023, The Link has acquired new information about the trip via records provided by an access to information request.

In total, the university spent nearly $9,000 to send its president on the trip to Israel. The money was spent on business class flights, luxury hotels and several activities on the itinerary.

Carr left Montreal on Aug. 26, 2022, three days after his sit-down interview with The Link. He transferred to Toronto Pearson Airport and then took a direct flight to Tel Aviv. Sitting in a business class seat, Concordia spent $5,883 on airfare alone. That price doesn’t include the additional $75 for taxis to and from the airport. The president was also allowed a daily allowance of $52 while in Israel, which would come up to $364 for the week-long stay.

In addition, the university paid $2,500 to participate in the trip itself. The event was organized by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, which took care of the trip’s itinerary and its collective organization.

All 15 Canadian university presidents who attended the trip stayed at two five-star luxury hotels during their stay. Although the prices for the rooms were not listed in the document, Mamilla Hotel in Jerusalem currently charges $580 per night for a studio room, which is the least premium of those rooms available. Carlton Hotel charges $385 per room for a “Superior City View Room.” Carr stayed eight nights split between the two hotels.

During his week-long stay in Israel, the president visited seven Israeli and two Palestinian universities. On Sept. 1, 2022, Carr attended an “Israeli Politics 101” seminar and later in the day met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog. The itinerary also included several dinners, networking events, strolls around cities and leisurely activities like a “Lunch and Swim” at the Vert Hotel.

However, Concordia’s ties to Israel are deeply rooted. In 2011, Concordia received $5 million from the Azrieli Foundation for the creation of the Azrieli Institute of Israel Studies at Concordia.

More recently, in January 2023, Concordia received $1 million courtesy of Miriam Roland, a former member of Concordia’s Board of Governors and honorary president and chair of the Jewish Community Foundation of Montreal. The donation would be shared with Ben-Gurion University (BGU) in Israel. According to the Euro-Med Monitor for Human Rights, BGU had strong connections with the Israeli military. According to their report, in 2018, the Israeli government allocated $15 million to BGU to accommodate thousands of active Israeli soldiers in technology-related subjects, as the Israeli Defence Forces continue to transfer its technology units to the Negev region, where the university is located.

Concordia has yet to make an official statement on the trip or speak directly to Palestinian students on campus.

Finance update: ConU President’s trip to Israel: A breakdown of Graham Carr’s university-funded expenses during 2022 trip Read More »

Students denounce double standard in Concordia’s Israel-Palestine statements: Separate emails leave students feeling “appalled” and “unsafe” by administration

Local Journalism Initiative / The Link / October 25, 2023 / Adam Gibbard

Graphic Adam Gibbard

Iness Rifay

Local Journalism Initiative

On Oct. 11, the Concordia Communications team and President Graham Carr sent out a statement to the university’s entire student body regarding the “events in the Middle East.”

The correspondence described how “profoundly troubling the deadly attacks and kidnappings by Hamas in Israel” are, and expressed concern that “the violence and the reporting on it will inevitably intensify emotions in ways that risk becoming even more polarizing than they already are.”

The email asked the Concordia community to “conduct [it]self respectfully” in the event demonstrations occur on campus, mentioning past demonstrations “not authorized by or associated with Concordia” that have taken place.

The administration then detailed having “reached out to some students and student groups whose members are most affected by this war” in support.

SPHR member Leith Barghouthi explained that the “safety” and “zero-tolerance policy for hate and violence” message Concordia reiterated in its mass email resulted in more uneasiness for the Palestinian student community.

“Scratch SPHR—as a Palestinian student, we’re not feeling safe,” he said. “They think they have a superiority complex on us and it’s something we don’t approve of.”

The day prior, the student group Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) Concordia received an email from Dean of Students Andrew Woodall. After he expressed wishes of safety for any family members possibly located in the region, Woodall wrote: “I also want to remind you that we do expect everyone at Concordia to be respectful of each other even in difficult times so if any of your members are feeling otherwise, please let us know. We are proud of our safe campus notwithstanding many different opinions.”

On Oct. 8, multiple Israeli international students received a separate email from the International Students Office in which on and off-campus mental health resources were explicitly laid out. The message mentions “Concordia’s wishes to express deep concern for all members of the community impacted by the violence in the Middle East.” While 30 students registered as Palestinian with the ISO received these ressources, members of the Palestinian diaspora within the Concordia community were not accommodated. These emails were also never sent to members of SPHR.

One Israeli student, granted anonymity for their safety, was a recipient of this correspondence. They expressed their “complete appallment and disappointment [towards] the actions committed by the Concordia administration” to The Link.

“Sending out an email of support and sympathy to only Israeli students and disregarding that all the other students are going through a difficult time is an absolutely disgraceful thing to do,” they said.

They added that “the Concordia administration should be ashamed of this act and should rectify it as soon as possible.”

A previous version of this article stated that Palestinian students were never contacted. The International Student Office (ISO) sent resources to 30 Palestinian students. The Link regrets this error.

With files from Maria Cholakova.

Students denounce double standard in Concordia’s Israel-Palestine statements: Separate emails leave students feeling “appalled” and “unsafe” by administration Read More »

Canadian Armenians advocate for community overseas: Armenian community in Canada reflects on ethnic cleansing in contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh

Local Journalism Initiative / The Link / October 25, 2023 / Julia Cieri

Art by Maral

Julia Cieri

Local Journalism Initiative

The contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a majoritarily Armenian inhabited enclave internationally recognized as a semi-autonomous part of Azerbaijan, is seeing most of its Armenian population flee following the Sept. 19 Azerbaijani assault in the area.

Over 100,000 refugees have fled from Artsakh to Armenia, most of which have had to go without essential supplies for days according to the United Nations refugee agency.

The Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh or Artsakh is a separatist ethnic-Armenian enclave within the borders of Azerbaijan. It was occupied by Armenia for decades before Azerbaijan won a fight in 2020 with the aid of the Turkish government and therefore gained the area as territory following the surrender of the Armenian government.

On Sept. 19, Azerbaijan launched a military operation on Nagorno-Karabakh labeled as an “anti-terrorist” campaign by the country’s defense ministry. Following the attack, over 200 people have been killed, leaving Nagorno-Karabakh with no choice but to capitulate due to their being overwhelmed with the Azerbaijan army.

Tensions between the two regions had already been running high due to the nine month blockade that went on beforehand, during which the importation of food was completely prevented.

Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) executive director and Ontarian of Armenian origin Sevag Belian explained that Nagorno-Karabakh was under total blockade before the events of Sept. 19 and that the people barely had any food, medicine, fuel and other basic necessities. “Not only these people were attacked, but ten months prior to that, they were being starved by Azerbaijan, and the media didn’t talk about it until the people were forcibly uprooted and we witnessed one of the worst refugee crises.”

Through the difficulties of her community overseas, Maral, who did not want to disclose her name for safety reasons, a student of Armenian descent at Concordia University expressed her commitment to raising awareness on the issue.”Personally for me, everything I do has to be for this cause right now, I can’t look away. I can’t distract myself, I can’t pretend it’s not there. I just can’t have normal conversations. I’m not gonna fake anything, I think people should know what’s happening.”

Maral shared her pain regarding the bombings from the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, that killed over 200 people. “When you feel that heart-to-heart connection to a land and then it’s being bombed, you kinda feel like you’re losing someone,” she said, “the first emotion I felt was why am I here in Montreal? Why am I not hurting with my people? I felt guilt and resentment and anger.”

Matthew Doramajian, an engineering student at Concordia, was born in Canada but has grandparents immigrated from western Armenia to Egypt and then Canada in the 1960s. He is also feeling deep sadness and hurt. “I feel my nation is my family so even though I’m so far away, it’s like my own family being violated.”

Although he feels this way, Doramajian is nonplussed about such events occurring. “It’s almost horrible to say, but it doesn’t surprise me. As bad as it is, there’s nothing us Armenians haven’t seen before,” he said. “Right now, I witness my brothers and sisters being massacred, just how my parents in the 80s and 90s also saw their brothers and sisters being massacred, just how my grandparents witnessed massacre as well. It’s continuous, we feel helpless; it’s not a comfortable feeling.”

Belian voiced his disappointment on the reactions happening on a global level. “The fact that 100 years later the Armenian people are once again witnessing the same thing brings a lot of frustration and outrage in us because the international community really didn’t take their responsibility to protect vulnerable populations seriously” he said. He continues,“there’s a sense of devastation, there’s a sense of haunting memories coming back and also a sense of anger and frustration that this all happened in the 21st century, a modern day genocide.”

Belian delved deeper into his perspective of the situation: “Forcing people to leave their land under pressure, it’s a form of genocide,” he said. “It deprives them of what they hold most dear to their heart, and that is their belonging, their spatial recognition, and their connection to the land that has been their indigenous land for millennia.”

Maral started a journey in activism, standing in protest in front of McGill University. She wore a traditional Armenian dress, a skirt called a taraz, and played Armenian music to bring awareness to the crisis overseas. “It was just this symbolism for pain and suffering. It was human, not just tied to culture, just like the human pain that comes with terrorism. It’s something else when you stand with your people.”

There are doubts by the Armenian community on whether mainstream media is properly covering the conflict. “We were covered by CBC news and anytime I said the word genocide, […] the news cut off the word,” Maral said. “I think it’s important for people to know who the aggressor is. The world seems to not want to be upfront about it.”

Belian explained that the media comes in only when an issue reaches a very critical point. “This sudden attention that we’re getting is like bringing flowers to someone’s funeral,” he said. “After everything is done, after all the damage is done, the media takes interest and starts talking about the misery of the population,” Belian said.

Doramajian believes interventions from international governments are essential to ignite change.

“In politics, it is not the crime that is important, it is who is doing it. If they are a threat, then countries will push for their crimes to be punished. If not, they don’t care,” he said.

Canadian Armenians advocate for community overseas: Armenian community in Canada reflects on ethnic cleansing in contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh Read More »

Police chase ends in crash, arrest for vehicle theft

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / October 25, 2023 / FREDERIC SERRE

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

Sûreté du Québec officers were kept busy earlier this week with a high-speed chase involving a stolen vehicle on Highway 40 in Vaudreuil-Dorion ended with a crash.

According to the SQ’s Vaudreuil-Soulanges East detachment, the vehicle being chased had been reported stolen. A 19-year-old was taken into custody. He faces charges of car theft and fleeing police. Additional charges, including reckless driving, obstruction and possession of a stolen vehicle, could be laid, said SQ spokesperson Valérie Beauchamp.

The drama unfolded Monday at about 4:45 a.m. when officers attempted to stop a speeding vehicle on westbound Highway 40 in Vaudreuil-Dorion. Instead of stopping, the driver continued speeding before losing control of the vehicle and striking another car. No injuries were reported.

A brief foot chase followed, but the fleeing suspect was quickly nabbed by SQ officers. Beauchamp said the young man was arrested and released, and will appear in court at a later date. The SQ did not say where the suspect resides.

Police chase ends in crash, arrest for vehicle theft Read More »

Old clock turns back time on a little piece of St. Lazare history

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / October 25, 2023 / JOSHUA ALLAN

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1019 Report

A little piece of St. Lazare history was put on display earlier this month when a clock believed to be more than a century old was put on display in the town’s new town hall.

The wooden clock originally hung on the wall of the St. Lazare train station, back in the day when the town was one of the stops along the passenger rail line that connected the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region with Montreal.

It “bears witness to a part of our town’s history,” said Anick Chevrier, vice-president of the St. Lazare Historical Society.

Built in 1887 along Duhamel Street off the eastern end of Ste. Angèlique Road, the St. Lazare station was one of the stops along the Canadian Pacific Railway line that ran between Montreal and Toronto. Passengers travelled the route up until the 1960s, when the line fell out of service.

In 1978, the decision was made to demolish the station. Nothing remains of it today, Chevrier said, except for a few artifacts that had been carefully preserved by its last station master, Gilles Chevrier (no relation).

These pieces, which include an oil lamp, a railway signal lamp and the station’s clock, had been kept as souvenirs by Gilles Chevrier. They were donated to the St. Lazare Historical Society following his death in 2016.

According to the historical society, the clock had been installed at the station around the same time of the building’s construction.

“So the clock is at least 136 years old,” Anick Chevrier told The 1019 Report.

The city has been enthusiastic about collaborating with the historical society and liked the idea of displaying the clock in the municipal council chamber.

“They found it to be an excellent idea that this beautiful artifact, a witness to our history and our heritage, be prominently displayed,” Chevrier said.

The clock’s new home allows it to be seen and appreciated by as many people as possible, she said, adding: “It’s all very well to promote our history and heritage, but if our things always remain in the stockroom downstairs, people won’t see them.”

As the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region has seen its population grow at a rate above the provincial average in recent years, Chevrier notes that many young people and newcomers are not aware that the town once had an active train station along the Canadian Pacific Railway.

“There are more and more residents who choose to settle in St. Lazare and who like living in St. Lazare, who have more and more curiosity to learn about how St. Lazare was 30, 50, 100 years ago,” she said.

The clock is accompanied by a plaque, giving vistors a little glimpse into the town’s past.

Old clock turns back time on a little piece of St. Lazare history Read More »

Family of SQ officer who died in LGH ER sues CIUSSS

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Chelsey St. Pierre

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The family of 77-year old Jacques Blais, a retired police officer who served with the Quebec provincial police (SQ) is suing a psychiatrist as well as the West Island health authority collectively for $310,000, claiming that they failed to prevent his death.

The family also claims that a “cover up” took place following the officer’s death, which happened in the Lakeshore General Hospital’s ER in 2019.

According to coroner Marie-Pierre Charland’s report, a psychiatrist at the Lakeshore knew without a doubt that the officer suffered from suicidal tendencies because at one point during his stay, Blais attempted to hang himself in the ER. The family only discovered the circumstances surrounding his death nine months later when they accessed the coroner’s report.

The psychiatrist who met with Blais on April 20, 2019 following the initial attempt that occurred in the ER noted that Blais posed a danger to himself and potentially to others. Despite these findings, Blais was left unattended in the ER for more than half a day.

Blais was then returned to the same cubical where he had attempted to commit suicide just 14 hours earlier.There, he finally did kill himself.

Seeing as the case is an active lawsuit, Hélène Bergeron-Gamache, a spokesperson for the CIUSSS wrote in a statement issued last week, that it cannot comment, however, condolences to the family were expressed. n

Family of SQ officer who died in LGH ER sues CIUSSS Read More »

New neighbourhood watch in DDO aids in 20% crime drop

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Chelsey St. Pierre

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A revamped neighbourhood watch program launched in the Laserres sector of Dollard-des-Ormeaux in 2013 has yielded positive results.

The program encourages community involvement and has the added benefit of strengthening the relationship between city officials and residents as well as residents with residents.

“Crime comes in pits and valleys. With eyes and boots on the ground, surges in certain areas tend to get cleared up very fast,” Bottausci told The Suburban “We are very quick to meet with neighbours and local patrol street captains in the event of crime escalation in the area.”

“Every once in a while you get a rash.” In 2013, Vesely set up the first watch program The program worked beautifully to the point where it only took a couple of days to clear the area of the ongoing break-ins.

The most recent set up took place in Westpark 2 years ago with vehicles being ransacked in residents’ parking lots.

Since that time, a major decline in that type of crime has been observed in the area.

Though general neighbourhood watch prevention programs have been prevalent in the West Island since the 70’s, Vesely’s structured programing using new-age technology has been cunsulted and adopted by other city officials and residents throughout the West Island municipalities.

According to an SPVM statistics report release in June 2023, there were 411 breaking and entering cases were reported in the West Island in 2022, compared to 506 in 2019.

The program relies mainly on two street captains hand picked by a city councilor throughout the door-to door recruitment process where the goal is to gain one-hundred participating homes per sector. “One-hundred homes means up to two-hundred sets of eyes,” Vesely explained. The team captains are made known to public security as they may be calling frequently representing an entire neighbourhood. The captains act as buffer, communicating minor issues to municipal patrol and major issues to police and municipal patrol. The watch group participants communicate amongst themselves and with the team captains with whatever form of technology they agree to use.

As part of the program, sign are erected around the neighbourhood to let residents and visitors know that the crime-watch is taking place during that period. Notes are sent out to homes in the sector and residents are advised to keep their outdoor lights on and memorize the address of the house(s) located behind their own.

According to Bottausci, break-ins reported in DDO hover around fifty per year over the last few years, representing less than 10% of break-ins reported in the West Island.

“Statistically year over year in total amounts happening on territory remains the same.”

Though the set up is a lengthy door to door process recruiting neighbours to participate, it pays off when a “rash” occurs. “With the program in place, I can have an entire area led by a team captain up and running in five minutes.” n

New neighbourhood watch in DDO aids in 20% crime drop Read More »

Police investigate another suspected arson in Dorval

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Chelsey St. Pierre

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Montreal police (SPVM) are investigating a suspected arson that occurred recently in the industrial sector of Dorval.

The fire department was called to a building located near the corner of Hymus Boulevard and André Avenue. Firefighters quickly managed to put out the fire and the SPVM arson squad was called to the site to investigate. Officers found traces of accelerant near the building.

According to authorities, the damage mainly affected the exterior of the building. The full extent of the damages is yet to be determined.

“Preliminary information suggests that the suspect or suspects fled before officers arrived,” SPVM spokesperson Sabrina Gauthier told The Suburban.

Officers set up a perimeter to contain the site. Investigators are reviewing footage from outdoor cameras in the area.

“We are reviewing the camera footage on site to better determine the circumstances surrounding the event.” Gauthier said.

A “molotov cocktail” was thrown at the building located at the same address on Sept. 8.

Last April, 10 tractor trucks parked on a lot at the same intersection were set on fire. n

Police investigate another suspected arson in Dorval Read More »

Baie D’Urfé tots gather for Truth and Reconciliation Day

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Chelsey St. Pierre

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Baie D’Urfé parents and toddlers gathered at the park in front of the lake across the street from Fritz Farm recently for National Truth and Reconciliation day.

“It’s tough to bring little ones to downtown Montreal. We keep it here and we keep it local and anyone who would like to join from neighbouring communities are always welcome,” Baie D’Urfé Mayor Heidi Ektvedt told The Suburban.

Ektvedt reached out to Baie D’Urfé resident Oana Silagui, who is commonly known in the neighbourhood for her initiatives in the community, particularly with creating innovative and unique activities for toddlers.

Silagui told The Suburban that she was pleased to host the event as it gives toddlers as well as their parents an opportunity to participate in a way that is possible for them at their stages in life. “It’s just so amazing to sit with the kids and read with the kids and hear their ideas.”

Baie D’Urfé Recreation Technician Megan Smith put together a craft activity for the event in which children, with the help of their parents, were encouraged to partake.

Pizza, beverages and snacks were served to participants.

Prizes from a name draw, including the book itself, were handed out at the end of the reading.

“We share culture and we share a connection and to me there is no better way than storytelling,” Silagui said.

Baie D’Urfé tots gather for Truth and Reconciliation Day Read More »

HIGH GAS PRICES: Nathalie Normandeau suggests a private bill to CAQ MNA’s in Gaspésie

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gaspé Spec / October 25, 2023

PASPÉBIAC – Former Deputy Premier and Member of the National Assembly for Bonaventure, Nathalie Normandeau, is now denouncing the high profit margins taken by gas stations in the Gaspé Peninsula region.

“The margins that retailers are taking on each litre of gasoline sold in the Gaspésie are a scandal. It’s outright a rip-off,” states Ms. Normandeau unequivocally during her weekly appearance on Intersection Program at CHNC on October 17.

On the evening of October 19, retailers in the Gaspé, Chandler and Paspébiac sectors raised the price of a litre of gasoline from $1.68 to $1.75.

However, data from the Energy Board (Régie de l’énergie) indicates no variation justifying such a price.

CAA Québec estimated the average price in Gaspésie to be $1.69.

The former politician proposes to CAQ (Coalition avenir Québec) MNAs in the Gaspésie to introduce a private bill in the National Assembly.

“They could very well introduce a very very short bill that would contain provisions to cap the margins that retailers can take for each litre of gasoline sold in the Gaspé,” suggests Ms. Normandeau.

“I think this would be a very convincing way of taking action, and it would be much quicker than the Competition Bureau, which often takes years to conduct its investigations and deliver the results of its inquiries,” she continues.

“Will they have the political courage to do it? Will they have the political will to do it? That’s another matter,” challenges Ms. Normandeau.

Resolution in Rocher-Percé

The mayors of the Rocher-Percé MRC are also getting involved in the debate by adopting a resolution on October 18 denouncing high gasoline prices.

“Sometimes the price is much higher in the Rocher-Percé MRC than in other regions of Quebec and even in the Gaspé. We want the government to address this situation and provide answers,” says Prefect Samuel Parisé. According to him, the Competition Bureau and the Energy Board need to get involved.

“I don’t think it’s normal for my citizens to pay more than people elsewhere in Quebec,” adds the prefect.

“In every meeting I have with residents, I talk about housing, childcare services, and gasoline prices. These are the priorities for our MRC,” says the elected official.

The mayor of Gaspé, Daniel Côté, is not giving up the battle, having launched the fight in 2019.

“There is a price control that seems very clear to me. It’s certain that sitting in an office in Ottawa, you will never find the problem in the Gaspé,” he says, commenting on the letter received by the CAQ Members of the National Assembly for the Gaspé from the Competition Bureau, which, in a way, asked for some evidence of collusion in the gasoline market in the region.

HIGH GAS PRICES: Nathalie Normandeau suggests a private bill to CAQ MNA’s in Gaspésie Read More »

A tourist season beyond expectations

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gaspé Spec / October 25, 2023

MONT-JOLI – The 2023 summer tourist season in Gaspésie exceeded expectations.

In the spring, Tourisme Gaspésie expected a slowdown in the number of visitors after three busy summers marked by significant measures restricting travel outside the province.

But this was not the case, as the vacation intentions of Quebecers were expected to decline combined with the resumption of international travel, the slow resumption of arrivals of international tourists, and inflation.

“We actually thought it would be lower than last year but, at the moment, in terms of overnight stays in the region, it’s a little higher. However, we haven’t compiled September’s figures. We’ll have more accurate data at the end of October,” explains the director, Joëlle Ross.

According to preliminary data at this time, for the months of May to August, approximately 487,000 visitors came to the Gaspé Peninsula, which could represent an increase of 6.7% compared to 2022 and 6.24% compared to 2019.

Occupancy rates for July and August are slightly down but the organization has noted an increase in available units, which distorts the data.

To assess the variation in actual visitors, Tourisme Gaspésie focuses on occupied units where increases have been observed.

Thus, May records an increase of 18.3%, June 4.2%, July 6.9% and August 4.4%.

According to a survey of tourism businesses, more than 80% of them view the season positively and the main concern of businesses is inflation and rising operating costs.

Visitor behaviour is changing

“We’re honouring our favourite tourist region, but we’re not going out as much as before to eat, we’re doing fewer activities, and we’re going to museums less, which is why it’s a bit harder for these activities. We’re probably going to the grocery stores more and doing our own thing, which means that people have come, but they haven’t travelled in the same usual way,” analyses the director.

Regarding the restaurant sector, Ms. Ross notes that the labour shortage means that some restaurants have to restrict their activities.

“In terms of visitors, we’re going to have more of the same, but in terms of economic spin-offs, we’re certainly going to be down,” expects Ms. Ross.

Last year, 570,000 visitors came to the region between May and September, generating around $340 million in economic spinoffs.

“Quebecers are still fond of the Gaspé, and those who discovered the Gaspé during the COVID years were happy with their stay and are coming back to see us again. Customers from outside the region have started to come back. This allows us to stretch out the season. September should be very good, and May started quite early,” she mentions.

From March to October, Tourisme Gaspésie has invested more than $700,000 to promote the destination to Quebecers and the population of the Maritimes.

A full report will be presented at the Gaspésie Tourism Industry Symposium (Colloque de l’industrie touristique de la Gaspésie) in Matane on November 22 and 23.

Preparations for the winter tourist season are well under way.

“And soon we will be working on our spring campaign, which is our biggest campaign of the year,” concludes Ms. Ross.

A tourist season beyond expectations Read More »

Electoral map: the National Assembly reconsidering the proposed merger of the Bonaventure and Gaspé ridings

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gaspé Spec / October 25, 2023

GASPÉ – The National Assembly is speaking with one voice in asking the Electoral Representation Commission to reconsider its recommendation to merge the ridings of Gaspé and Bonaventure.

A motion was filed by the Member of the National Assembly for Magdalen Islands, Joël Arseneau, jointly with the Member of the National Assembly for Bonaventure, Catherine Blouin, on October 17 at the National Assembly in Quebec City.

The motion requests that the National Assembly take note of the commission’s proposal to merge the electoral divisions of Gaspé and Bonaventure into a new electoral division that would stretch from the Plateaux de la Matapédia to Grande-Vallée.

The motion emphasizes the vastness of the territory, its remoteness, the length of distances to be travelled, and the dispersion of the entire population of this region. It argues that such a vast territory would further distance citizens from their representatives and would affect the quality of services offered in the constituency offices, and could not adequately reflect the many regional characteristics of this riding.

It concludes by pointing out that any loss of political weight suffered by our Quebec regions jeopardizes the democratic health of our nation.

The motion was adopted unanimously by the parliamentarians present.

The MNA for Matane-Matapédia, Pascal Bérubé, requests that the motion be transmitted to the Chief Electoral Officer.

This is another action taken by the MNAs in connection with the proposed electoral map reform submitted on September 19.

The commission proposes annexing Haute-Gaspésie to the expanded electoral division of Matane-Matapédia and grouping the MRCs of Côte-de-Gaspé, Rocher-Percé, Bonaventure, and Avignon into the new riding of Gaspé-Bonaventure, which would result in a loss of one seat for the Gaspésie in the National Assembly.

The delimitation exercise involves dividing Quebec into 125 electoral divisions of approximately 51,000 electors who have, as much as possible, common characteristics.

The Election Act stipulates that an electoral division can have up to 25% more or fewer voters than the average. Thus, the minimum must be 38,021, and the maximum 63,368.

As of April 30, Bonaventure had 35,898 voters, and Gaspé 30,131, far below the minimum threshold. The respective differences were -29.2% and -40.6%.

Gaspé thus ranked third among the least populous electoral divisions, behind the Magdalen Islands, which has exceptional status, and Ungava.

The commission will hear from the public on October 24 in Gaspé and has added a public hearing on October 26 in New Richmond following pressure from the MNA for Bonaventure and the minister responsible for Gaspésie, Maïté Blanchette Vézina.

The MNA for Gaspé, Stéphane Sainte-Croix, and his colleague from Bonaventure will appear before the commission, as will several municipal elected officials.

Electoral map: the National Assembly reconsidering the proposed merger of the Bonaventure and Gaspé ridings Read More »

The political battle for a new emergency department at Maria Hospital has begun

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gaspé Spec / October 25, 2023

CARLETON-SUR-MER – Pressure is mounting on the government of Quebec to initiate the modernization of the emergency department at Maria Hospital, as the Avignon and Bonaventure MRCs and the municipalities served by the hospital centre will be called upon to adopt a resolution to that effect.

Municipal officials will follow in the lead of the board of directors of the CISSS de la Gaspésie, which adopted a resolution on September 28 to have the renovation included in the Quebec Infrastructure Plan (Plan québécois des infrastructures) this fall.

“It’s a priority for the Avignon MRC. It’s also a priority for the CISSS. The Bonaventure MRC is on board too. What we want is a new emergency department and intensive care unit. The needs are undeniable,” explains the prefect of the Avignon MRC, Mathieu Lapointe.

“The file is complete. It’s in Quebec City. We want the project to be included in the PQI (Programme québécois d’infrastructures), the investment plan of the Quebec government,” says the prefect.

“We now know that it’s at the political level that this project will move forward. All the municipalities that have Maria as their referral hospital will be asked to adopt a resolution to request a complete refurbishment of the emergency department and intensive care unit in the coming weeks,” adds Mr. Lapointe.

The project has been on the table since 2018.

“It really is time. Even the premier said so when he came (to Carleton-sur-Mer in July 2020), and Minister Dubé (Christian, Minister of Health) also visited the facilities last year. Everyone is aware of the dilapidated state of the facilities. It’s a priority for the CISSS de la Gaspésie,” adds Mr. Lapointe.

He cites narrow corridors, a lack of confidentiality during care, and the fact that the emergency department and intensive care are not physically adjacent as examples.

It took 20 years for the reconstruction project of the Gaspé hospital emergency department to become a reality in July 2021.

“We’ve been calling for a new hospital, a new emergency department and intensive care unit for several years now. All the work and the arguments are done. We’re really at the political stage,” says the prefect, who received a visit from the president of the board of directors of the CISSS, Richard Loiselle, the same person who had the board of directors adopt a resolution to urge Quebec to act.

In brief, the resolution requested that the Board of Directors and its president take steps to ensure that the Maria emergency project is included in the PQI this fall, and to take steps to obtain strategic support to ensure that the project was recognized as a regional priority.

At the time, Mr. Loiselle indicated that the process could allow for intervention with political authorities, considering “that this project is highly strategic for the quality of healthcare for people using the Maria hospital”.

The chief executive officer (CEO) and President of the CISSS, Martin Pelletier, had withdrawn from the debate since, as a voting member of the Board of Directors, he did not want to be in a conflict of interest regarding his functions.

Mr. Pelletier had brought this priority to the forefront upon taking office in May 2022.

He had initiated the file when he was the Director of Technical Services during the creation of the CISSS in April 2015.

The political battle for a new emergency department at Maria Hospital has begun Read More »

Competition Bureau is reluctant to investigate gas prices

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gaspé Spec / October 25, 2023

GASPÉ – Despite the Competition Bureau’s reluctance to investigate gas prices in the Gaspé region, the Coalition avenir Quebec (CAQ) Members of the National Assembly from the region will rekindle their efforts with the federal agency in light of a letter that does not convince them.

In a letter responding to the one sent in September by the MNAs for Bonaventure, Catherine Blouin, and Gaspé, Stéphane Sainte-Croix, the bureau asked the elected officials for evidence of anti-competitive behaviour before launching an investigation.

“I must confess that I am surprised by this response. I consider that the role of an MNA is not to provide evidence, but to bring forward elements that seem relevant or worrying so that the authorities concerned can do their job,” said the MNA for Gaspé in reaction to the letter sent by Acting Deputy Commissioner Pierre-Yves Guay.

“We will communicate again with the stakeholders to express our surprise at this response, and we will continue to make representations because we still feel that we do not have the answers that will enable us to understand the cost discrepancies. We don’t think it’s any more acceptable today than it was yesterday,” says Stéphane Sainte-Croix.

The Acting Deputy Commissioner wrote of the concerns expressed by the elected officials that “these differences are not necessarily indicative of anti competitive behaviour,” explaining several reasons to justify his response, adding that maintaining competition in the gasoline sector is a priority for the bureau.

“We always come to the conclusion, after several years, that the Gaspé region is subject to cost differentials that appear questionable compared to the entire territory. This is still the case today. This situation has been going on for some time now,” analyzes Mr. Sainte-Croix.

“We’ve reported enough indicators in recent years that we found it rather strange. There are one or more things we don’t understand, and we’re going to ask for more work to be done,” continues the elected official.

In September, Catherine Blouin and Stéphane Sainte-Croix had enclosed with their letter to the Competition Bureau the 2019 Gaspé gasoline price surveillance report drawn up by the Régie de l’énergie.

In the document produced on December 19, 2019, the Régie wrote that the margin was 9.4 cents per litre in 2019 in the region, compared with 4.8 cents in Quebec.

The Régie also noted that between 2014 and 2019, the Gaspésie was, in 19% of cases, the region with the highest price in Quebec. For 2019, the percentage rose to 34%.

For the last six months of 2019, the price of gasoline in the Gaspésie region was the highest of all the regions of Quebec, except for Northern Quebec due to its special status.

In the document, the Régie noted that the cost of transporting fuel to the Gaspésie is higher than in the major centres, but the region benefits from a tax credit to offset this factor. Net, the estimated minimum price level for Gaspésie, “should be similar to that of the entire Quebec area”, noted the organization.

The Régie concluded its 35-page report by stating that “ it cannot conclude that higher gasoline prices in the Gaspésie region are caused by specific parametres establishing acquisition costs significantly higher than in the rest of the province”.

“Although the Bureau is not responsible for regulating gasoline prices – a provincial responsibility – it does oversee the application of the Competition Act,” continues Mr. Guay.

Since 1997, the Régie has had a mandate to establish a minimum price at which a retailer cannot sell gasoline lower than. This has been called the “estimated minimum price,” an exercise that the organization carries out every day on the basis of the price of crude oil.

The Régie calculates the cost of acquisition at the refinery, the cost of transportation and the various federal and provincial taxes to establish the daily indicator of the cost of acquisition, which becomes the estimated minimum price.

If a retailer sold below this estimated price, other retailers could take legal action against their competitors who were engaging in abusive practices.

More than 25 years later, it might be appropriate to review the mandate of the Régie.

“I think we could take this opportunity to review certain aspects of pricing. Too often we talk about the transport associated with the resource, but there are compensation mechanisms, so that shouldn’t be part of the equation. There are undoubtedly other reasons why the situation persists. It would be appropriate to review, if necessary, the mechanisms by which costs are set,” cautiously suggests Mr. Sainte-Croix.

Competition Bureau is reluctant to investigate gas prices Read More »

The Marinard plant rumoured to be bought by E. Gagnon et Fils

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gaspé Spec / October 25, 2023

GASPÉ – The Marinard shrimp processing plant in Rivière-au-Renard is reportedly on the verge of being sold.

The information has been circulating for several weeks now in the industry, with discussions said to be nearing completion between E. Gagnon et Fils of Sainte-Thérèse-de-Gaspé and Daley Seafoods of Newfoundland and Labrador, which had announced the acquisition of the company on December 20, 2021.

For the time being, the Vice President of E. Gagnon et Fils, Bill Sheehan, refuses to comment on the state of negotiations when contacted by The Gaspé Spec, however, it has been learned that it is only a matter of days before everything is finalized.

“In the current context, where there probably wouldn’t be enough shrimp to run three processing plants in Quebec, and with what is currently happening at Rivière-au-Renard, we can’t be against it. E. Gagnon et Fils seems to have a clear idea of what it wants to do with the Marinard plant. E. Gagnon et Fils is probably one of the groups best placed to ensure the continuity of operations,” cautiously comments Patrice Element, the director of the Quebec Shrimp Fishermen’s Office.

The mayor of Gaspé has heard the rumours circulating. “It’s reassuring to see that there could be a change of hands, that regional interests could take control of Marinard. It could be interesting. I’m not in the habit of commenting on rumours but, as this is a huge potential transaction, I’m looking favourably on it,” says Daniel Côté, who has not had contact with potential buyers.

Faced with the current shrimp crisis, the mayor believes that the company could be more sensitive to workers.

“Could it diversify? Could it look elsewhere? This regional sensitivity in terms of shareholding will certainly help us find a solution to get our people working and find a solution to the current crisis,” says Mr. Côté.

Marinard had suspended operations on September 1 due to a shortage of shrimp for processing, leaving about 150 employees without income.

The Marinard plant rumoured to be bought by E. Gagnon et Fils Read More »

Quebec midwives mobilizing against ‘Bill 15’ this weekend

Local Journalism Initiative / The West Quebec Post / October 25, 2023 / Djeneba Dosso

Djeneba Dosso

Midwives throughout Quebec will be gathering in the streets of Montreal, Sherbrooke, Quebec

City, Carleton-sur-Mer and Gaspé at 2:00 pm on Sunday, Oct ober 22 to contest the medical

subservience of midwifery.

Bill 15 was first tabled by Health Minister Christian Dubé in spring 2023 in the form of a

voluminous piece of legislation consisting of roughly 300 pages. The bill, which would change

more than 30 laws in the province, would also come with the creation of a new health

management organization titled ‘Santé Qu é bec’ under the purpose of making “the health-care

system more efficient.” If the bill is passed, Santé Quebec will aim to promote better

collaboration between professionals within the health-care network by overseeing all day-to-day

operations in hospitals and similar facilities. While the intention was to lift the burden on doctors

and to allow for more mobility with staff, over 10,000 midwives and health-care professionals

across Quebec have voiced their discontentment in an open letter.

“The year 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the legalization of midwifery in Quebec and its

integration into the health – care network,” read the public address. “This legalization was the fruit

of many years of struggle for the recognition of this essential profession that centred on women’s

freedom of decision. Women have long demanded to be able to choose their place of birth, to

choose the type of care they wish to receive throughout their pregnancy, during childbirth and in

the weeks following.”The letter expressed that the tabling of this bill without the consultation of midwives and their

clients feels like a step backward, which undermines “the very foundations on which the

profession was built and developed.”

Midwives, who value longer appointments with expecting mothers, deciding between pregnancy

diabetes screenings or ultrasounds and experiencing birth at home or in birthing centres, feel this

bill will impact the autonomous nature of midwifery.

“These and other choices are now under threat,” stated the call to action. “Placing midwives

under the supervision of other professionals who practice in a different and distinct paradigm of

care will encourage the growth of a pathological approach to pregnancy and childbirth.”

In response to the outcry and as part of the health-care reform project, Québec Solidaire deputy

Vincent Marissal tabled a motion in the National Assembly on May 5, 2023, to ask the

government “ to ensure that Bill 15 continues to guarantee these front-line professionals their

autonomy of practice.” Adding that Quebec should recognize that midwives have shown their

ability to “organize their services in collaboration with other professionals and with families and

communities,” in the course of the last two decades.

The gatherings on Oct ober 22 are intended to be festive, familial, and peaceful. Children will be

welcome and encouraged to come with sidewalk chalk, percussion instruments, and snacks.

Volunteer face painters will be present to decorate the faces of those who are interested. Throughout the afternoon, guest speakers, public personalities and organizers will voice their

concerns on Bill 15. Midwives will also be present to share their testimonies.

As the thorough study of the 1,100-article bill continues, midwives, health professionals and civil

society organizations continue to fight for its reform.

Locations for gathering in each city.

Montreal: 772 Sherbrooke Ouest

Quebec City: 758 Grande-Allée Est

Carleton-sur-Mer: 597-D boul. Perron

Gaspé: 179 Montée Wakeham (Berceau du Canada)

With notes from Mary Baskin and Lily Ryan

Quebec midwives mobilizing against ‘Bill 15’ this weekend Read More »

Gaspé Peninsula nurses overwhelmingly vote 97% for a strike

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gaspé Spec / October 25, 2023

MARIA – In a resounding call for change, Gaspé Peninsula nurses have delivered a powerful message to the government of Quebec by voting overwhelmingly at 97% in favour of an unlimited general strike.

Since September 18, members of the Union of Nurses, Auxiliary Nurses and Respiratory Therapists from Eastern Quebec have voted throughout the Gaspésie territory, signaling their readiness to employ this significant measure during negotiations with the Quebec Government.

President of the union, Pier-Luc Bujold, articulates the frustrations stating, “What the government wants to do with its clawback offers in the pension system is impoverish the seniors of tomorrow and force people to work longer before obtaining their retirement. Salary offers of 9% over five years do not hold water when we know that the inflation forecast over the next five years is 16.4%. It’s laughing at people working in the health sector.”

Mr. Bujold underscores the critical need for increased funding to address the shortage in the health network and improve working conditions. This should lead the government of Quebec to release additional funding envelopes to keep people in the network.

“To improve working conditions, both in terms of work-family balance, adjustment of schedules, staff-patient ratio or mandatory overtime, it takes solid investments to retain people in this sector and attract people and it is not the peanuts the government is proposing that will consolidate health services in the Gaspé Peninsula,” analyzes Mr. Bujold.

He notes that current proposals fall short and fail to prioritize the frontline workers who have been the “guardian angels” during the pandemic.

While light pressure tactics, such as wearing negotiation sweaters, are already in play, Mr. Bujold assures that the strike will unfold “in the coming weeks.”

From a regional perspective, the union calls for the Gaspé Peninsula to be recognized as a remote area, acknowledging the unique challenges it faces in attracting and retaining health professionals.

“The highly significant difficulties of attraction and retention compared to the distances with large centres must be recognized once and for all to consolidate our workforce in Gaspé Peninsula,” states Mr. Bujold.

Addressing the government’s intention to end the use of agencies in the health network by October 2026 in the Gaspé Peninsula, the union demands the return of funds paid to agencies to enhance the conditions of regular staff.

“There are double standards at the level of salaries in the private sector versus the public and regarding working conditions. The government has announced that it wants to eradicate the independent workforce, but all benefits that have been paid in recent years must return to the public network,” declares Pier-Luc Bujold.

“We are seeing more and more service disruptions. Everything must be consolidated to provide care in quantity and quality in the region for the coming decades,” concludes Mr. Bujold.

As Gaspé Peninsula nurses voiced their concerns about working conditions over the last three years including compulsory overtime, salaries and the use of agency nurses.

The Union of Nurses, Practical Nurses and Respiratory Therapists of Eastern Quebec (SIIIEQ-CSQ) declares that all healthcare professionals in Gaspésie are on the brink of a strike. Since September 18, the members represented by the SIIIEQ-CSQ were invited to voting assemblies throughout the Gaspé region.

“With a 97% vote in favour of an indefinite general strike, it is a clear message that our members sent us. Enough is enough!” explains Pier-Luc Bujold, president of SIIIEQ-CSQ.

(With the collaboration of Gilles Gagné)

Gaspé Peninsula nurses overwhelmingly vote 97% for a strike Read More »

SPVM cracks down on school zone driving offences

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Chelsey St. Pierre

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Montreal Police (SPVM) handed out 6,246 tickets to drivers as part of its “Back to school 2023” operation that took place from August 28 to September 22.

Photo radar surveillance operations in school zones also took place during which 1,675 offenses were ticketed in 119 hours of operations counting just over five percent of all vehicles captured. “The safety of all road users is a constant priority throughout the year. The start of the school year is obviously a highlight because in addition to ensuring the safety of little ones, we sometimes have to call to order those who have lost certain safety reflexes during the summer period,” SPVM Road Safety Section Chief Stéphane Desroches said. The 2023 school year also saw 1,180 prevention activities taking place in the 29 SPVM neighbourhood station sectors, reaching more than 3,000 people. To further improve safety awareness in school sectors, the SPVM also launched their “living radar” project this year to address the dangers of excessive speed in school zones. The project relies on the participation of students at the start of the school year. A total of 6,246 violations were ticketed, 285 double fines related to school zone speeding, 2,144 for speeding outside, but in proximity to the zone, 93 for failure to stop for intermittent red lights on a school bus and 3,724 “other offences” within and surrounding the school-zone safety project.

SPVM cracks down on school zone driving offences Read More »

CSL increases patrols, urges vigilance

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Joel Goldenberg

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The City of Côte St. Luc, which has a large Jewish community, has increased security patrols and is urging vigilance in light of the horrific Hamas terrorist attack in Israel.

In 2021, Aymane Boushaba and Jawad Jawad threatened Jewish community members in Côte St. Luc during that year’s conflict between Israel and Hamas, which was dwarfed by this fall’s war as some 1,300 Israelis were slaughtered by members of the terrorist group.

CSL detailed last week that the city has “increased patrols by Public Security agents around community buildings and met with community officials and police. The Montreal police department (SPVM) has also increased its patrols and is fully aware of security concerns and is taking the appropriate action.

“We understand that the Jewish community in CSL is feeling worried for their safety,” a city statement adds. “The City of CSL’s main priority in the coming days and weeks will be on security issues. The Jewish community does not stand alone at this difficult time.”

CSL also passed on advice from the SPVM:

• “If you see something suspicious, or are the victim of intimidation, call 9-1-1 immediately.”

• “The 9-1-1 phone service is the only way to get information to police quickly.”

• “The police have the resources and expertise to analyze your information, piece it together with other information.”

• “The police will share important information with Côte Saint-Luc Public Security.”

• “If you have video footage or photos of something suspicious, you can e-mail it to the SPVM Poste de Quartier 9 at pdq9@spvm.qc.ca. But you should call 9-1-1 first.”

CSL increases patrols, urges vigilance Read More »

Another multiple arson of vehicles in St. Laurent

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Joel Goldenberg

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The latest of many car fires in St. Laurent over the past year took place around 2:45 a.m. Sunday Oct. 15. This time, three cars were set on fire on Claude-Henri Grignon near Jean-Gascon Street.

Previously in that area, in September 2021, gunfire was heard, at Jean-Gascon near Felix Leclerc.

Police believe the latest incident was arson, and the SPVM’s arson squad is now investigating. One person was seen running from the area. There were no injuries.

The last car fires in St. Laurent took place within hours of each other in August, at a parking lot at Côte Vertu and Marcel-Laurin — the area includes a mini-mall and a gas station; and in the parking lot of a building at Wright near Benjamin-Hudon, near the Metropolitan in the southwestern section of the borough, across from Town of Mount Royal.

There have been many fires set in St. Laurent in the past year, including those set at Arab-owned businesses. A special police squad was set up to investigate these fires earlier this year.

A previous arson attack in St. Laurent was in early June, at a business at Lebeau near Gince in St. Laurent, where four vehicles were considered to be a total loss. An incendiary object was found at that scene.

In late May, an arson attack took place at a business at Montée de Liesse near Côte de Liesse, in the western sector of the borough. In that case, the window of the business was broken, but no incendiary devices were found. The fire, which caused minor damage, was quickly brought under control.

Other arsons included one May 9 at McCaffrey; six cars destroyed by fire around 11:25 p.m. April 26 at Lebeau near the Metropolitan Expressway, in the southeastern section of the borough; the Bab Sharqi restaurant targeted several times, another fire in mid-March at Bois Franc and Miniac, and two others Feb. 16 and March 7 at businesses near Montée de Liesse. n

Another multiple arson of vehicles in St. Laurent Read More »

ASM condemns Hamas atrocities and its local rallies

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Joel Goldenberg

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Association of Suburban Municipalities, comprised of the demerged Montreal island cities and towns, has condemned the Hamas atrocities carried out against Israel. In a statement the ASM wrote,”The assaults perpetrated by Hamas are horrifying and shocking. Such atrocity and violence are completely unacceptable and must be condemned. They go against the peace and safety of all people living in the area.”

Men, women, children were mutilated and murdered, including beheadings, women were raped and more than 100 people were kidnapped and are being held in Gaza,

The statement added that the terrorist group “is destroying all hope and effort for a calm and wise path towards security and prosperity in the region. It is doing a disservice to the people it claims to defend, but rather promotes the interests of terrorist regimes and forces that have their own agenda.

“The disturbing images that we have seen in recent days – and which unfortunately continue to surface by the hour – have affected us deeply. We are devastated for all the children, families and civilians impacted by this pain, terror, and violence. These acts of horror and terror must be denounced.”

The ASM also declared that it stands in solidarity “with our friends and neighbors who are upset by the large-scale terrorist attacks that have taken place in Israel.

“We condemn the heinous and violent acts of aggression perpetrated by Hamas on innocent human beings, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families. We must also denounce the rallies that took place last weekend and celebrated the murder of innocent human beings. This is unacceptable! Our priority now is to support affected residents and families, and to keep the peace within our own communities.”

The ASM includes Montreal West, Côte St. Luc, Hampstead, Westmount, Kirkland, Pointe Claire, Town of Mount Royal, Dollard des Ormeaux, Beaconsfield, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Dorval, Dorval Island, Baie D’Urfé, Sennevile and Montreal East.

ASM condemns Hamas atrocities and its local rallies Read More »

Christian Coalition for Israel rallies at Place du Canada

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Chelsey St. Pierre

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A gathering led by Dr.Paul Saba’s Christian Coalition for Israel was held on Sunday at Place du Canada Park in downtown Montreal. Dr.Saba is the founder of Physicians for Social Justice. Religious leaders and concerned citizens spoke out in solidarity with the Jewish community following the terrorist attacks led by Hamas last week on innocent Israeli citizens as well as Canadian and American visitors to the country.

Prayers, songs and reflections took place throughout the two-hour gathering. Dozens of participants wore Christian Coalition for Israel t-shirts designed with a dove and Star of David intertwined signifying peace and solidarity with Israel.

“If you remain silent in the face of evil, then you are accepting and condoning evil. I cannot remain silent when I see evil acts committed,” Dr. Saba said. “I believe every life is valuable and Jewish lives deserve to be protected and the state of Israel must be defended.”

Remembrances were shared of five Canadians that were confirmed dead as of Sunday afternoon including 33-year old Montrealer Alexandre Look who was brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists while attending a music festival.

The “Our Father” prayer was led by Montreal artist Lisa Hanash and recited by the majority of attendees. “Israel and the Jewish people need our support, our intercession, they need our prayers.” Pastor Jacques Isaac Gabizon told the crowd as he led them into prayer.

“Who kidnaps an 85-year old woman, who kidnaps a baby, who burns babies, who does that?” Rabbi Reuben Poupko exhorted. “Evil flourishes when good people are silent. We are not silent. We want peace but unfortunately there are some people who do not want that and that’s what we are united to stand up against.”

Several masked men waving Palestinian flags appeared across the street shouting anti-Israel slogans at the Christian Coalition gatherers. Montreal police intervened as one of the men crossed the road and began filming the crowd, approaching attendees in a provocative and intimidating manner.

Christian Coalition for Israel rallies at Place du Canada Read More »

Work begins on new West Island Viger seniors residence

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Chelsey St. Pierre

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The official groundbreaking of the new Denis-Benjamin-Viger seniors residence took place last week in Pierrefonds. This project is one of the 2,400 CHSLDs that are slated to undergo renovations or reconstruction over the coming years. The dilapidated CHSLDs will gradually be rebuilt into seniors’ homes with improved features in terms of functionality, safety, comfort, atmosphere, as well as infection prevention and control.

The MNA for Anjou-Louis-Riel Karine Boivin-Roy was present at the groundbreaking on behalf of the Minister responsible for Seniors Sonia Bélanger. “I share the community’s pride in knowing that the work will begin shortly. Soon, residents will be able to discover this new, more adapted living environment in which they will be able to flourish. By transforming CHSLDs into seniors’ homes, our government is demonstrating that it is attentive to the needs of communities. Thank you to the teams who contribute to the realization of this project,” Boivin-Roy said.

According to the Office of the Minister for Health and Seniors, the work currently underway is expected to be completed by winter 2025-2026. Residents of the existing Denis-Benjamin-Viger accommodation centre in Île-Bizard, deemed to be dilapidated, will be moved into the new building in Pierrefonds-Roxboro that will also serve Dollard-des-Ormeaux upon completion of the project.

The new residence will accommodate 192 occupants and will include individual rooms with adapted toilets and showers.

“The start of work on this new seniors’ home is an important step for the population of western Montreal. We will offer residents a warm environment, where the organization of care and services is focused on their needs. Seniors deserve the best. This is why our government is continuing to transform now dilapidated facilities into places of accommodation where the quality of the living environment is the priority,” Sonia Bélanger, Minister responsible for Seniors and Minister for Health said.

Assisting in the groundbreaking were Brigitte Garceau, MNA for Robert-Baldwin; Jim Beis, Mayor of Pierrefonds-Roxboro; Alex Bottausci, Mayor of Dollard-Des-Ormeaux; Jean-François Miron, CEO of CIUSSS West Island; and Marie-Ève Gaudreau, Political Advisor. n

Work begins on new West Island Viger seniors residence Read More »

EMSB calls terror attacks on Israel ‘horrifying’ and lowers flags

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Joel Ceausu

Joel Ceausu – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Following the terrorist attacks which occurred in Israel during the weekend of October 7, Quebec’s largest school board is extending condolences to the families who lost loved ones.

“What we saw happening in Israel was horrifying and shocking,” stated the English Montreal School Board Chair Joe Ortona. “On behalf of the EMSB Council of Commissioners, I pray for all the victims and we can only hope that any hostages are found soon and return home safely. Deliberately targeting civilians is a war crime and is never justified.”

The EMSB has lowered flags at all of its buildings to half-mast.

These attacks can trigger a range of emotions, anxiety and, especially for younger students, lots of questions and confusion, said Ortona, adding some students and staff may need extra support “in the days and weeks ahead as they witness terrible images of war and atrocities in the media… The Board’s Student Services Department has provided documentation to each school containing strategies and resources that can be used to discuss this tragedy in classrooms where appropriate and necessary.

“The EMSB has students and staff of all faiths and a zero tolerance for any acts of hatred and racism. We always ensure that our schools are inclusive spaces where everyone, whatever their race, whatever their religion, is welcome and feels safe.”

Just last week the EMSB adopted a resolution calling on the Quebec government to make Holocaust education a mandatory part of the curriculum. For a number of years, EMSB schools have been visiting the Montreal Holocaust Museum to learn more about genocide, activities that will continue next week when students from John F. Kennedy High School spend a morning there.

EMSB calls terror attacks on Israel ‘horrifying’ and lowers flags Read More »

Montrealer’s Israeli cousin is sixth Canadian killed in Hamas slaughter

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Joel Goldenberg

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Family members, including Montrealer Oran Zlotnick, were worried about their Canadian relative Tiferet Lapidot, 23, who was at the music festival near the Gaza border that was attacked by Hamas terrorists Oct. 7.

Some 260 people were killed at that festival. As of Oct. 14, more than 1,300 Israelis had been killed from the surprise Hamas attack and thousands more wounded.

The Israeli government, using geolocating technology, determined Lapidot’s phone was in Gaza.

Tuesday morning the Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly confirmed that Tiferet had died. While technically not a Canadian citizen, because her parents are Canadians and she would have been eligible for Canadian citizenship if they’d filed the requisite paperwork, Joly’s office said the federal government is counting Lapidot’s death as a Canadian death. It is believed she was taken hostage during the Hamas attacks at the Nova music festival and was killed in captivity.

Zlotnick’s family had last heard that she was hiding in a bush from the rampaging terrorists, who were senselessly cutting people down as they ran away. She was not found in the area by the Israelis.

Lapidot’s father, Ohad, released a video asking the Canadian government to find his daughter, saying her family cannot sleep. The other Canadians confirmed dead are: 21-year-old Netta Epstein, 22-year-old Shir Georgy, 22-year-old Ben Mizrachi, 33-year-old Alexandre Look and 33-year-old Adi Vital-Kaploun. n

Montrealer’s Israeli cousin is sixth Canadian killed in Hamas slaughter Read More »

Ten days of Halloween at SADB Ecomuseum

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Halloween activities at the Ecomuseum Zoo will begin early this year on Oct. 21 through to Oct. 31.

They will start with presentations on the Wood Turtle followed by Halloween special enrichments for the animals and an escape game entitled “Rescue Mission”. All activities are included in zoo admission tickets throughout the 10-days of festivities.

Participants are invited to help the Research and Conservation team find a lost password to save the Wood Turtle from ending up in the disappeared species cemetery. This escape game aims to educate participants about this vulnerable species while enjoying a mission-based activity. The zoo set up a family version as well as an adult-only version. Gamers will get a chance to win a gift basket from the Zootique, while learning about Quebec’s wildlife.

On the weekends of October 21-22 and 28-29, educational presentations designed especially for Halloween will take place in addition to the listed activities. Participants are invited to learn even more details about turtles, particularly the Wood Turtle, who happens to be the star of the escape game.

The cycle of activities will begin at the main pavilion at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. with the final admission at 4 p.m. Families with toddlers can participate in “Zoo Bingo” offered with the map of the zoo.

By answering questions with fun facts about the animals during the visit, participants are entered for a chance to win the prize of the month. n

Ten days of Halloween at SADB Ecomuseum Read More »

Tugging at Chelsea’s heartstrings

Local Journalism Initiative / The Low Down / October 25, 2023 / Madeline Kerr

By Madeline Kerr

Pic II, the tugboat-turned play-structure that’s sat outside Chelsea Elementary school for the last 30 years, briefly took flight on the morning of Friday, Sept. 29.

Before the school day began, Roy’s Crane Service from Gatineau was gearing up to hoist the 60-year-old, 15-tonne boat onto a flatbed truck to be moved to a designated spot in Morrison’s Quarry — a temporary resting place before it is moved to a more permanent location along the community trail in north Chelsea sometime next year.

The move was paid for and coordinated by the Western Quebec School Board. Former Chelsea Elementary principal, Andrea Gage, was instrumental in ensuring the historic boat would be preserved, after the school board deemed it unsafe to stay on the school playground, where it was beloved by generations of children.

Pic II was originally used to help the log driving that took place along the Gatineau River until the early 1990s. When the log drive ended, a group of parents at Chelsea Elementary worked to have the boat saved and brought to the school grounds. This past June, students gave a heartfelt farewell to the old boat with a school-wide ceremony.

Cynthia Boyko is a former student of Chelsea Elementary and now the parent to third-grader Gabriel. She said her son loved the boat and was sad to see it go. Boyko took videos of the Pic II being raised into the air to show her son later. “It meant a lot to the students here,” she said.

Sentier Chelsea Trails board member and Les Amis de la Voie Verte Chelsea president Sandy Foote was present as well and remarked that his two grown-up children also had fond memories of playing on the boat when they were young. He said he is pleased that Pic II, emblematic of the region’s history, will remain in the community.

The Pic II has seen it all now: from water to land to flight. After so many years of service, it’s easy to imagine the old boat is looking forward to its retirement overlooking the Gatineau River from the edge of the Chelsea trail.

Tugging at Chelsea’s heartstrings Read More »

Heritage gets women’s hockey

Local Journalism Initiative / The Low Down / October 25, 2023 / Trevor Greenway

By Trevor Greenway

Heritage College is looking for the next female hockey star.

Or, rather, 23 female hockey stars who can don the Hurricanes jersey next season and make history as the school’s first-ever women’s collegiate hockey team.

“We’re very excited,” said Julie Knerr, coordinator of student services at Heritage College a few days after the school’s bid to ice a women’s hockey team in 2024 was accepted by the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ), the province’s college sport governing body. “It’s a big push for not only the school but for the community and hockey in the area,” added Knerr.

Most of the region’s elite female hockey players – from Gatineau to Maniwaki – don’t have any options locally to play collegiate hockey, unless they make the hop to Ottawa or move to Montreal to play at John Abbott or Dawson College. But a new team at Heritage means that prospective players won’t have to move to play at that level. Knerr said the school will be recruiting from multiple leagues over the next several months — from the AAA leagues in Gatineau to elite hockey programs in Ottawa and beyond.

“There’s a lot of talent up here, and all those girls who would have had to go to Montreal in order to play collegiate hockey, they can now play in their backyard,” added Knerr. “We’re going to look across the river as well for Ontario players that might want to look at continuing their education and playing hockey at the same time.” She added that the school is inclusive to players outside the region as well.

The school’s new women’s hockey team is part of a major boost in athletics at Heritage College. The school is just putting the finishing touches on a new, $2.2 million state-of-the-art sports field that boasts soccer and football fields, multi-sport courts and outdoor training facilities.

The new women’s hockey team will get the “full hockey experience,” said Knerr, adding that the team will have its own dressing room and practice facility at Arena Cholette, just minutes from campus.

Knerr and Heritage College director of students services Julie Goulet said that the timing for a new women’s team is perfect, given that the new Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) is launching its inaugural season in 2024.

“Now that we have the PWHL coming into town, and with the positivity within women’s hockey and the growth, the timing couldn’t be any better,” added Knerr. “We saw an opportunity to make a bid with the RSEQ, and we are super happy to have the program.”

The Heritage Hurricanes women’s hockey team will play in Division 2 of the RSEQ collegiate league along with five other teams, including fellow expansion team the Lynx from Cégep Édouard Montpetit. The Hurricanes team will play its first game in the 2024/25 school year.

Heritage gets women’s hockey Read More »

“On veut stationnement!”: Parc Ex bike path and parking plan sparks anger

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / October 25, 2023 / Joel Ceausu

Joel Ceausu – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The borough of Villeray-St. Michel-Parc Extension voted in its 2024 budget and capital expenditures program Tuesday night, but you’d be hard pressed to find anyone more than a few folks inside the council chamber – or out – who gave a whit. Instead, the 40 people gathered inside were hearing more than 200 people chanting and waving placards outside borough hall, to talk parking spaces and bike paths.

Before council, the streets around borough hall and Parc Métro station thundered with alternating chants of “On veut stationnement!” and a smaller group chanting “On veut pistes cyclabes!” under the watchful eye of some 30 Montreal police officers and borough security. One speaker shouted “Hey les gars, the Plateau is over there!” eliciting boos and laughter, including from many of the police officers on site.

Road sharing in Montreal always makes for lively debate, but a project to add bike paths and remove parking in Parc Extension has prompted protests, chaotic council meetings and now legal action.

The plan eliminates some 250 local spaces, notably on northbound Querbes between Ogilvy and Crémazie. “It’s unrealistic,” said Parc Ex councillor Mary Deros. “We have many families who don’t bike. We have six elementary schools, parents driving their kids, school buses and when winter and snow removal begins it will be more difficult. They need parking.”

Meanwhile, a group of residents and merchants is pursuing legal action against the city and Villeray-St. Michel-Parc Extension over not receiving “proper public consultation” and being denied access to impact assessment studies, according to the Coalition for Democracy Park Extension who will challenge the plan’s legality and seek to block it pending a ruling, claiming the administration violated Montreal’s Charter of Rights and Responsibilities.

It’s true the Querbes plan only had an information session, Borough Mayor Laurence Lavigne Lalonde told The Suburban, but its existing infrastructure needed improvements. She says formal and informal meetings with citizens analyzed particular cases, “such as needs for people with mobility limitations and merchants with delivery and logistical needs” and many of those adjustments have been made or are in the process of being implemented.

Indeed, while far outnumbered at council, several people supportive of the paths denounced what they say was inadequate, unsafe cycling infrastructure in the borough for years, slamming prior administrations for inaction and thanking the mayor for making it safer for them and their children to use the roadway.

Single mother Catherine Dion Richard had a different view, pleading with council for an alternative, sharing that the timely ability for her to transport her kids to school and daycare in another neighbourhood is hampered by the lack of parking, and may jeopardize her ability to care for her children and remain employed. Another spoke of coming home from shiftwork in the middle of the night and having to walk long distances from her car. Still others spoke about how their businesses will be impacted.

The debate has become increasingly inflamed, and often couched in terms of out-of-borough activists imposing a political agenda on a multicultural working-class community. Terms like white privilege and racism, and gentrification were tossed around outside where the optics were apparent: locals protesting the move comprised of a mix of old and young, a diverse palette of faces, cultures, traditional garb and languages; the able-bodied and those with walkers and wheelchairs; the Park Ex familiar to most. Their opponents on bicycles seemed a far more homogeneous crowd.

There are dozens of impacts, says opposition councillor Deros, but her biggest concern is “no study was made,” and maintains the plan was conceived and executed based on a Vélo Québec study. “When I was given a presentation, it was a done deal, all last-minute. No one thought of asking citizens.” Having lived here since 1970 and been a councillor for the last 20 years, “I know this district inside and out, and no one asked me?”

She says the removal of parking for people living here for so long was like “having an acquired right that is being taken away.” She said Lalonde lacked empathy when telling concerned residents it is not the city’s responsibility to find parking for each car, and suggested her Projet Montréal council colleagues read the city charter “from time to time.” Lalonde countered that there is not a single charter infraction, “none,” adding, “I’m not lacking empathy. I just believe in telling people the truth.” n

“On veut stationnement!”: Parc Ex bike path and parking plan sparks anger Read More »