Local Journalism Initiative

Stop Nuclear Waste group rallies support in Shawville

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / July 12, 2024 / LJI reporter, shawville, Sophie Kuijper Dickson

Sophie Kuijper Dickson, LJI Reporter

Members of Kebaowek First Nation and its environmental assessment team set up shop in the Pontiac Archives on Wednesday to raise awareness about their concerns with the plans to build a nuclear waste disposal facility at the Chalk River nuclear research station, a kilometre from the Ottawa River.
The group was made up of Kebaowek’s waterkeeper Verna Polson, land assistant Mary-Lou Chevrier, and Rosanne Van Schie, a forest conservation expert who has been working with the First Nation to do environmental assessments on the site of the future waste facility.
Kebaowek is 200 kilometres upstream of Chalk River, near Témiscamingue, Que. The First Nation has been leading efforts to challenge plans from Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), the manager of the Chalk River nuclear site, to build what it calls a near surface disposal facility for up to 1,000,000 cubic metres of what CNL says is low-level radioactive waste.
This spring the group from Kebaowek visited communities up and down the Ottawa Valley, meeting with residents and sharing the results of months of environmental impact research they have done – research that shows the waste facility could harm several species at risk that live on or next to the site.
“I’m hoping we can all come together. There’s strength in numbers, and that we can all learn and be on the same page and stop the NSDF [near surface disposal facility],” Chevrier said.
“It’s important we all get on board and voice our opinion now in case anything bad happens.”
The stop in Shawville was one of the last before Kebaowek heads to Ottawa this week for a federal court hearing where it will be challenging the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s (CNSC) January decision to grant CNL the license to build the facility.
In February, Kebaowek filed for judicial review of CNSC’s decision on the grounds that the regulator did not adequately consider the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and that free, prior and informed consent was not obtained from most of the 11 Algonquin First Nations with unceded claims to the territory.
Only one community, the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation, consented to the nuclear waste facility going ahead, signing a long-term relationship agreement with CNL in June 2023.
Article 29.2 of the declaration says, “States shall take effective measures to ensure that no storage or disposal of hazardous materials shall take place in the lands or territories of Indigenous peoples without their free, prior and informed consent.”
This article is critical to the case Kebaowek plans to bring forward this week at the administrative tribunal for its court challenge, scheduled for July 10 and 11.
“The argument is CNSC knew full well of this legislative piece but administratively just didn’t address it,” Van Schie explained to those gathered at the archives on Wednesday morning.
The commission’s record of decision assures the disposal facility “is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects,” and explains that because UNDRIP is not yet law, the commission is not empowered to determine how to implement it and must instead be guided by current consultation law.
But Van Schie said Kebaowek believes that because UNDRIP is supported by law, by way of the United Nations Declaration Act, and because the Canadian government has committed itself to the principles of UNDRIP, the nuclear safety regulator should be held accountable to this declaration.
Van Schie added that beyond concerns around absence of consent for the facility, the First Nation will also be making the case that proper forest management plans were not completed by the regulator.
“When we got on the ground we quickly determined there were a number of gaps they didn’t address, including the use of the site by moose and deer, and doing a count of the animals didn’t happen either,” Van Schie said.
“The objective is to find gaps in the administration of the environmental assessment.”
Several dozen people met with the team from Kebaowek at the archives on Wednesday, among them Warden Jane Toller who expressed the MRC’s ongoing opposition to the nuclear waste facility.
Shawville residents Melissa Smith and Hayley Pilon, both members of Kebaowek First Nation, spent several hours in the morning listening to the information the team from Kebaowek was sharing.
“It is a major issue and I don’t think it’s very well publicized,” Smith said. “I live in Shawville and I didn’t even know until 9:30 this morning that there was a meeting coming here.”
Pilon, a massage therapy student at Algonquin College, took the day off school to attend the event because she is concerned what impacts the nuclear waste facility might have on the health of the Ottawa River.
“I would love to know what I can do, what the next steps are, what we can do as a small community to help support the cancellation of the CNL nuclear dump,” she said.
“I was part of the meetings to do with the incineration they wanted to do in the Pontiac. It kind of just seems like that just got finished, and now this is starting up. It’s just one thing after the other.”

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MRC Pontiac launches new agritourism route highlighting local producers

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / July 12, 2024 / KC Jordan, LJI reporter, MRC Pontiac

KC Jordan, LJI Reporter

The Pontiac region now has its own agritourism route – a network of agricultural producers and restaurants spanning from Bristol to Sheenboro which is intended to put the Pontiac on the map as a food destination.
The new tourism effort, called the Land & Flavours Route, was announced by the MRC Pontiac on June 26. A map and details of the route’s 22 stops can be found on the MRC’s Destination Pontiac website.
The route is the latest in a series of similar routes developed by the MRC to market various aspects of the region to potential visitors.
Already featured on the MRC’s tourism website are a poutine route, a wine route, and a “vanlife” route.
In addition to being advertised on the website, the MRC has advertised the new route through radio ads, at local markets, and at various events across the Ottawa Valley and in Montreal.
Stéphanie Hébert-Potter, economic development agent with the MRC, said the goal of the route is to showcase the variety of agricultural products the region has to offer.
“We’re hoping that visitors will have an opportunity to explore all the local flavours that we have, whether it’s freshly harvested fruits and vegetables to [ . . . ] local beer, nice wineries.”
She said the route is also meant to help locals discover the hidden gems in their backyard that they don’t necessarily know about.
“We have a vast territory, so it’s not always easy for everyone to know from one end to the other what’s available.”
She added that the Pontiac is a strongly-rooted agricultural community.
“They’re the backbone of our area,” she said of the region’s producers.
“It’s important to highlight the work that they do, but also the passion they have in harvesting and creating their products.”
Greg Graham, one of the owners of Coronation Hall Cider Mills in Bristol, said he hopes the new route will bring in customers who are discovering the region for the first time.
“It’s very difficult and expensive to get signage in Quebec,” he said. “It’s important that people discover how to see us and all the things that aren’t on the highway.”
Graham is happy to have the exposure that comes with the new route, and hopes that it will help visitors plan extended trips to the region.
A good portion of his customers come from across the river in Ontario or from the capital region, and Graham said people are more likely to make the trip if they can plan to visit other local producers.
“If people have two or three destinations in mind, they’re far more likely to drive up here to see us,” he said.
David Gillespie, a farmer on Allumette Island and an agritourism expert, said this route is a marked increase over previous efforts at an agritourism route in the region.
“There used to be only 10 producers,” he said, noting the doubling of this number represents progress for the region’s agritourism industry.
“Ten years ago this wouldn’t have happened. There were more traditional farms back then,” he said, noting that a younger crop of farmers in the area has pushed for agritourism in the region.
He said there are still many producers in the Pontiac who are not part of the route but could stand to gain from it.
Producers who are featured on routes like these need to meet certain standards.
In an email to THE EQUITY, Hébert-Potter said “to support and encourage smaller producers, we’ve set more flexible requirements compared to other routes.”
“Producers should have consistent operating hours, provide parking spaces, and have either a storefront or farm-based activities.”
In addition to tourists, Hébert-Potter said the MRC hopes there will be more buy-in from people who want to spend time and money in the Pontiac, and hopefully develop here as well.

MRC Pontiac launches new agritourism route highlighting local producers Read More »

Mansfield’s annual party expands for Canada Day, 175th anniversary

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / July 12, 2024 / KC Jordan, LJI reporter, Mansfield

KC Jordan, LJI Reporter

The community of Mansfield rallied in the rain over the weekend for its annual Mansfield en fête festival, which this year was also used as an opportunity to celebrate Canada Day as well as the town’s 175th anniversary.
The festival, hosted at the town’s Amyotte Park, offered a canteen and bar, live dance and music performances, and a baseball tournament which, according to Mansfield en fête president Martin Leguerrier, went ahead despite the rain.
“They never stopped,” Leguerrier said. “They ran in the mud, it was fun to watch.”
Marc-Antoine Côté was hanging out with his friends along the first-base fence watching the tournament unfold. His team was done playing for the day, so he was enjoying a few beers.
He said he enjoys coming out to Mansfield en fête every year because he likes seeing his friends and family.
“I come out here and hang out with the boys,” he said, right before rattling off a list of a dozen or so people on the field who he knew personally.
This year’s festival coincided with two other important dates: the Canada Day long weekend, as well as the ongoing festivities for Mansfield and Pontefract’s 175th anniversary.
Leguerrier said the festival offered more activities this year because all these celebrations converged on a single weekend.
“We’re offering an additional day this year,” he said, noting that they ran three full days of activities this year instead of the usual two.
Children’s activities were provided by Le Patro, and kids could choose between archery, giant building blocks, and a mini-putt course, among others.
Music, as always, played a big part in the festivities. A diverse lineup of musicians rocked the Sylvain Bégin stage throughout the weekend, including Ottawa Valley country icons Louis Schreyer and Gail Gavan.
Leguerrier said they had a lot of success last year bringing in local artists, and they wanted to do the same again this year.
“People in the Pontiac want to support local artists,” he said.
On Saturday night, a huge crowd gathered to watch a performance from the Corriveau School of Dance, which included dance numbers by professionals Marie-Josée Corriveau and Jason Morel.
The crowd let out whoops and cheers as various dancers, most of them teenagers, lifted their partners into the air, spun them around, and gracefully placed them back onto the ground, never breaking stride.
When they were done, the dozen or so dancers held hands and bowed as the crowd applauded the impressive performance.
Later on Saturday night, Leguerrier himself got up on stage to perform a DJ set, exactly as he has done for over 20 years.
This year was his first as president of the committee, and he was pleased with how the event turned out.
“People are happy, families are happy, dogs are happy,” he said.
Leguerrier said he wanted to make sure everyone was having a good time, but also that they were being safe.
He said volunteers were encouraging people to eat, especially if they have been drinking.
Cadets from the Sûreté du Québec were also there making sure everyone was having fun in a safe and responsible way.
Leguerrier was pleased to report that, as of Saturday night, there hadn’t been any fights, noting that violence can break out when people have been drinking.
The festivities concluded on Sunday night with the traditional fireworks display, which, Leguerrier says, is one of the weekend’s biggest crowd-pleasers.

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Litchfield may become home to salmon farm

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / July 12, 2024 / Litchfield, LJI reporter, Pontiac, Sophie Kuijper Dickson

Sophie Kuijper Dickson, LJI Reporter

The Pontiac may become home to Canada’s largest land-based Atlantic salmon farm in the next five years, if its proponent is granted the permits it needs to run the facilities.
Outaouais-based business Samonix is hoping to build the fish farm at the Pontiac Industrial Park in Litchfield, the former site of the Smurfit Stone mill.
Samonix’s president is Mathieu Farley, also co-owner and president of Chelsea home building company Exo Construction.
Rémi Bertrand, former director general for MRC Pontiac, joined the company as senior director of business development in the fall of 2023.
Bertrand explained the farm will produce 12,000 tonnes of Atlantic salmon a year, with an average fish size of 5 kg.
“We’re doing everything 100 per cent inside buildings, which there is nobody in Canada who does it now,” Bertrand said.
The farm will raise the fish entirely indoors, in large pools of treated water that is drawn from the Ottawa River.
“The salmon is the holy grail of raising fish. It’s the fish that’s the most vulnerable to its environment, so a dramatic change in temperature will affect its life cycle, and a variation in any of its environment could alter its life cycle,” Bertrand said, explaining that an indoor facility that uses treated water allows for total control of the environment.
“There’s no pathogens, nothing that can come in or out of our building without us knowing. This basically allows us to raise salmon that will be vaccine free, with no treatment or medications that will ever be given to the salmon.”
Bertrand explained that a small water plant will sterilize and neutralize the water from the Ottawa River before it is used to fill the pools.
The facility will then use a method called the recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) which treats and recirculates 99 per cent of the water used to hold the fish.
In an article published in the Journal of Cleaner Production in May 2021 [link for web: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652621008246], lead author and research scientist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada Nesar Ahmed suggests RAS farming as an option for increasing the environmental sustainability and climate resilience of Canada’s fisheries.

“RAS are eco-friendly, water efficient, highly productive intensive farming system, which are not associated with adverse environmental impacts, such as habitat destruction, water pollution and eutrophication, biotic depletion, ecological effects on biodiversity due to captive fish and exotic species escape, disease outbreaks, and parasite transmission,” Ahmed wrote.
Bertrand said of the remaining one per cent of wastewater that cannot be recirculated, the solids, largely fish feces, will be removed and treated through a process called biomethanization.
The leftover liquid will be processed by a wastewater treatment plant, and then discharged into the Ottawa River as per the parameters set by the Ministry of Environment.
“It’s just like a municipal wastewater treatment plant would do,” Bertrand noted.
He said he saw many projects cross his desk during his time as director general for the MRC, but that many of them were missing critical components needed to succeed in the region.
“I spent a good portion of my career working for the Pontiac, trying to get something going, and this checks a lot of my boxes.”
‘Room to grow’
Samonix bought 85 acres of the Pontiac Industrial Park in 2022, and another 100 acres this year. Bertrand said the main facility will occupy about 14 acres, and the remaining land will be used for auxiliary buildings, parking, and to guarantee the business has room to grow.
“The [land] will allow us the capacity to double the production down the road,” Bertrand said. “But we’ve also been getting a lot of interest from auxiliary businesses that would potentially want to relocate closer to our production.”
He said a Quebec company that transforms salmon imported from Norway and Chile into fish cuts for poke bowls, smoked salmon, and portioned salmon for the restaurants or grocery stores has expressed interest in relocating to the Pontiac to be closer to the proposed fish farm.
Bertrand also noted that as the business grows, it will consume enough fish feed that it could open its own fish feed plant on site, which the 185 acres will allow for.
He said the location of the site within a day’s travel of markets in major urban centres like Toronto, Montreal, New York and Boston means the farm is strategically placed for growth.
“Just to give you a perspective, the market we’ll be selling into is a market of about 280,000 tonnes of salmon a year, and we’ll be producing about 12,000 tonnes,” Bertrand said. “So there’s room to grow.”
A first in Canada
According to Bertrand, there is no other indoor land-based salmon farm in Canada of the size Samonix plans to be.
In fact, a study conducted by economic analytics firm Counterpoint Consulting for the government of British Columbia found there’s no Atlantic salmon RAS farm in steady-state operation in the world that produces more than 3,000 tonnes per year.
As Bertrand sees it, this presents his team with a critical advantage in a moment of opportunity.
In June the federal government set 2029 as the deadline by which open net-pen salmon farming operations in B.C. must shift to land-based methods.
While there is concern this five-year window will be insufficient for transitioning an entire industry, Bertrand figures the sudden need for expertise in the field could position Samonix, which began initial business plans in 2018, as a leader in the land-based farming method.
“By the time we’re built and operational, and we’ve basically developed the expertise, we will own the knowledge and the expertise to export it to B.C.,” Bertrand said.
“We’re early enough in the game to position ourselves [as leaders] in Northeast America, but we’re late enough in the game to be able to rely on proven technology that’s been tried elsewhere, where they made mistakes and corrected it.”
Bertrand said while Samonix’s proposed scale is unprecedented, the technology is not without evidence of success.
He pointed to a fish plant in Japan called Proximar Seafood that uses technology from the same provider as Samonix. It is smaller – producing about 5,000 tonnes of salmon a year – but is on track to complete its first fish harvest in August.
A few hoops yet to jump
Bertrand said there are two major approvals the company needs before it can put shovels in the ground.
The first is the granting of a 12 MW electrical hookup from Hydro-Québec, the application for which was submitted in March.
At last month’s MRC Pontiac Council of Mayors meeting, Samonix received a letter from council supporting this application.
“The second [approval] is to get our certificate of authorization from the [Quebec] Ministry of Environment. From our perspective, it’s not a matter of if we’ll get it, it’s when we’ll get it,” Bertrand said.
“We’re asking specialists to give a permit in a sector of activity they haven’t necessarily had the opportunity to build some knowledge around yet, because it’s such an innovation for Quebec. So it takes time.”
Bertrand said the company has already conducted several environmental impact studies, and will continue to do so this summer.
“We’re conducting a study on mussels, and have already done studies on fauna and flora. The Ministry of Environment even asked us to do a test on the most vulnerable species of the Ottawa River which is a plankton – a microscopic living form that can be utilized as feed for various species.”
He said Samonix is putting in the technological equipment required to treat its wastewater to meet the criteria of the ministry, so he expects environmental certification to be a “non-issue.”
“If everything goes as planned, by the end of 2025 we should have all of that in place, the final engineering completed, and hopefully be breaking ground in 2026.”

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Second annual Pontiac Country Festival hits Quyon fairgrounds

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / July 12, 2024 / KC Jordan, LJI reporter, Pontiac, Quyon

KC Jordan, LJI Reporter

Hundreds of people descended on Quyon to attend the second annual Pontiac Country Festival over the weekend and celebrate all things country.
There were various equestrian events including a horse pull and an obstacle course, an artisan market, a car and truck show, and a full slate of musicians playing country and bluegrass tunes throughout the weekend.
Jacques Prud’Homme, groundskeeper of the Quyon municipal park and attendee of the festival, enjoyed the great musical acts throughout the weekend.
“It’s been great music. We had Gail Gavan, Nancy Denault, and the tent has been full.”
The weather was wet, but music fans were able to stay dry in the tents where the concerts were being played.
Some festival attendees brought their own tents and RVs and set up in Quyon’s municipal park, where they could stay the entire weekend for only $10.
This year, the festival fell on the Canada Day long weekend, and the organizers collaborated with the Quyon Community Association to offer a Canada Day parade and fireworks.
Pontiac Equestrian Association president Andrea Goffart organized an equestrian versatility challenge that happened Sunday morning, a first for the festival.
“It was the idea of Shannon Townsend from Hendricktown Farm in Aylmer,” Goffart said. “She was the judge and the mastermind of bringing this particular race.”
The event featured 12 obstacles, each of which had to be completed in 30 seconds.
Goffart said this versatility challenge event is more common in the United States, but she wanted to bring it to the Pontiac to allow for equal participation from riders of all styles.
“That’s why we ran that – so it could be more inclusive from all the people involved in equestrian activities in the area,” she said.
Goffart said the event drew participants from across the Outaouais and Eastern Ontario, and she hopes to bring the competition back as a staple of future Country Fests.
According to the festival’s Facebook page, organizers received contributions from the MRC des Collines-de-l‘Outaouais and Pontiac MNA André Fortin to fund the festival’s offerings.
This is the festival’s second year under this name. Previously, the Quyon JamFest was held around this time of year, but the organizing committee disbanded in 2023, after 20 years.

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Shawville blood drive makes donating more doable

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / July 12, 2024 / KC Jordan, LJI reporter, shawville

KC Jordan, LJI Reporter

The Pontiac Agricultural Society held its first-ever blood drive on Thursday afternoon in the Agricultural Hall at the Shawville fairgrounds.
The event was hosted in conjunction with Héma-Québec, the non-profit responsible for recruiting blood donors and managing blood donations in the province.
Volunteers helped to guide new donors through the process, which included a questionnaire, the blood donation itself, and a revitalizing snack.
Kayla McCann, a director with the society and the visionary behind the drive, said she wanted to bring blood donation to Shawville because up until now, people have had to go to Gatineau or Ontario if they wanted to give.
McCann contacted Héma-Québec a few months ago to get the ball rolling, and on Thursday was proud to see that all 70 appointments were booked, with even more people showing up as walk-ins.
“We have a lot of first-time donors,” she said, visibly excited that her vision was becoming a reality. “This is a big day.”
First-time donors were given stickers and pins with a big red heart and a number one, and were congratulated by the Héma-Québec staff for their contribution.
The blood drive was a family affair for the McCanns. Kayla’s father Tom was donating for the 32nd time and was also there as a volunteer, making sure donors each got a post-donation juice box and salty snack.
Mavis Hanna, the agricultural society’s general manager, said the fact that the drive is happening in the town of Shawville makes donating blood more accessible for those with mobility issues.
“People don’t have to drive out of our community to support it,” she said.
Nicolas Piednoel, the collections organizer for Héma-Québec in the Laurentides and Outaouais regions, said many people in the health system need blood donations for medical treatment.
“The needs of the hospitals are huge,” he told THE EQUITY in French at Thursday’s blood drive. “Every day Quebecers need 1,000 blood donations.”
According to Héma-Québec, the organization hosts over 2,000 mobile blood drives every year.
Piednoel said anyone who missed last week’s blood drive but who still wants to donate blood will have another opportunity this fall.
He said Héma-Québec was so impressed with the interest in Shawville that it is already planning to come back.

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CISSSO forms new local healthcare committee

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / July 12, 2024 / LJI reporter, Outaouais, Sophie Kuijper Dickson

Sophie Kuijper Dickson, LJI Reporter

Outaouais’ healthcare provider (CISSSO) has formalized a collaboration agreement with a group of healthcare workers and community partners in the Pontiac to ensure greater local input on matters that affect residents of the region and improve accessibility, continuity and quality of services across the territory.
The group, which CISSSO refers to as a territorial committee, consists of 22 members, including CISSSO’s Pontiac director Nicole Boucher-Larivière.
Available members met at the CLSC in Shawville on Thursday morning to sign the final mandate agreement.
“The idea is that people [on this committee] will have responsibility to make sure we answer to the community and stay accountable to the population,” Boucher-Larivière said, noting the group has been meeting for about a year to determine its mandate.
She explained the committee will be critical in identifying healthcare priorities for the region, brainstorming strategies for developing those priorities, and sharing input on how limited resources should be allocated.
“There have been multiple evolutions of health and social services law so now we’re going back towards proximity,” Boucher-Larivière noted. “It took a certain time but this is the first step we’re taking towards trying to bring that back.”
The Pontiac region is the first in the Outaouais to sign such an agreement with the CISSS de l’Outaouais since services were centralized in 2015.
Josey Bouchard, founding member of local healthcare advocacy group Pontiac Voice, is one of the members of the new territorial committee.
“It’s basically consulting and sharing a little bit of what’s happening here, and if things aren’t working well, to advise on what they can do to try and make it better,” Boucher said, describing what she understands her role on the committee to be.
“I think it’s nice that at least they have our opinion of what’s happening. And hopefully it helps put a little more pressure on whoever is making the decisions.”
But, Bouchard said, she does not expect the collection of community leaders will have any real decision making power.
“As far as power, that I know of, we have none. It’s more of a consulting role.”
“We’re sort of a moral support – it sort of gives [Nicole] a bit more credit as to what she’s bringing forth to the higher ups.”

The committee’s other 21 members are CISSSO board of directors member Rémi Bertrand, Dr. Serge Boucher, Dr. John Wooton, MRC Pontiac warden Jane Toller, MRC Pontiac director general Kim Lesage, Municipality of Pontiac mayor Roger Larose, Pontiac user committee president Jennifer Larose, healthcare advocate Josey Bouchard, Chamber of Commerce president Sébastien Bonnerot, SADC general director Rhonda Perry, seniors’ representative Richard Gratton, Dr. Isabelle Gagnon, Lisa Falasconi from the English school board, Denis Rossignol from the French school service centre, pharmacist Marc Aufranc, Michel Vallières from the Table de développement social du Pontiac, Shelley Heaphy from the Connexions Resource Centre, Bouffe Pontiac director Kim Laroche, Sara-Lynn McCann from Quyon’s Maison de la famille, Karim El Kerch from Carrefour jeunesse-emploi du Pontiac, and Joanne Dubois from CISSSO.
The group plans to meet four times a year.

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Alleyn and Cawood DG answers key questions about property valuation

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / July 12, 2024 / Alleyn and Cawood, LJI reporter, Sophie Kuijper Dickson

Sophie Kuijper Dickson, LJI Reporter

A town hall meeting was hosted in Alleyn and Cawood on Saturday for residents of the municipality hoping to better understand why their property valuations were up by 370 per cent, which they first learned of when they received their property assessment with their tax bill last winter.
The meeting was hosted by the task force of residents, local elected officials and municipal staff that formed this spring to raise awareness and advocate for changes to what they say is a flawed property assessment process.
Isabelle Cardinal, Alleyn and Cawood’s director general and also a member of the task force, was among those hosting the town hall. THE EQUITY spoke with her ahead of the meeting to get some key questions answered.
Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: How are property valuations currently performed?
A: What happens is every municipality has what is called a triennial roll. It’s a research of the real estate market. An evaluator from the MRC looks at all the properties that were sold, including in the 18 months before this triennial roll is deposited, and they just go through and compare the sale price of properties sold with the current municipal evaluation.
That usually gives you a figure. So for example, in our municipality there were a lot of vacant lots that were worth about $12,000 and were selling for $40,000, $50,000. If you take those two and you divide them together, it’s going to give you your comparative factor.
Every three years they do an in-depth analysis of the real estate market, and they divide it into four categories as well – housing, forestry, vacant lots and cottages. When you get your year one triennial roll, they do a more in depth analysis and look at each sale within its respective category, and each category will give you a different comparative factor.
What happened to us is that we are currently in year three of the triennial roll, and in year two and three of the triennial roll, the analysis is not as in -depth as when they are preparing the new roll in year one. In years two and three, instead of dividing it by category, it’s one generalized comparative factor across the board.
[Last year] we had over 120 sales of vacant lots, but we didn’t have the same amounts of residential sales. So we had a number generalized across the board but it’s not really representative of our real estate market.
[THE EQUITY’s note: The 2023 assessments in year three of the municipality’s triennial roll set Alleyn and Cawood’s comparative factor at 3.7 per cent, based on empty lots that sold for prices much higher than their value, but not based on what homes were selling for. The municipality will receive its year one triennial roll in September, which will offer a far more accurate portrait of its property values.]
Q: What’s wrong with this process, in your opinion?
A: Right now a lot of people are saying the comparative factor doesn’t have a big impact but it does because our municipal shares are calculated based on that, our Sûreté de Québec taxes, our school taxes, and mutations tax. So the comparative factor does have a big impact, and it’s not really representative of what’s happening.
We, as a municipality this year, are taxing on property value not taking into consideration the comparative factor. So for example, our total evaluations of all the properties in our municipality is about $75 million, but this year, because of our new comparative factor, we are paying shares to the MRC based on a total municipal evaluation of $277 million. We’re kind of almost $200 million overcharged, so that’s a big problem.
Myself, I’m a ratepayer from here. And on my tax bill, my house is worth more than $1 million, but I can guarantee you, I will never sell my house for one million dollars. If somebody wants to buy it for that much, I’ll be happy to pack my boxes and leave.
That’s why it’s important. Because small municipalities like us, whenever we see a lot of sales in a sector, it gives you not the right average for your comparative factor. And I’ve told the other DGs that some of them will be in the same boat, because there will be other subdivision projects.
The evaluator did his job right. I don’t doubt the data that he used. The thing I am doubting is that lots sold for three times more, but not houses, so that’s where the problem is. We cannot generalize that. It’s a problem with the process. The process does not work.
Q: Why do you start paying higher municipal shares now if a more in-depth roll will come out in September?
There’s a couple of MRCs in Quebec that are still using that formula of comparative factor but I would say that most MRCs across Quebec have their own bylaw with a different calculation for the shares. I’ve made a request at the MRC to see if they could have a bylaw to minimize the impact of the comparative factor on our shares. Because in Alleyn and Cawood, we went from paying $114,000 a year, and this year we’re almost paying $300,000, and this is a big portion of our budget. The MRC keeps that because they make their budget based on these revenues. I don’t know if municipalities are not fully aware of that or what’s happening.
And we are not currently taxing our rate payers on these evaluations. So I’ve made the request. Tim Ferrigan at the MRC has been doing a lot of research. I have to say he’s been a great help for me by sharing knowledge and assisting me. Now I’m just hoping the people in charge of the finance at the MRC truly take this into consideration and create a bylaw. I need to also mention that Alicia Jones, the director general for Chichester, was in a similar situation two years ago and she asked the MRC to work on a bylaw to change the calculation of her shares, and nothing has been done. I’m hoping that this time around they take us seriously because if something would have been done two years ago Alleyn and Cawood would not be in this situation right now.
Q: So how are you proposing the process be changed?
What we are proposing is that the comparative factor in year two and three of the triennial roll has no effect on the calculation of our municipal shares or anything else, and that the comparative factor is based by value instead of units.
We are asking the province to lower the impact of this comparative factor so that it does not have an effect on the municipal shares we pay to the MRC, on the calculation of the SQ tax that all the municipalities pay for the police force, on the mutations tax, or the school tax. So we’re asking the province to review its policy.
We can keep [the comparative factor] as a reference for what’s happening on the real estate market, but I don’t think it should have an impact on items that we need to pay because these evaluations are an idea but they don’t indicate the true value. The true values are really coming in year one of our triennial roll. So we’re asking for our evaluations to be frozen for three years. And then when it’s time to have a new triennial roll, our evaluation can be adjusted with the real estate market, per category.
Q: What impact will this 3.7 comparative factor have on ratepayers?
One thing that I need to say is that the municipality won’t have a 3.7 comparative factor in 2025. I already had conversations with the evaluator and the comparative factor is going to be lower. We can see vacant lots facing a bigger comparative factor because of what happened with the development, however in housing and cottages, we don’t see the same trend. That’s why I’m saying that our global evaluation for the municipality is going to be much lower than what it is right now with this 3.7 comparative factor.
When we have the true evaluations in September, that’s when we’ll be able to start working on our budget and figuring out what our mill rate is going to be for 2025. I know council already adopted a resolution in March that the mill rate will be adjusted according to the evaluation. We don’t want to see a big jump in municipal tax. We could have a slight increase, which is normal according to inflation, but we can guarantee that nobody is going to see a 370 per cent increase on their tax bill.
We have no power over [the school tax, SQ tax, or mutations tax], unfortunately, but school taxes are coming out in July, so I have yet to see what the impact of the comparative factor will be on our school tax.
What I’m really curious to see, when our new triennial roll will be deposited on Sept. 15, is what our global evaluation will be in comparison with this evaluation taking into consideration the comparative factor.

Alleyn and Cawood DG answers key questions about property valuation Read More »

Four Pontiac hospital techs apply for Gatineau jobs

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / July 12, 2024 / LJI reporter, Pontiac, Sophie Kuijper Dickson

News follows exclusion of staff at Pontiac, Wakefield hospitals from Outaouais bonuses

Sophie Kuijper Dickson, LJI Reporter

Four of the six full-time medical imaging technicians working in the Pontiac have applied to better paying jobs in Gatineau, while a fifth has possibly applied to a position in Ontario, a spokesperson for Outaouais’ healthcare network (CISSSO) confirmed in an email to THE EQUITY on Monday afternoon.
The news of these potential departures comes less than a week after the Quebec government extended bonuses and temporarily higher salaries to medical imaging staff in Maniwaki and Papineau hospitals, but not to those in Shawville and Wakefield hospitals, or the CLSC in Saint-André-Avellin.
The temporary financial incentives were first offered only to technicians at Hull and Gatineau hospitals in an effort to entice them to stay in their jobs rather than take higher paying positions in Ontario, but the technicians left anyway.
Meanwhile, elected officials in Outaouais’ rural communities expressed concern this policy would cause an exodus of technicians to the region’s urban hospitals where the pay was better, so the CAQ government extended these financial incentives to only two of four rural hospitals.
The decision sparked outrage in the Pontiac when it was announced last week. Politicians and healthcare workers warned the second exclusion would only intensify the competition the Pontiac Hospital faces when it comes to retaining staff.
At a press conference outside the Pontiac Hospital on Thursday, Pontiac MNA André Fortin echoed this fear.
“They’re in the process of repeating exactly the same mistake they made last month,” Fortin, also health critic for the official opposition, told reporters in French, accusing the CAQ government of failing to recognize the particular needs of the Pontiac region.
He noted one of Pontiac’s technicians lives in Aylmer, while another lives in Chapeau, and that they now both have higher paying positions much closer to their homes.
“It’s almost like they want to lose workers, and then react, and then justify the increase,” Fortin said. “They’re doing things backwards. It would be so much easier to fix it now, before people take the hard decision to leave.”
Fortin said extending the financial incentives to workers at the Pontiac Hospital would cost about $150,000.
“To a government, that’s nothing.”
“I’m not surprised. It’s only taken three days and this is already the movement, as expected,” MRC Pontiac warden Jane Toller told THE EQUITY Monday evening.
“I think that when people are not treated fairly [ . . . ] there’s no good reason why they should have to feel loyal any longer. We need to have the bonuses given before anybody leaves, because once they leave, we’re not going to be able to get them back.”
The Pontiac region shares six full-time imaging technicians between the Pontiac Hospital and the CLSC in Fort Coulonge, and two retired technicians help out part-time. Together, they are responsible for x-rays, ultrasounds, and other forms of medical imaging critical to most healthcare treatment.
If the five technicians succeed in their applications, the Pontiac region would be left with a single full-time staff member.
Toller and the region’s other wardens had two meetings with Minister of Health Christian Dubé in the week prior to the expansion of the bonuses and following both of them, she said she was assured by the minister that bonuses would be extended to all of the Outaouais.
She called last week’s agreement a “slap in the face.”
“Because we have loyal employees [ . . . ] I think at the last minute [the goverment] decided, ‘Oh, it’s not as much of a crisis,’ and their solution is they’re going to monitor the situation,” Toller said. “Well, this is unacceptable. We are not going to stand here and watch a crisis result.”
This Monday, the Outaouais’ four wardens and the newly elected mayor of Gatineau published an open letter demanding the Quebec government “offer fair and equitable bonuses to all medical imaging technologists in the Outaouais region.”
Toller said the MRC will also move a resolution to the same effect at its monthly Council of Mayors meeting this Wednesday, June 19.
THE EQUITY asked the health ministry for clarity on why the bonuses were extended to some hospitals and not others, but did not receive a response before publication deadline.
However, in a recent article from Le Droit, Minister responsible for the Outaouais, Mathieu Lacombe, suggested the exclusion had something to do with a hospital’s distance from Ottawa.

“The further away we are from Ottawa, the less temptation there is for employees,” he said in French. “Consequently, in Hull, Gatineau and Buckingham, we had to have a bonus that reached a maximum level.”
A ‘temporary’ and ‘incomplete’ fix
Under the new, two-year agreement announced last week, technicians at the Papineau Hospital will receive a $22,000 bonus and those in Maniwaki will receive an $18,000 bonus.
All technicians at those hospitals will also receive a 10 per cent salary increase for the summer period, granted staff commit to working an additional 2.5 hours every week.
Guylaine Laroche is the Outaouais president of l’Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS), the union representing imaging technicians in the region.
“The agreement we have now is a step in the right direction but it is clearly not sufficient,” she said in French.
She warned of the significant risk that technicians who weren’t offered bonuses move to hospitals where the bonuses are in place.
But she also said the temporary measures are insufficient in addressing the larger staffing shortage that has been plaguing the Outaouais’ healthcare network for years, both because they are temporary, and don’t include all radiology workers in the region.
Fortin also took issue with the premise of offering a bonus as a solution to the network-wide staffing shortages.
“It’s temporary, it’s incomplete, it’s not a measure that is efficient. What we need are salaries that are on par with Ontario,” he said.
Statistics provided by CISSSO show that the number of radiology technicians employed by the healthcare organization dropped from 122 in 2019 to 102 in 2024. Over the same time period, the number of nurses working for CISSSO dropped from 1984 to 1827 across the organization.
“This has been happening for a decade now, but now, we need to stop that,” said Jean Pigeon, spokesperson for recently formed healthcare advocacy group SOS Outaouais, at a second press conference at the Pontiac Hospital on Friday morning.
“We need to have permanent measures. We need to stop the flow of our healthcare staff that are moving away.”
The press conference, organized by local healthcare advocacy group Pontiac Voice, was attended by several leaders from Pontiac’s health network, including Pontiac Voice representative Josey Bouchard, Jennifer Larose, president of the CISSSO user committee and Anne Amyotte, president of the CLSC foundation.
Also in attendance was Sophie Pieshke, a radiologist currently on maternity leave. She worked at the Pontiac Hospital 10 years ago, and built her home in Shawville with the hope of returning to work at the hospital once her leave is up.
But on Friday she said she may have to reconsider.
“As much as my heart is at this hospital, my profession is medical imaging technician. I love my work, but with these working conditions, I have to ask myself what I’m going to do. Do I return to this hospital, or do I want to go somewhere else,” Pieshke said in French.

Four Pontiac hospital techs apply for Gatineau jobs Read More »

Bryson swings into summer

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / July 12, 2024 / Bryson, Glen Hartle, LJI reporter

Glen Hartle, LJI Reporter

The Bryson Recreation Association hosted a one-day baseball tournament and fun day at the town’s Lions Park on Saturday for Father’s Day weekend.
Heralded as Swingin’ Into Summer, eight teams from Bryson, Calumet Island, Campbell’s Bay, Fort Coulonge, Otter Lake and Shawville signed up for the tournament and brought lively spirit to the pitch.
The teams were divided into two divisions with Bryson-based The Bombers winning division A at the end of the day and the Rivermen team from Campbell’s Bay, made up mostly of members of the Larivière family, taking division B. A final game was contested between these two teams, with The Bombers taking the overall championship.
In an effort to create an event that was fun for everyone, the RA also hosted a Little Rascals Market with young entrepreneurs staffing tables with various goodies for sale. The event also included an art station with supplies where participants could be generally creative or craft their own face masks.
Food and refreshments stands were at the ready, and bouncy houses and yard-sized games rounded out full use of the Lions Club park and grounds.
The Bryson RA, an association already known for bringing community together, hit their own home run with the long-standing and well-attended annual Father’s Day event.
“The Bryson RA would like to thank all of the wonderful supporters we have that come to play ball, enjoy our barbecue and come to our events,” said RA president Julie Ryan, beaming with pride. “We appreciate the support so much.”
Noting the event was once again made possible thanks to volunteers, Ryan added, “We would like to thank our amazing RA members and the many family and friends that help out. They work the canteen and barbecue with us and we could not do it without them.”

Bryson swings into summer Read More »

Campbell’s Bay receives $70,000 grant for downtown core revitalization

Local Journalism Initiative / The Equity / July 12, 2024 / Campbell's Bay, Guillaume Laflamme, LJI reporter

Guillaume Laflamme, LJI Reporter

The Municipality of Campbell’s Bay has received a $70,000 grant from the Quebec government to revitalize its downtown core in an effort to make the town more resilient to climate change.
The grant is made available through a new program called OASIS, offered by Quebec’s environment ministry. The program is dedicated to supporting greenery projects focused on reducing the impact of heat waves and torrential rains on lived environments.
According to the ministry, these weather phenomena are becoming increasingly frequent as a result of climate change.
Sarah Bertrand, director general for Campbell’s Bay, said the municipality has partnered with an Outaouais environmental association, the Conseil régional de l’environnement et du développement durable de l’Outaouais (CREDDO), to map out what it can do to combat the effects of climate change and reduce the impact of what are known as urban heat islands.
“Through the CREDDO, we will have access to urban planners and professional services to help us determine the problems, analyze the risks and come up with a plan that will tell us how we should go about reducing these heat islands,” Bertrand said.
Myriam Gemme, a climate change adaptation project coordinator with CREDDO, explained that urban heat islands are areas containing dense infrastructure, such as paved roads and brick buildings which are prone to retaining heat from the sun and increasing the ambient temperature.

“When you walk in a city where the streets are very large and you don’t see many trees around, those places are even hotter than other spaces like forests,” Gemme said.
“We work essentially in greening projects, so tree planting in urban areas, and also adaptation to floods. Some zones in the Outaouais are more likely to have floods. So we also work with those communities to help them prepare and adapt for the future.”
Bertrand said Campbell’s Bay had hoped to collaborate with other municipalities on the project to capitalize on the maximum of $2 million in funding available for the first phase of the project, but was the only municipality in the region to apply for it.
The OASIS program operates over three phases of funding. The municipality will use this first phase of money to analyze how heat and heavy rainfall affect the town’s village core, and develop adaptation plans.
According to documents provided to THE EQUITY by the Municipality of Campbell’s Bay, the official objectives for the project are to combat heat islands and the effects of heavy precipitation in the Campbell’s Bay village core, improve residents’ quality of life, and revitalize the village core to increase its attractiveness.

Campbell’s Bay receives $70,000 grant for downtown core revitalization Read More »

Celebrating Rosemère in Bloom: Nurturing Community and the Environment

Local Journalism Initiative / North Shore News / July 12, 2024 / Maria Diamantis, Rosemère in Bloom

Maria Diamantis-LJI Journalist

The Town of Rosemère is excited to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Rosemère in Bloom with a series of events on July 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This year’s festivities will include a Gardening Bazaar and a community-wide Secret Gardens Tour, both promising a day full of activities and exploration, fostering environmental awareness and community engagement.

Gardening Bazaar: A Hub for Sustainability and Creativity

The Gardening Bazaar at Hamilton House will offer a variety of activities suitable for all ages. Attendees can shop for plants, tree saplings, second-hand gardening tools, accessories, planters, and antiques. This year’s bazaar will also feature reasonably priced holiday decorations and furniture, providing an opportunity to repurpose donated items and support a charitable cause. Donations for the bazaar will be accepted at the Ecocentre until July 13.

Visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the grounds of Hamilton House. They can explore the theme gardens and take a leisurely walk along the boardwalk at the Bouthillier Marsh. Local artists will display their work, and live music will enhance the festive atmosphere, making it a delightful celebration of art and nature. This event promotes sustainable practices by encouraging the reuse and repurposing of items, thus reducing waste and fostering a culture of sustainability.

Secret Gardens Tour: Discovering Hidden Gems and Green Spaces

The Secret Gardens Tour offers a rare chance to visit some of Rosemère’s most beautiful private gardens. For $10, participants will receive a map outlining the tour locations. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the event at Hamilton House, located at 106 Grande-Côte Road. The tour is self-guided, allowing visitors to explore at their own pace.

This tour not only showcases the beauty of private gardens but also inspires residents to cultivate their green spaces, promoting biodiversity and enhancing the town’s overall aesthetic appeal. It highlights the importance of green spaces in urban environments, contributing to better air quality, mental well-being, and a stronger sense of community.

All proceeds from the tour and the Gardening Bazaar will benefit Les Petits Plaisirs, a respite care organization, thus reinforcing the community’s commitment to social responsibility and support for local charitable causes.

Photography Contest: Celebrating Local Talent and Natural Beauty

In addition to the events on July 14, Rosemère in Bloom includes a photography contest. Residents are invited to submit their best photos of their gardens by August 30. There are multiple categories and nearly 25 prizes available. Details about the contest can be found on the Rosemère in Bloom page on the Town’s website. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in the fall.

This contest encourages residents to engage with their natural surroundings creatively, fostering a deeper appreciation for the environment. It also provides a platform for local photographers to showcase their talents, further strengthening community bonds.

A Message from Mayor Eric Westram

Mayor Eric Westram encouraged all residents to participate in the festivities: “I invite all Rosemerites to join us on July 14. They’re bound to make some great finds at the bazaar and succumb to the charms of the Hamilton House gardens. During the Secret Gardens Tour, they’ll discover how talented our amateur gardeners are at creating spaces that are truly original. And local shutterbugs are encouraged to enter our photo contest. There’s no doubt about it: we owe our status as a ‘Community in Bloom’ to the green thumb and the imagination of our residents.”

Celebrating Rosemère in Bloom: Nurturing Community and the Environment Read More »

Dundee names municipal park after founder

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gleaner / July 12, 2024 / Municipal politics, Sarah Rennie

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

John Davidson immigrated from Dundee, Scotland to Lower Canada in 1818, where he settled on the east bank of the Salmon River. A year later he built a loading dock, and opened a storefront from his cabin which became the centre of activity in the burgeoning village he named after his birthplace. His general store was the first post office in what would become the Township of Dundee.

Now, 205 years later, the council of Dundee Township officially commemorated Davidson’s role in founding the municipality by naming the community park in his honour.

It took Mayor Linda Gagnon and the Dundee Historical Committee president, Marie Myre, a few seconds to unveil the name during a brief ceremony at the park located next to the town hall and post office on July 1. But the process to find the right name for the park took time.

“Nothing is simple. And above all, it’s very slow,” said Gagnon during a short speech before the new sign at the entrance to the park was revealed. Municipal officials began tossing around the idea of naming the municipal park soon after it was inaugurated in 2022.

The council was on board immediately, but then things grew complicated. “It took several hours of discussion,” said Gagnon, who admitted there was a lot of back-and-forth in terms of the different names under consideration. So, they brought the Dundee Historical Committee into the conversation.

Once the name was chosen and a descriptive text was produced, the committee settled on a concept for the double-sided sign that incorporates John Davidson’s actual signature into the design.

Along with the sign, the municipality has continued to add new features to the municipal park, including surfaces for different recreational activities and landscaping. A new sandbox will soon be added for younger children as well.

Gagnon said that in naming the John Davidson Park, the council and all those involved wanted to spark some additional municipal pride for residents. Immediately following the ceremony, those in attendance were invited to stay for a light lunch in celebration of the municipality’s annual Citizen’s Day.

Dundee names municipal park after founder Read More »

Crossings by migrants are on the rise in Hemmingford

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gleaner / July 12, 2024 / immigration, Sarah Rennie

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Eugenie Officer grew up along the border in Franklin. She now lives on a road adjacent to the Canada-U.S. boundary or line in Hemmingford. She says she had heard about people crossing illegally but had never seen anything until this past February, when a section of her rural road suddenly became a hot zone.

“It’s chaos,” says Officer – especially at night. “You see cars slowing down and people running!” she exclaims, noting people have been dropped off at her house while others have walked through her backyard towards the woods. With little else to do, she says she often calls the nearest RCMP detachment.

“I think only those who are experiencing this day-to-day understand the magnitude of the issue,” Officer says. “I really feel for the people being dropped off, because even though they know what they are doing is risky, I am not sure they are told how high risk it is,” she adds.

“They are being dropped off at the road. They don’t know where they are going. They don’t speak English,” Officer explains. “It’s shocking.”

She admits the last few months have taken a toll on her, both mentally and emotionally. At least once or twice a week, she comes across bags left behind. Recently, she found a diaper bag with bottled formula and toddler shoes. “Just knowing there are children going through this is heartbreaking. I understand this is not an easy issue to solve. It’s super multifaceted, and there is a lot going on,” she exclaims, “but it is out of control!”

Sergeant Charles Poirier of the RCMP agrees. He says the Valleyfield and Champlain detachments, which cover the territory along the border from Dundee to Lac Memphremagog, are especially preoccupied by the situation. “It is very rare that there is not an interception every night,” he states. On average, officers covering the Champlain sector are finding between 50 and 70 people per week. “That means at least five, six, sometimes ten calls per night,” he explains.

Officers are even busier on the American side, where the Swanton sector of the U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) reports that agents are currently apprehending around 100 people per day. Poirier says the working relationship between the RCMP and the USBP has had to adapt, and the units now work closely together. “It’s a bit like cat-and-mouse, where if we arrive a few seconds or minutes too late and the passage was successful, we have to get information to the Americans quickly.”

Poirier admits the sudden spike in southbound movement following changes to the Safe Third Country agreement in March 2023 caught the RCMP off guard. At first it was largely people of Mexican origin who were crossing, but new U.S. visa requirements have made this more difficult.

“What we are seeing now are people from India who arrive by plane in Montreal or Toronto,” says Poirier. Within hours, they are dropped off near the border, sometimes by taxi or Uber drivers, often with Ontario licence plates. RCMP investigations have determined that people are being recruited in India by networks of smugglers who charge upwards of a few thousand dollars per person.

The RCMP is now working with taxi associations and Uber, to ensure drivers are aware of the dangers associated with this work. “If there is a tragedy, the driver will have to answer some questions,” says Poirier, who suggests drivers have a moral responsibility, and depending on their level of involvement, a legal responsibility as well.

Poirier confirms the RCMP is also working to destabilize the networks, but they are especially agile, and the hot spots keep shifting. He says Canada’s legislative framework is also not helping. Customs and immigration laws allow the RCMP to detain, search bags, and question someone who enters Canada illegally, but in the case of individuals attempting to cross into the United States, there is very little that can be done.

Poirier explains that in most cases, the people they intercept in Canada have not committed an offence, even if it is very clear they intend to enter the U.S. illegally. “We have no choice but to let them go,” he says, noting this sometimes means officers will chase the same people several times in one night, because once an attempt to cross has been interrupted, the individuals will more than likely try again just down the road.

“It is not a question of capacity. We could have a thousand officers in the field, and it wouldn’t make any difference. It is really a question of the tools at our disposal,” admits Poirier.

Beyond collaborating with the USBP, Poirier says the RCMP also works closely with residents. “They are our eyes and ears,” he says. “But we also want them to feel safe and to not expect incidents will constantly take place on their property.”

Poirier asks that residents call 911 if they see anything out of the ordinary. “Don’t take it for granted that it is not an emergency,” he says, noting that while the border may seem nearby, disoriented migrants can walk up to 18 hours in circles. “There really is a need to intervene right away,” he insists.

Crossings by migrants are on the rise in Hemmingford Read More »

Parks Canada shutters historic site centre

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gleaner / July 12, 2024 / Parks Canada, Sarah Rennie

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The traditional Canada Day celebrations at the Battle of the Chateauguay National Historic Site in Tres-Saint-Sacrement did not take place this year. The interpretation centre did not open this spring, following a decision by Parks Canada to definitively close the building.

The site, which is managed by Parks Canada, commemorates the victory of Canadian troops over the invading American army on October 26, 1813. The interpretation centre was opened in 1978 and was designed to welcome up to 18,000 visitors annually, but over the years visitor numbers dropped significantly.

Information contained in a 2018 management plan for the site estimates the interpretation centre requires over $600,000 in recapitalization investments, notably in terms of the roof and the structure of the building. Daniel Beaudin, Parks Canada manager of historic sites in western Quebec, explains that declining visitorship and the expense to renovate the centre, as well as its high operating costs were contributing factors to the government’s decision regarding the site.

Beaudin confirms that while the centre is now closed to the public, the site – which includes the picnic area along the Chateauguay River, the obelisk monument, and the groomed trail of the battlefield – will remain accessible. “We are looking at a use that is quite different and based very much on the outdoors. We haven’t decided anything yet, but this is one of the possibilities,” he explained.

In the meantime, Parks Canada is in the process of taking down the exhibits in the interpretation centre. Beaudin says that while some of the panels and artifacts will be stored by the government agency, “We have also approached [the department of] National Defence to have many of the objects, most notably those belonging to Charles-Michel de Salaberry, stored at the armoury associated with the Royal 22nd Regiment.”

As for the centre itself, Beaudin suggests Parks Canada is looking into whether there may be a regional interest in using the building. “We are in the first phase,” he says, noting discussions have been initiated with the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent and among elected officials to determine the best possible outcome for the future of the building.

Beaudin insists that Parks Canada will continue to commemorate the Battle of the Chateauguay at the site, and says they hope to make more content available online, including the information contained in the genealogical terminal located in the interpretation centre. There is also the possibility of providing remote presentations to children via Parks Canada’s networked schools program.

“This will allow us to talk about the Battle of the Chateauguay, and to make people aware of the importance of this event, but in a different way,” says Beaudin.

Parks Canada shutters historic site centre Read More »

Bisexuality is community

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gleaner / July 12, 2024 / Callan Forrester, LGBTQ+, Pride Month

Callan Forrester – LJI reporter

Of all the letters in the 2SLGBTQIA acronym, one of the more misunderstood is the “B”: bisexual. Bisexuals are often the recipients of large amounts of skepticism, along with a lack of understanding of what a bisexual identity looks like.

Rachel Patenaude is a bisexual person who grew up in Hemmingford. She explains bisexuality as “experiencing attraction to same/similar and different genders to yourself, including all kinds of genders. The ‘bi’ isn’t a count of genders, it’s a count of types of attraction: ‘same’ and ‘different’ … I like the phrase ‘Love is a many-gendered thing.’”

There’s a misconception that bisexual people only experience attraction to cisgender men and women, leaving trans and non-binary people out of the equation. However, bisexual people have a more expansive definition of who they are attracted to. Patenaude adds that when you take into consideration the identity of each bisexual person and the identity of who they date, “No two bisexual experiences are the same,” and adds that “There isn’t a clear guide of how to date people when your dating history may not look like theirs. You’re not always coming from the same social communities.”

For a long time, the term “bisexual” was used differently from how we use it today. Patenaude explains that historically it was used for what we now call “intersex.” Bisexuals often fell under the gay or lesbian umbrellas. There were moments in history, like the radical feminist movement and the AIDS pandemic, that stigmatized bisexuals for not “picking a side,” and often left them ostracized from their own communities.

There are many other misconceptions that come with being bisexual. The obvious ones are that bisexuals are greedy, cheaters, or experiencing a phase that will pass. But there is also the notion that bi folks are not as involved in the political action of the queer community.

Patenaude refutes this, sharing that she herself has been an organizer and participant in many political activities for the queer community and beyond. Most recently, she was one of the organizers for the 2024 Montreal Dyke March, where she shared that half the team was bisexual. “We’re just as much a vital part of the heartbeat that is the queer community,” she says.

Bisexuality also creates a unique relationship to gender identity. Though gender identity and sexual orientation are two different experiences, they can often be quite linked. “To be a queer person, even a cisgender one, is inherently gender non-conforming,” she says, explaining that it is a societal expectation that women are cisgender and heterosexual and they date cisgender, heterosexual men, and vice-versa. Being queer breaks those expectations. Patenaude defines her own relationship with gender as “genderqueer” or “woman and other.”

One of the most valuable parts of Patenaude’s journey has been learning queer history, and specifically the history of bisexuals. She notes, “The mother of Pride, Brenda Howard, is a bisexual woman. She put together the first march to commemorate the Christopher Street riots (better known as Stonewall) … We have Pride parades because of her.”

For folks who may be newly questioning their sexuality or new to their bisexuality, Patenaude encourages them to learn queer history. For her, it has helped her feel connected to a community that has spanned across generations, which is a feeling easily missed if you are the only queer person within your family or friend group. “I’m proud to be standing in the legacy of so many incredible people,” she states. She recommends the writings of bisexual activists Brenda Howard, Lani Ka’ahumanu, Robyn Ochs, and Loraine Hutchins as great jumping-off points.

Bisexuality is community Read More »

CVR inaugurates student-designed outdoor classrooms

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gleaner / July 12, 2024 / Education, Sarah Rennie, The Gleaner

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

In 2021, two groups of Grade 8 students came together to design outdoor classroom spaces as a project at Chateauguay Valley Regional High School. Public health measures at the time meant students were spending up to four periods per day in the same classroom, literally dreaming of going outside. Now, four years later and post-pandemic, two outdoor classrooms have officially been inaugurated and the students who were initially involved in the project have received their diplomas.

Teacher Marie-Ève Beaulieu-Demers recalls how her students gravitated toward the idea when it was first introduced, noting how the multidisciplinary project quickly became integrated into most subject areas. She admits it has been a long road, with a few bumps along the way, but is content her students have seen the project through and are leaving a legacy behind as a reminder of student effort and resilience.

“I wanted them to shine,” says Beaulieu-Demers of her students. “I knew it was hard during COVID, but I had such great groups of students, and they wanted to do something,” she explains. “They achieved so much in that year. Everyone got involved … The students were brilliant, and I saw it at graduation. I was so proud of them.”

The project also left its mark on the students, including Maurene O’Farrell, Téa Guérin Roy, and Odin Wania – they remember dividing the different tasks involved in the project, from fundraising, which involved organizing a silent auction and the creation of a recipe book, to the research and design process, making models, and documenting the whole process. “I remember doing that project more than I remember COVID,” says O’Farrell of that difficult time.

Following Grade 8, the project was met with delays as the prices for construction materials soared and the school saw a succession of administrative changes. “It was hard to solidify its place as a project in the school,” says O’Farrell, who admits they were a little disappointed when the buildings were first constructed, as they were not quite how they had imagined them.

The classrooms are both covered wooden structures with workspaces for students. One is located in a shaded area near the football field and track, while the other sits at the foot of one of the small hills bordering the parking lot on the other side of the campus.

A handful of students began working on the project again in earnest this year. They added some picnic tables, cleaned up the spaces, and planted some trees. “Before it was more theoretical, and now we actually got to complete it, which I don’t think we actually thought would happen,” says O’Farrell, noting the fact that the structures are in place and will be used is satisfying.

“We do see people using them, and when we do, I can see that I was part of something important. I did the sketch for that,” says Guérin Roy.

CVR’s principal, Lynn Harkness, says it was a priority to inaugurate the classrooms before the students graduated, and has promised to continue with the project.

The school purchased a set of camping chairs for students to use this year, as well as rolling whiteboards for teachers, and garbage cans. “The school is funding and supporting the project in different phases. As we move forward, ideally, we would like to put some funds into permanent tables that cannot be destroyed by our friends that visit during the summers and evenings,” she explains, noting the spaces also benefit the community.

“I think there will be a celebration of what this cohort, this class of 2024, has accomplished,” says Harkness. “And although both designs did not turn out exactly the way that everybody wanted, we are happy to have these outdoor spaces, and we are very excited to build on them as we move forward.”

CVR inaugurates student-designed outdoor classrooms Read More »

Local schools get creative as heat wave washes over the final week of classes

Local Journalism Initiative / The Gleaner / July 12, 2024 / Education, Sarah Rennie, The Gleaner

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

“It has been a very difficult few days,” says the New Frontiers School Board director general, Mike Helm, who admits the last week of school was challenging for school staff and their students. “They managed it, but at the same time, it was not easy,” he insists, of the conditions inside Valley schools and centres as a heat wave propelled daytime temperatures into the mid-thirties.

Helm says the school board issued an advisory to staff early in the week, implementing protocols that pertain to oppressive or extreme heat conditions based on Environment Canada recommendations. The soaring temperatures, high humidity, and little respite overnight meant staff and students would be walking into overheated buildings and then working in such an environment throughout the day.

“We put these into place so that schools and centres could mobilize in terms of looking at their cool or green zones, and then have students and staff filter through these while taking on other types of activities, as well to break up the day,” he explains, noting each school has mapped out pre-defined green, yellow, and red zones depending on air flow and ventilation. Elementary teachers were also tasked with ensuring students stayed well hydrated.

The timing of the heat wave meant the impacts at the high school level were slightly less significant. Regular classes were finished, and most of the exams at Chateauguay Valley Regional had already been written. CVR also benefits from a ventilation system that keeps air flowing through the building, which helped to somewhat lower the temperature.

Adult and vocational centres were also monitoring conditions, especially in certain environments such as mechanic or welding shops and greenhouses, and teachers were encouraged to pivot to classrooms.

Helm confirms that no additional funding kicks in when schools overheat. Some administrators used discretionary funds to purchase additional fans for classrooms, but simply installing air conditioning units in each classroom is not a valid option. He says the Education Ministry is also not showing any signs it is prepared to fund the installation of cooling systems in public schools. They are, however, prioritizing this type of capacity in new builds, renovations, and expansion projects.

Looking forward to the fall, Helm says the board is considering installing ceiling fans in some rooms and is working with the material resources department to strategically help schools manage extreme heat.

Despite the heat wave, Helm says the school year has ended on a positive note. “I think our schools have done an exceptional job in terms of trying to close some of the gaps that we have had this year with the negotiations, the lost days, and in terms of our catch-up plan,” he explains. Government funding to provide catch-up initiatives to students will continue into next year, and he confirms this funding will also be used to offset costs for students needing to attend summer school.

He says this year’s graduating classes have proven their resilience. After being forced to isolate for part of their Grade 7 year, they worked through the pandemic, and are the first graduating class since 2019 to write standard ministerial exams.

Having attended several graduation ceremonies, Helm says it has been wonderful to see so many students achieve these milestones. “I think that with these students, our community is in excellent hands as they take on their next challenges.”

Local schools get creative as heat wave washes over the final week of classes Read More »

Lorraine Achieves Budget Surplus of $840,846 for 2023

Local Journalism Initiative / North Shore News / July 12, 2024 / 2023, Budget Surplus, Lorraine, Maria Diamantis

During the municipal council meeting , Mayor Jean Comtois presented the financial highlights of the City of Lorraine for the year 2023. The city ended the fiscal year with a surplus of $840,846. This positive financial outcome is attributed to careful and rigorous management of public finances, alongside effective fund management, which helped the city maintain a strong financial position despite fluctuating interest rates, a slowdown in the real estate market, and economic uncertainties.

Public awareness campaigns aimed at optimizing waste sorting and changing practices have proven beneficial for both the environment and public funds. The surplus in 2023 is the result of several factors, including savings from the purchase of potable water and a reduction in the volume of waste sent to landfills, leading to higher grant revenues. Additionally, higher-than-expected revenues were generated from high interest rates and property transfer duties.

“At all times, we strive for solid financial stability while continuing to invest in projects that benefit our community and maximize grant applications to finance these projects. Quality of life, safety, and service to our population remain at the heart of our concerns. Lorraine is attractive, and its quality of life is highly valued. We work diligently to maintain our enviable status and attract families to settle here,” stated Mayor Jean Comtois.

Investments for the Community

In 2023, several key projects were undertaken to improve the territory, access to services, and environmental preservation. These included the installation of signage and the securing of pedestrian paths near three primary schools, as well as snow removal from trails to promote safe and active transportation. Other achievements include the development of an outdoor space near the library, the renovation of tennis courts, and the construction of four pickleball courts at Lorraine Park, along with the organization of new family events.

Significant infrastructure work was also carried out, such as replacing water and sewer pipes on Avenue de Metz and developing street infrastructure in phase 2 of the Châteaux de Brisach estate. New horticultural arrangements were implemented in several public places, and environmental awareness activities were conducted to encourage citizen involvement and promote biodiversity.

Looking Towards a Promising Future

The municipal council focuses on quality of life, safety, and service to the population while ensuring healthy and sustainable public finances for the well-being of the entire community. In this context, the council plans to continue its efforts to secure funding for the polydome, a major sports and recreational infrastructure project at Lorraine Park, submitted under the Financial Assistance Program for Recreational, Sports, and Outdoor Infrastructure (PAFIRSPA).

Lorraine Achieves Budget Surplus of $840,846 for 2023 Read More »

Mayor attends her first municipal council meeting

Local Journalism Initiative / Gatineau Bulletin / July 12, 2024 / Djeneba Dosso

Djeneba Dosso

LJI Reporter

July 9 was Maude Marquis-Bissonnette’s first municipal council meeting since being elected as Gatineau’s mayor last month.

After being welcomed to the council by President Steven Boivin, the mayor provided a mandatory review of Gatineau’s financial situation for the 2023 fiscal year, noting that the City had a net surplus of almost $4.1 million last year.

“With this amount, we’ll be able to replenish certain reserves in line with the policy of operating surpluses,” she said. “The reality in 2024 with climate change is that we have to be ready to face any crisis in Gatineau, and the very good management of our finances gives us that assurance.”

The City’s debt servicing represents 8.2 per cent of the budget, leaving plenty of room for manoeuvre compared to other cities in Quebec, according to the mayor.

“We have already started to use this leverage, and this will remain a recurring concern until the end of the mandate.”

The mayor also used her time to support the financing of a new sports complex in the West and the expansion of the Guy-Sanche Library on de la Gappe Boulevard.

“There are plenty of projects from the east to west,” she said. “Thankfully, the council can rely on tools like the long-term financing plan. Not all cities have access to these resources.”

Photo caption:

Photo #1: Maude Marquis-Bissonnette addressing the municipal council for the first time since elected mayor. (DD) Photo: Djeneba Dosso

Mayor attends her first municipal council meeting Read More »

City unveils plans for Montreal’s first sponge street, in Ville-Marie borough

Local Journalism Initiative / Cult MTL / July 12, 2024

by Timothy Edward, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante commented today on the city’s rain management and efforts to mitigate flood risks with initiatives such as sponge parks and the forthcoming sponge street in the Sainte-Marie borough, which runs from de Lorimier to just east of Fullum. Plante also shared the first artist renderings of that street, Larivière, which will be able to absorb 900 cubic metres of rain, “reducing the pressure on our water infrastructures.”

“Heavy rainfall like the one this week in Montreal is becoming more frequent due to climate change, impacting our daily lives with increased flood risks. It requires thinking of the territory differently, to adapt it to these new realities.”

Work is expected to begin on this project in the spring of 2025, at a cost of $5.9-million.

City unveils plans for Montreal’s first sponge street, in Ville-Marie borough Read More »

Free as a bird

Local Journalism Initiative / The Record / July 11, 2024 / William Crooks

Ontarian racing pigeon discovered in Hatley backyard

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

In an unusual turn of events, a Hatley resident, Skylar Williams, discovered a racing pigeon from Ontario in his backyard. The bird, which has been temporarily named “Graham Cracker” by Williams’ four-year-old son, was initially spotted near the family’s parked boat.

The pigeon was found around 4 p.m. in the afternoon of July 4, said Williams in a July 8 interview with The Record. It has distinctive green and black tags on each leg, marking it as a racing pigeon. Williams attempted to contact the bird’s owner using the number on the tag through Ontario’s Canadian Racing Pigeon Union (CRPU), but was initially unsuccessful. He later managed to identify a potential owner from Ottawa, who confirmed that the bird had been used in racing events.

Racing pigeons are typically released to compete in races, with the first bird to return to the drop-off point declared the winner. After the races, these pigeons are usually kept for future competitions. However, this particular bird seemed to have been abandoned, as the original owner seems to have indicated they no longer want it.

Currently, the pigeon is residing with Williams’ chickens and appears to be getting along well with them. “Right now, he’s in with my chickens, and he gets along with them just fine,” Williams said. He has been feeding the pigeon alongside his other birds, using a container filled with bird feed.

Williams is considering keeping the pigeon as a pet if the original owner does not reclaim it. “If I can’t get a hold of the actual owner, I might keep him as a pet or release him on a cooler day so he can find his way back,” he explained. The bird has become a temporary member of the family, with even Williams’ children and wife having petted it.

More from the CRPU

The Record reached out to the CRPU for more information and received a response over the phone after a few days from its treasurer, Al Gauvin.

The brief July 10 interview revealed that pigeons sometimes get disoriented during races and may end up far from their intended destination. Gauvin mentioned, “There are one-loss races, which people pay money to enter their birds in, and sometimes those birds get disoriented or picked up.”

He expressed his willingness to help and suggested that the resident keep feeding the pigeon to help it regain its strength, hoping it would eventually continue its journey.

En lieu of answering more questions at the time, Gauvin suggested The Record obtain a “new member package” containing detailed information about pigeon racing.

According to the CRPU’s website, if you find a stray pigeon, first assess its health. If the pigeon appears healthy, you do not necessarily need to catch it. Sometimes, pigeons are simply resting before continuing their journey. In such cases, you can provide fresh water and grains (such as rice or bird seed, but not bread) to help the pigeon regain its strength.

If the pigeon is wounded or exhausted, it is important to capture it to protect it from predators. Place the bird in a cardboard box with holes or a cage, and provide fresh water and grains. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a wounded or exhausted pigeon may not survive.

Racing pigeons have a band on one of their legs, containing numbers, letters, and the year. If the band has “CU” on it, it was issued by the Canadian Racing Pigeon Union (CRPU). You can use the CRPU website (www.crpu.ca) to trace the owner.

Follow the steps in the wizard to obtain the owner’s name and phone number. The owner is responsible for assisting you with the bird. If the bird is far from home, the owner may ask you to release it a few kilometres from your home, hoping it will return to its loft.

If a pigeon has no band, contact your local humane society for help. If the owner does not contact you within 24 hours of being notified, inform the CRPU, and they will try to find a local pigeon fancier to pick up the bird.

The CRPU says they are dedicated to the welfare of all lost birds.

Free as a bird Read More »

University of Sherbrooke faces backlash over dismantling of Pro-Palestinian camp

Local Journalism Initiative / The Record / July 11, 2024 / William Crooks

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

The University of Sherbrooke (UdeS) has recently come under fire for its handling of a pro-Palestinian camp set up on its main campus. The controversy has drawn responses from various university officials and student groups, highlighting issues of equity, security, and freedom of expression.

The camp, which had been present since May, was established by students advocating for the university to take a stand on the Palestinian conflict. Despite initial tolerance from the university, tensions rose over the group’s continued presence and their failure to adhere to university regulations.

On July 2, the university notified the camp members that regulatory adjustments had been made, requiring the removal of tarps and wooden structures and the return of any university-owned equipment. The university reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for messages inciting hate. However, the camp members did not comply with these directives.

“To maintain a space of equity, security, and respectful dialogue on our campus, we had to act,” stated Professor Pierre Cossette, Rector of UdeS, in a recent release. On July 4, a team removed university-owned materials and dismantled the non-compliant structures and signage. “We respect our community members’ right to defend causes they believe in, but we must preserve an equitable and safe environment for all,” Cossette added.

In a recent communication to the university community, Cossette emphasized the university’s commitment to impartiality and maintaining academic freedom. “The latest demands from the protesters, received on July 1, did not advance discussions. These demands contradict our mission, which requires rigorous impartiality and the maintenance of academic freedom,” he explained.

The camp members’ demands include the university taking a position on whether a genocide is occurring in Palestine and condemning federal and provincial governments’ investments. Despite the university’s openness, maintaining 14 commitments, including accelerated admission processes and scholarship programs for Palestinian students, the administration stressed that certain demands could not be met.

“The university remains sensitive to the suffering of community members affected by the Gaza conflict and supports an immediate ceasefire and rapid resolution,” Cossette affirmed.

The university’s actions have sparked criticism from student associations. On July 8, the Federation of University of Sherbrooke Students (FEUS) and the Graduate Student Association (REMDUS) condemned the university’s strategy to end negotiations and resort to what they describe as repression.

Gabriel Lemelin, External Affairs Coordinator for FEUS, criticized the university’s actions: “The university, which has recognized the right to freedom of expression throughout the conflict, cannot just change its stance and act arbitrarily. Students, who partly fund the institution, have the right to express themselves. This right is protected by the Charters, and no court has validated the dismantling of the camp in this manner.”

Nicolas Dionne, Director of Political and External Affairs for REMDUS, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the camp remained peaceful and compliant with directives. “The actions of the university’s security service not only broke the protesters’ materials but also illegally seized items belonging to camp members and other organizations. Such actions were unjustifiable and regrettable, especially since discussion should have been the strategy used.”

In response to the university’s actions, FEUS and REMDUS called for a “Sit-In” on July 10 at the main campus to protest what they see as a violation of rights. “We want to signal to the university administration that rights cannot be violated. The rector’s concern for the university’s image is actually tarnished by these actions,” said Lemelin in the release.

As the situation unfolds, the university’s administration remains firm in its stance, while student groups continue to advocate for dialogue and what they consider respect for freedom of expression. The coming days are likely to see further developments as both sides seek a resolution to the ongoing dispute.

University of Sherbrooke faces backlash over dismantling of Pro-Palestinian camp Read More »

CFIB issues recommendations as Canada reviews Temporary Foreign Worker program

Local Journalism Initiative / The Laval News / July 11, 2024 / Martin C. Barry, The Laval News

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As the Trudeau government looks to overhaul its Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program, most agri-businesses say they are in favour of multi-employer work permits as an option, enabling employers to share foreign workers, according to new research undertaken by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

Foreign worker ‘poaching’

However, cautions the CFIB, the majority of agribusiness owners don’t support sectoral and/or regional work permits, whether it’s under the current or a new program structure, where a third party would recruit and dispatch a pool of foreign workers, as they fear such permits could facilitate employee poaching and thus hinder retention.

“While government is reviewing its TFW program, it needs to consider the practical needs of agri-businesses and the future of Canada’s food security,” said Juliette Nicolaÿ, a CFIB policy analyst.

“Farmers are already struggling with chronic staffing shortages and when they turn to foreign labour, it’s only as a last resort because they can’t find anyone locally,” she added.“That’s concerning given Canada’s ageing population and a perceived lack of interest among Canadian workers in a career in agriculture.”

TFW hiring in Quebec

CFIB research found that three in 10 Canadian agri-businesses hired foreign workers in 2023. The reliance on foreign workers was even more pronounced in certain regions, such as Quebec (51%), and in agriculture sub-sectors characterized by labor intensive tasks, such as the fruits, vegetable and horticultural specialties (64%).

According to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), among employers who hired TFWs, 92% said foreign workers helped them meet demand for their products or services, while 89% said that TFWs helped them stay in business.

CFIB maintains that there are many misconceptions around the TFW program,for example that TFWs aren’t paid sufficient wages or they’re mistreated by their employers.

Debunking TFW myths

In fact, the federation says, most (85%) TFWs are paid the same wage as Canadianfull-time residents or citizens, and only 3.5% are paid less. They also note that the federal government conducts regular inspections to ensure health and safety of foreign workers, with 94% of employers inspected found to be compliant on 26 different criteria.

“While there may be isolated bad actors that should not be tolerated, agri-businesses highly value foreign workers, and they take time and effort to bring TFWs to Canada,”said Francesca Basta, a CFIB research analyst.

“They cover costs that go beyond wages like housing, transport and health care. It is also common for farmers to have the same TFWs come back year after year. Some also sponsor foreign workers to become permanent residents.”

CFIB’s suggestions

To improve the TFW program’s efficiency, the CFIB recommends that the federal government should consider:

Reducing red tape associated with hiring TFWs, notably streamlining the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process;
Allowing for the sharing or transferring foreign workers as an option (e.g., multi-employer work permit);
Indexing the housing deduction to inflation – it is currently $30, which does not reflect real housing prices;
Allowing employers to match the wages offered by another employer with an LMIA in the same area to strengthen retention and curtail poaching. Provisions under the Employer Compliance Regime currently limit this;
Reimbursing the employer for the costs associated with the administration and enforcement of the compliance inspection, should the LMIA not be issued;
And introduce a mechanism to compensate initial costs covered by the employer whose employee has been poached and streamlining access to new TFWs.

The CFIB’s full mitigating agricultural labour shortages report, Harvesting a solution: Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs),can be found on the CFIB’s website.

CFIB issues recommendations as Canada reviews Temporary Foreign Worker program Read More »

Laval City-Watch

Local Journalism Initiative / The Laval News / July 11, 2024 / Martin C. Barry, The Laval News

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

For the second year in a row, the City of Laval’s communications and marketing division received a Gold Quill Award of Merit. This time it was for a campaign the city mounted last year to recruit summer employees.

The Gold Quills are awarded annually by the International Association of Business Communicators(IABC) to recognize excellence in strategic communications at the international level.

“All my congratulations to the teams for this global recognition,” said Mayor Stéphane Boyer. “Receiving this award the first time was a great honor. But getting it a second time shows without contradiction the expertise of the City of Laval’s communications and marketing service.

“Without doubt, everything is in place to get our citizens to contribute to their living space in order to turn it into an exceptional environment,” he added.

The goal of the 2023 recruiting campaign was to emphasize the attractiveness of the city’s seasonal jobs to a target audience of young people who are currently being sought by many employers, while also promoting the positions as valuable work experience on professional as well as personal levels.

“It was on this basis of a shortage of seasonal labour that the City of Laval decided to hire 500 seasonal employees,” said Nathalie Monette, the City of Laval’s chief of communications.

City reaches agreement in principle with itsrecreation workers

The City of Laval announced last week that it has reached an agreement in principle for a new collective agreement with 1,200 unionized employees working in the city’s recreation services department.

“After more than two years of negotiations, I am happy with the conclusion of this agreement which allows us to assure all citizens that they will be getting quality recreation services, all while respecting their capacity to pay,” said Mayor Stéphane Boyer.

“Our main goal was to be able to achieve gains in efficiency for the city, while also being able to offer working conditions comparable to bordering cities.”

According to the city, the agreement, which is for six years,has resulted in gains for the employer and the residents, especially as regards the simplification of salary scales, greater mobility by the employees between recreational disciplines, and improved staff planning.

Emergency sirens now installed all over Laval’s territory

The City of Laval reports that following the enactment of by-law L-12933 in the autumn of 2022, a significant number ofindustrial companies located in Laval have complied and have installed emergency sirens designed to go off to alert the public if industrial accidents happen.

Sirens in the network have been designed to go off for events such as accidental toxic fume releases or explosions at companies where hazardous materials are stored or used in manufacturing processes.

Should a major industrial accident occur, according to the city – one of that threatens to cause widespread harm beyond the actual site of the industry – the siren will go off.

Its purpose is to quickly warn the population of the need to seek shelter. Laval joins the cities of Montreal and Victoriaville in implementing this policy.

“The security of the population is a priority, but also a shared responsibility,” said Laval city councillor and executive committee member Sandra Desmeules, who is responsible for public safety dossiers.

“I salute the commitment of the industries involved here in this regard, and I invite all people in Laval to become informed on the right things to do in order to assure their security and that of those close to them in emergency situations.”

What to do if you hear the emergency siren

Proceed to and get into the nearest building.
Close the windows and doors and shut down the ventilation. Seal the doors and windows with caulking if possible.
Get away from the doors and windows.
Get information from theCity of Laval website as well as from emergency text messages.

Sirens have been installed at companies located in industrial parks around the centre of île Jésus (around the border of Chomedey and Vimont), as well as in another industrial zone in the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul district. The sirens have a distinctive sound, rising and falling in tone over a period of several minutes.

Laval City-Watch Read More »

Stolen boat recovered, but thieves still at large

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / July 11, 2024 / FREDERIC SERRE

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

Despite a massive police search in Terrasse-Vaudreuil last week, three boat thieves are still at large, although the owner of the vessel – identified as a security guard assigned to supervise the Île aux Tourtes Bridge – is relieved to be reunited with his boat.

According to the Sûreté du Québec, the drama began shortly before noon on July 2 when three men stole the boat from an undisclosed location in Montreal. The SQ received a 911 call from the boat’s owner at 11:45 a.m., as he gave chase aboard his Sea-Doo. The chase ended near the shore along 11^th Avenue in Terrasse-Vaudreuil where the suspects abandoned the craft and fled on foot.

A strong police response saw armed SQ officers as well as search dogs combing the area for several hours.

According to the SQ’s Nicolas Scholtus, officers were unable to capture the three men, although there was a report about one of them having been seen escaping on an electric scooter along one of the town’s streets. He said the investigation is continuing, as is the search for the suspects.

Stolen boat recovered, but thieves still at large Read More »

Pablo Rodriguez says he stands by Justin Trudeau

Local Journalism Initiative / The Laval News / July 11, 2024 / Martin C. Barry, The Laval News

Martin C.Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A few days after the Trudeau Liberals’ humiliating by-election defeat in the “safe”Liberal stronghold of Toronto-St. Paul,Pablo Rodriguez, the Prime Minister’s lieutenant for Quebec, was talking apologetically on the phone – long before he even got around to the actual purpose of the call.

The by-election impact

“I totally get it what happened on Monday,” the Member of Parliament for the Montreal riding of Honoré-Mercier,told Newsfirst Multimedia.

“I mean, it’s been rough for us,” he said.“But then again, I mean, it’s not a general election, it’s a by-election where people pass messages. And I think we understood very clearly that people are, you know, not happy with our stuff, that they feel the pain of the increased cost of life and all of that.

Undoing the damage

“But at the same time, when they’re going to come into an election and, you know, make the final button when you change the government, that’s a different thing, right? Because a by-election, you send a message and an election you choose your government. So, these are two different things.”

While the ostensible purpose of the call was to remind us of the Liberals’ more noteworthy accomplishments, the timing – coming virtually right after the by-election fiasco – left little doubt the gears had been turning during recent Liberal caucus meetings in Ottawa,where the operative phrase undoubtedly was damage control.

Pre-election year pitch

Thus Rodriguez, who is currently Minister of Transport in the Trudeau cabinet, went on to list the Liberal government’s most significant achievements (this being, mind you, a pre-election year, with the next official election date not expected before late next year – if the government hangs on to the end with crucial NDPsupport).

Among the accomplishments: nationwide programs aimed at combating child poverty; massive investments in new and moderately-priced as well as low-income housing projects; the Canada Dental Care Plan (albeit largely at the insistence of the NDP, as a condition for their ongoing political support); and the Canadian Pharmacare Plan, initially covering medications for diabetes and contraception.

“I think we have a pretty good bilan,” said the bilingual Rodriguez, using an interchangeable Québécois term that translates roughly as balance sheet.

No election until late 2025

Regarding the ongoing viability of the Trudeau government’s arrangement with the NDP, and whether it will last until the next scheduled election, Rodriguez said he felt confident there would be no election before October 2025.

“One of the most important things these days that Canada needs is stability,” hesaid.“Stability, because the world – not only the country, but the world – is going through a tough situation, with the economic crisis that followed the pandemic, the cost of living that has increased, the impact of climate change.

“You can feel it through the wildfires, through the droughts. So, I think we need a stable government to lead the country during this period. And this deal with the NDP is offering that kind of stability.”

Dealing with the deficit

In the Trudeau government’s 2024 budget tabled in April by Liberal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, the federal deficit was projected to be $39.8 billion in 2024-25, and $38.9 billion in 2025-26, after which it would decline to $20 billion by 2028-29.

When asked how the Liberalsplan to pay for the massive amount of debt they have accumulated while in office for nearly a decade, Rodriguez noted that the official opposition Conservatives are demanding immediate spending reductions –although without specifying what they would cut.

“So, what we’re saying is, of course, that we’re going to reduce and put an end to the deficit, but not putting at risk the people that mostly need it, not having people really suffering, because the role of the government is to be there for those that need us,” said Rodriguez.

Still on side with Trudeau

Several days prior to the interview with Rodriguez, former Ottawa-area Liberal MP Catherine McKenna became the first ex-Trudeau cabinet minister to go on record stating she felt it was time for the Liberals to seek a new leader –although she also expressed support for Justin Trudeau’s accomplishments.

Rodriguez insisted he still strongly supports Justin Trudeau, noting that the Liberal prime minister “led us to three victories in the last three elections – which is huge, right? … and he has the strength and the energy to keep fighting. So, he will decide on what he wants to do. But I will follow him.”

Finally, Rodriguez, who was first elected in 2004, confirmed that he has already made up his mind to seek a seventh term as the MP for Honoré-Mercier. (He lost once, in 2011, to the NDP, when the party surged during the so-called Orange Crush.)

Pablo Rodriguez says he stands by Justin Trudeau Read More »

Canevas’ Alley Party: where music and food meet

Local Journalism Initiative / Gatineau Bulletin / July 11, 2024 / Djeneba Dosso

Djeneba Dosso

LJI Reporter

Mark your calendars for Canevas’ multicultural alley party from 11 am to 4 pm on July 13. Hosted outside the Canevas Space, the one-day festival where “music and gastronomy meet” promises to bring electric live performances from local artists paired with authentic dishes from the four corners of the globe.

The day will open with a set from XANNIE, a local Ivorian DJ who will be tasked with warming the crowd up for the day. She will be closely followed by rapper and DJ, SEIIIZI who will bring the Jamaican sound to the streets of Gatineau. Her set will fade into the echoes of Chady Tam-Tam’s drums whose bewitching rhythms will make you want to get on your feet. Starting at 1 pm, KIMYAMUSIK will hit the stage bringing his take on Congolese-inspired hip hop with notes of slam poetry. Gatineau’s rising star Alex Brazeau will take the microphone next, slowing things down with enlivening melodies. QuataQuata’s Lisa Yacé powerful vocals will take over from 2:40 pm to 3 pm, before letting Eliot Martin close off the day.

On the culinary side, event goers can expect meals that transcend all borders. Mexican, Indian, Japanese, African, French, Senegalese and Quebecois food will all be available from various kiosks during the event.

The Alley Party is free of charge and welcomes all.

Photo caption

Photo #1: On July 13, Canevas and QuataQuata will host a free multicultural alley party. The one-day festival, open to all, will feature performances from local artists and mouth-watering food from the four corners of the globe. Pictured from left to right: Feza, Jess RjOe, Chady Tam-Tam, XANNIE, SEIIIZI and BeeDee Jones. (DD) Photo: Courtesy of QuataQuata via Instagram.

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What’s at risk?: Exhibition showcases concerns with Chalk River Near Surface Disposal Facility project

Local Journalism Initiative / The West Quebec Post / July 11, 2024 / Taylor Clark

Taylor Clark

LJI Reporter

A series of multimedia exhibitions aimed to raise awareness about the Near Surface Disposal Facility project planned for Chalk River wrapped up at the Aylmer Marina on July 6.

Throughout May and June, Stop Nuclear Waste has organized these exhibits at various locations across the Ottawa Valley to showcase what was at stake with the January 9th approval of a licence for the controversial project by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. The decision came without free, prior, and informed consent of the Algonquin Nation, which Kebaowek First Nation argued was a clear violation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“It’s a betrayal of a series of sacred trusts. Anishinaabe aki (land) was not created for business profit. Our Nation was not built to turn the (Kichi Sibi), our great river, into a self-storage unit for nuclear waste,” former Kebaowek First Nation councillor Verna Polson told the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission during the Near Surface Disposal Facility hearing in June 2022.

Kebaowek First Nation is among the 11 communities making up the Omamiwininiwag or the Algonquin Nation, who have spent time immemorial on the land surrounding the Kichi Sibi (Ottawa River). The First Nation was also one of four communities involved with Stop Nuclear Waste, a community movement of Indigenous leaders, local members, and allies who wish to hold the government and the Nuclear Safety Commission accountable for years of irresponsibly disposing nuclear waste.

Since its establishment in 1944, the Chalk River Laboratories has been a major research and development site that led to advancements in nuclear technology. A large share of the world’s supply of medical radioisotopes was produced at the site until the nuclear reactor was shut down in 2018. The site was also home to a handful of incidents over the years, the most recent being the discharge of toxic sewage. The incident came months after Canadian Nuclear Laboratories was awarded the licence for the Near Surface Disposal Facility.

The facility would allow the permanent disposal of solid radioactive and non-radioactive legacy waste but would require the removal of the mountainside along the river to make way for the waste disposal facility. According to an Indigenous-led assessment by Kebaowek First Nation and Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, storing over a million cubic metres of legacy nuclear waste would directly impact the water quality, and ability of animals and plants to live along with other species in the watershed. On top of risks to the waterway, the project would also require the clearing of 37 hectares of old growth forest where Kebaowek First Nation found active traces of wildlife.

Overlooking the Ottawa River, attendees of the exhibition came face to face with images and depictions of endangered and culturally significant species like lake sturgeon, eastern wolves, and bears that would lose their habitats to the disposal site.

Kebaowek member Mary-Lou Chevrier believes she has already seen first-hand the effects of the site’s waste on the surrounding wildlife. Upon conducting a fish study in April, Chevrier was met by what she described as a metallic odour, dead aquatic animals, and “lethargic” lake sturgeons where the Petawawa River meets with the Ottawa River.

“(The sturgeons) were in about 14 inches of water and they were swimming in a circle. This is obsessive compulsive behaviour, and I was able to actually pick them up by hand out of the water,” said Chevrier.

While it was exciting to hold the ancient fish, Chevrier said the moment was also very disheartening because she had spent decades trying to reel one in.

“I think you’re privileged to be able to see one and to be able to handle them in that way, but I felt that something definitely wasn’t right,” she said.

Chevrier noted the sighting was around the time the public finally learned of the toxic sewage discharge that occurred months prior. Although there was no evidence connecting the sewage to the sturgeon’s odd behaviour, Chevrier worried about what the discharge meant for aquatic life.

“In the meantime, I had been coming across a lot of anglers who were catching and eating fish, so that really stuck with me. I felt that there should have been earlier public notification.”

The decision by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission was challenged by Kebaowek First Nation in a judicial review in front of the Federal Court from July 10 to 11.

The First Nation presented an oral argument based on both the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations Declaration Act. In the spirit of reconciliation and protecting all life, Kebaowek First Nation believed Canada was obligated to carry out free, prior, and informed consent into the consultation process as stated in Article 29.2 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that was put into Canadian law by the passing of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act in 2021.

Those wanting to support the cause can add their name to a list of signatories demanding the Government of Canada to make no decision in terms of issuing a licence to the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. Stop Nuclear Waste’s petition can be found online at http://www.stopnuclearwaste.com/petition. Contributions can also be made to Kebaowek First Nation’s legal fund by donating to https://gofund.me/7ce16728.

Photo caption: A painting by Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg artist Destiny Cole highlights the speculated relationship between lake sturgeon and hickorynut mussels, which are both included as endangered in the official Species at Risk in Ontario list.

Photo credit: Taylor Clark

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Agape appeals for funds to city, as Senior Wellness Centre drains resources

Local Journalism Initiative / The Laval News / July 11, 2024 / Martin C. Barry, The Laval News

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Youth and Parents Agape Association announced a $93,809 deficit for 2024 on June 27 during the Chomedey-based charity’s annual general meeting.

In light of this, they are calling on the City of Laval to provide financial support for the Agape Senior Wellness Centre, which is drawing on more of Agape’s financial resources than had previously been expected.

From the left, Agape board members Roderick McLeod, Gregory Young, Elizabeth McLeod, are seen here during the AGM with executive-director Kevin McLeod and assistant director Ian Williams. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Situation ‘stable’

In spite of the shortfall, the social service provider’s executive-director was upbeat during an interview with The Laval News, describing Agape’s situation as “stable.”

“It’s going to get better,” said Kevin McLeod, adding that “of course, a lot of that money was due to our Senior Wellness Centre, a lack of funding that we’re having there. But we need more money for the Senior Wellness Centre.”

A drain on funding

McLeod explained during the meeting that rent alone for the Senior Wellness Centre in a Notre Dame Blvd. high-rise building costs $100,000 per year. (The Agape administration also uses the centre’s offices.)

“I’ll be honest,” he said. “This place cost us a lot of money. I’m not going to lie. It’s a big reason why we closed our year at a very big negative.”

He said Agape has been talking with the City of Laval, including Mayor Stéphane Boyer and Souvenir-Labelle city councillor Sandra El Helou, about the city providing fundingfor the Senior Wellness Centre, as it has for years to the nearby Axion 50 Plus seniors centre.

Seeking help from city

“I think that there’s misconception that the City of Laval sometimes would love that everyone goes to one place for joint services at Axion 50,” said McLeod.

“I think, realistically speaking, my argument is it’s not going to happen, because trust has been broken and it’s hard to build it back. And I think that English-speaking seniors want a place of belonging, that belongs to them, where there are English signs up, they speak in English and not feel discriminated against. I think that’s what it comes down to.”

Overall $1.2 million budget

According to Agape’s2024 audited financial statements, operating the Senior Wellness Centre cost $96,995, ata $53,000 loss for Agape. The association’s projected revenues for 2024-2025, from close to two dozen provincial, federal, private and self-financing sources, are a little over $1.2 million.

In spite of the challenges, the board said in their foreword to Agape’s published report of activities that “this has been an exceptional year for Agape, with 2023-2024 marking a record in the number of English speakers served by our organization.”

‘Pride in our achievements’

From April 2023 to March 2024, according to the directors, Agape provided services, resources, presentations, referrals, emergency food relief and other essential support to more than 5,000 individuals.

“We take great pride in our achievements and firmly believe that our initiatives have significantly contributed to the mental and physical well-being of many English speakers,” said the directors.

Agape benefited from a major cash windfall when the board decided to divest the organization of its children’s daycare centre, selling it to a private operator. The six-figure sum, according to McLeod, has been deposited into a special fund to accumulate interest.

Handling clothes donations

While explaining some of the inner workings of Agape’s operations, McLeod revealed that a certain portion of the items received as donations, such as clothes, are sometimes thrown out immediately if they are unusably defective because of damage, dirt or infestation. Better quality clothing may be sold to raise money.

Although he pointed out that food isnever sold and always given away to the needy, McLeod said clothing is sold at a nominal cost, although “families in need are given clothing a hundred percent.” Assistant director Ian Williams added that thrift shoppers hunting for fashionable used clothing will often drop by the Agape outlet on Notre Dame Blvd.

Agape appeals for funds to city, as Senior Wellness Centre drains resources Read More »

Give me a sign!

Local Journalism Initiative / The Record / July 10, 2024 / William Crooks

Stolen Minton United Church sign found and returned one year later

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

In a surprising turn of events, the six-foot-wide wooden sign that had adorned the Minton United Church in Hatley Township for over a decade has been found and returned to its rightful place.

The sign, crafted by local artist Trevor McKinven, was stolen in June 2023, leaving the community baffled and saddened. Now, after more than a year of uncertainty, the sign’s recovery has brought relief and joy to the church and its supporters. The Record spoke with McKinven and Wendall Conner, church caretaker, on the scene July 9.

Theft in the night

The disappearance of the sign was first noticed on the morning of June 3, 2023. Brian Conner, along with his father Wendall, who is a member of the church board, discovered that the sign had been removed from its posts during the night. “It was a shock to all of us,” said Wendall Conner. “We decided not to file a police report, hoping it might turn up on its own.”

McKinven, who had created the sign about ten years prior, was deeply affected by the theft. “It felt like a personal attack on the community and the church’s history,” he recalled. The theft required significant planning and effort, as the sign was heavy and securely mounted. “They must have had tools and a plan. It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment thing.”

A year of searching and fundraising

Despite their initial hope that the sign would reappear, the community soon realized they might need to replace it. McKinven, who had experienced the theft of his artwork before, took a proactive approach. He organized a fundraiser, selling high-quality prints of his paintings of the church’s interior to cover the costs of creating a new sign. “I wanted to turn my frustration into something positive for the community,” he explained.

For over a year, there were no leads. The sign’s disappearance remained a mystery, despite the efforts of McKinven, the Conner family, and other community members who scoured the area and posted about the missing sign on social media.

The unexpected discovery

Recently, the mystery took an unexpected turn. A contractor working on a house in Magog noticed a large wooden sign leaning against a shed. He inquired with the new homeowner, who had bought the house about a year ago and claimed the sign was already there when he moved in.

Recognizing that it might be something important, the contractor mentioned it to his daughter, who works in North Hatley. She immediately recalled the missing sign from conversations in town a year prior.

The contractor’s daughter visited Wendall Conner and told him about her father’s discovery. “She showed up one evening after supper and said her father had found something that belonged to us,” Conner recounted. “At first, I didn’t know what she was talking about, but then it clicked.”

Returning the sign

Arrangements were quickly made to retrieve the sign. “Brian and I went to pick it up the next day,” said Conner. “It was a relief to see it again.” Despite some minor damage from being tossed around, the sign was largely intact. McKinven plans to touch it up before re-mounting it securely. “I’m going to add some new touches to it, incorporating more of the church’s interior details,” he shared. “The interior is so beautiful, and I want to reflect that in the new design.”

The discovery of the sign has been a source of joy and excitement for the community. “It’s amazing how it all happened,” Conner said. “We were gearing up to make a new sign, and then this one just showed up out of nowhere. It’s a bit of a miracle.”

Community reaction

The return of the sign has been met with widespread relief and celebration. “It’s like a piece of our history has come back,” said McKinven. “The church is more than just a building; it’s a symbol of our community’s resilience and spirit.”

For the Conner family and other church members, the sign’s return is a testament to the power of community and perseverance. “We never gave up hope,” Wendall Conner remarked. “And now, seeing it back where it belongs, it feels like a weight has been lifted off our shoulders.”

Looking ahead

With the sign back in its rightful place, the Minton United Church is preparing for its upcoming service on July 21. McKinven is working on the final touches to ensure the sign is ready to be re-installed. “I’m excited to see it back up,” he said. “It’s going to be a great day for the church and the community.”

As the church prepares for the service, the community is reflecting on the past year’s events and the lessons learned. “It’s been a journey, but we’re stronger for it,” said Conner. “We’ve seen the power of coming together and supporting each other. That’s what this church is all about.” For more information on the church’s upcoming service, contact Mead Baldwin at: meadbaldwin@gmail.com

Give me a sign! Read More »

Hudson set to discuss deal for Sandy Beach

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / July 10, 2024 / BRENDA O’FARRELL

BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1019 Report

The town of Hudson is preparing to negotiate some sort of deal with the owners of Sandy Beach to determine how the waterfront area can be spared from development, but it will come down to price – and how much of that price taxpayers are willing to shoulder, says Hudson Mayor Chloe Hutchison.

This spring representatives of Nicanco Holdings, which own the wooded tract of land along the shores of the Lake of Two Mountains, asked the town if it would be interested in discussing a possible deal, Hutchison said, marking the first time in recent years the landowners would consider the option.

“There is an opening on their part,” Hutchison said in an interview with The 1019 Report this week.

This led to about five meetings involving members of council and others to hash out a formal response from the town. That response, which was outlined in a statement, was delivered to Nicanco a week ago, Hutchison said Monday. She declined to share the substance of the message.

The meetings to draft the response involved all members of council, the town’s director-general, its special projects co-ordinator and the town’s lawyers.

“The message coming from council is to save all of it,” Hutchison said, referring to the entire tract of wooded wetland that traces the shore of the lake. But she cast doubt on whether that option will be possible.

“We won’t get away without paying some profitability,” Hutchison said, referring to what the developer will be seeking in terms of value for its land.

To prepare for possible negotiations, council next week will hold a special meeting. Four items have been outlined on the agenda of that meeting, including two that will deal with Sandy Beach. One item, Hutchison said, would be to approve a contract to assess the market value of the land owned by Nicanco and an adjacent 1.9-acre lot located at 2 Royalview Street that has recently been listed for sale with an asking price of $1.5 million.

A second contract set to be issued is to assess the cost to the town if the proposed development Nicanco has put forward to build about 200 housing units in the area goes through. This would include the financial impact of everything from infrastructure to services weighed against the possible tax revenue generated from the construction of new residential dwellings. The aim is to inform council and taxpayers in clear, calculated terms the positive or negative fiscal impact of development to the town, she said.

The town is planning to issue two additional contracts at a later date to support its talks with Nicanco, Hutchison said.

In the meantime, several other factors could affect the value of the land, including the awaited outcome of the legal challenge to the Quebec Environment minister’s decision to revoke Nicanco’s permit to backfill part of the area around Sandy Beach that has stalled its original 214-unit housing development project to move forward.

If the ministerial revocation of the permit stands, it would only limit development in a small section of the site, and Nicanco could still develop within a wide tract of the area. To that end, the developer has already drafted plans for an amended version of its building plan, but it has not yet been approved.

Also, the provincial Environment Ministry is currently updating its new flood plain maps. Depending on the outcome of this process, which is now undergoing consultations, the area along the waterfront that would be permitted for development could change dramatically. The new flood maps are only expected to be publicly unveiled some time next year.

Ultimately, Hutchison said, it will come down to price.

“We can consider putting in a third of something,” she said, explaining the remainder of any final price would have to come from other sources. Convincing taxpayers to go along with such a plan, however, is not a given in her estimation.

And that is where a grassroots group that held a public meeting last month could come into play.

The meeting, organized by a small group of citizens who support saving Sandy Beach from development, invited the public to discuss what was framed as “a viable alternative solution to residential construction” surrounding the beach site. About 100 people showed up June 21. Among the topics raised at the gathering was the development of what one organizer called “a financial vehicle” to attract and raise funds to support the purchase of the popular waterfront natural space.

“The enthusiasm from the meeting has been phenomenal,” said Hudson resident Cam Gentile, one of the organizers of the meeting. “There is tremendous support.”

About 25 people have stepped forward following the meeting, Gentile said, to help the group organize its efforts. This expanding group has held a series of meetings in the past weeks.

The objective, Gentile said to build awareness of the group’s effort and create a vehicle to collect what he described as “a significant amount of funds” to help buy Sandy Beach.

Hudson set to discuss deal for Sandy Beach Read More »

MRC votes to suspend director-general, launch probe

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / July 10, 2024 / BRENDA O’FARRELL

BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1019 Report

The MRC Vaudreuil-Soulanges has suspended its director-general pending an investigation into what multiple sources have described as a series of issues.

Guy-Lin Beaudoin was suspended with pay from his duties last month at a special meeting called by the MRC council.

A majority of the mayors who sit on the 23-member MRC council also voted to contract the services of a lawyer to conduct an independent probe into issues of concern which were raised by the elected members of the council who sit on the agency’s human resources committee.

According to multiple sources who spoke to The 1019 Report on the promise of anonymity, some elected officials on the MRC council were surprised to recently learn that the director-general’s employment contract had been renewed in May 2023 without their knowledge.

The head of the MRC, prefect Patrick Bousez, has the authority to renew the director-general’s contract.

The lawyer mandated to conduct the inquiry had previously been commissioned by the MRC on other matters before the contracted was extended to include this new probe.

“It is more complex than we can believe,” one source told The 1019 Report without providing specifics. “As we have learned things, we had to act,” the source said, referring to the mandate extended to an independent lawyer to conduct a series of inquiries.

The region’s mayors have been meeting behind closed doors to discuss issues for several weeks, sources confirmed. These meetings have included Bousez.

Bousez declined a request for an interview, but issued a short statement to The 1019 Report:

“The MRC will not issue any comments regarding the investigation that will be launched and the suspension of the employee involved,” Bousez stated in an email delivered through the MRC’s communication staff.

The MRC’s acting assistant director-general, Alexandre Lambert, will act as interim director-general until the inquiries are completed.

Beaudoin has served as the MRC’s top administrator for about 15 years. In 2018, he was recognized for his years of service by the Association des directeurs généraux des MRC du Québec. The honour, which is posted on the MRC Vaudreuil-Soulanges’ website, outlines a career that has so far included stints as assistant director-general for the MRC Manicouagan, before becoming the director-general of the MRC Val-Saint-François. He also served as director-general of the town of Richmond for seven years.

During his tenure at the MRC Vaudreuil-Soulanges he has overseen the construction of the regional authority’s new headquarters on Harwood Blvd. which also includes the offices of the regional municipal court and the offices of the MRC’s business development agency, Développement Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

MRC votes to suspend director-general, launch probe Read More »

Accused charged with double murder in Vaudreuil expected to enter plea

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / July 10, 2024 / FREDERIC SERRE

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

The criminal case against Fabio Puglisi, charged with killing two women and injuring a third during a savage stabbing attack at a condo building in Vaudreuil-Dorion last February, returned to court June 20, when his lawyer requested a delay in proceedings so that his client can decide on a plea. Quebec Court Judge Bertrand St-Arnaud granted the request, and ordered Puglisi to return to court Aug. 22.

Puglisi, 44, who has had a history of mental illness and run-ins with the law since 2011, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault.

The victims of the brutal Feb. 15 attack at the Vela condominium complex on Émile Bouchard Street were identified as Puglisi’s mother, Élisabetta Puglisi-Caucci, 68; and her neighbour, Manon Blanchard, a retired Canadian Armed Forces officer. The third victim, Nighat Imtiaz, a woman in her 70s who lives in the same building, was also taken to hospital with stab wounds but has since recovered. Puglisi was arrested on the scene by police.

Puglisi did not appear at the Valleyfield courthouse on June 20, as he is being held at the Philippe-Pinel psychiatric institution in Montreal, but his lawyer, Alexandre Dubé, informed Judge St-Arnaud that his client understands the charges against him. The Crown, meanwhile, presented new evidence, which St-Arnaud said would be passed on to the defence. He then ordered all parties to return to court on Aug. 22, at which time Puglisi is expected to enter a plea, Dubé said.

Last February, after Puglisi was charged, a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation concluded that he was not fit to stand trial at that time. He was then ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment.

He returned to court in April after a new evaluation, which declared that he is fit to stand trial.

Just prior to his arrest last February, Puglisi appeared in court to answer to assault charges related to a separate incident involving domestic violence. He also had several run-ins with the law, including in 2011 involving accusations of assault causing bodily harm and, in 2018, for allegations of fraud. Each time he was declared not criminally responsible for his actions.

Accused charged with double murder in Vaudreuil expected to enter plea Read More »

St. Lazare sporsplex for sale – asking price $8.9 million

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / July 10, 2024 / JOSHUA ALLAN

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1019 Report

What does a large multi-purpose athletic complex go for these days?

If it’s the St. Lazare Sports Complex, it’s $8.9 million. That is the asking price for the 70,000-square-foot complex that has been put up for sale last month. And is already drawing considerable interest.

Opened in 2006, the facility is the only indoor ice rink in St. Lazare. It also has a synthetic-turf indoor soccer pitch, a fitness centre, a dance studio and sports bar, as well as spaces for osteopathy and massage therapy.

There has been no shortage of interest in the property, said Joe Rullier, executive vice-president at Colliers International, who is brokering the sale. Rullier said there are already two offers on the table. The town of St. Lazare is not one of them.

The town, however, is one of the complex’s largest customers. During the municipal council meeting last month, elected officials unanimously passed a motion to renew the town’s lease agreement with the complex. The lease renewal, which will run from September 2024 until April 2028, is for a maximum of $817,725.

The current owners of the sportsplex, a five-person limited partnership, are ready to take a step back, said David Laventure, one of the owners.

“It’s just time,” Laventure said, adding that the partners are getting older and have owned the sports complex for nearly two decades.

Two of the original partners have died in recent years. Owners Bill Giblin and John-Paul Longlade passed away in September 2020 and June 2023, respectively.

The complex is in good shape and does not face the need for any major structural repairs, said Julie Daoust, the complex’s director-general. Though the complex requires regular upkeep and maintenance work, she said that no investments are needed for any extensive restoration. Both Daoust and Laventure were adamant that the sale of the building would not cause any interruptions in the schedules of the various leagues, games other activities that take place at the complex.

St. Lazare sporsplex for sale – asking price $8.9 million Read More »

St. Lazare posts $5.5-million surplus for 2023

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / July 10, 2024 / BRENDA O’FARRELL

BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1019 Report

The town of St. Lazare posted a $5.5-million budget surplus for 2023, bringing its accumulated surplus to about $8.8 million, according to its audited financial report unveiled last month.

The report, approved by the city’s municipal council on June 11 and subsequently submitted to the provincial government, provides a detailed overview of the city’s fiscal performance in the last year.

According to the figures, the city posted total revenues of $36,700,722 in 2023, while all expenses came in at $31,161,212, leaving a surplus for the year of $5,539,510.

The city’s unallocated accumulated surplus as of Dec. 31, 2023, totalled $8.8 million.

In addition to the unallocated surplus, the city also controls an allocated surplus of $4.4 million. Of that sum, $2.55 million has been assigned to the city’s 2024 budget in an effort to reduce the tax burden on taxpayers.

According to figures released by the town, St. Lazare ended last year with a long-term debt of $26.7 million. Just more than half of that debt, 54 per cent, is carried by all property owners in the town, while 39 per cent is attributed to only some taxpayers who have been assessed with local improvement projects and specific water and sewer upgrades.

According to St. Lazare Mayor Geneviève Lachance, the level of long-term indebtedness of residents is pegged at a level of 94 cents per $100 of property valuation, well below the comparative level of $1.54 per $100 of valuation, which is the average for towns in the MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges, and $1.69 per $100 of valuation for towns across Quebec of comparable size to St. Lazare.

St. Lazare posts $5.5-million surplus for 2023 Read More »

Vaudreuil posts $4.7-million budget surplus for 2023

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / July 10, 2024 / JOHN JANTAK

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The city of Vaudreuil-Dorion posted a $4.7-million budget surplus for 2023, bringing its accumulated surplus to just under $9 million, according to its financial report unveiled last month.

The report, approved by the city’s municipal council on June 17, provides a detailed overview of the city’s fiscal performance in the last year.

According to the figures, the city posted total revenues for 2023 of $103,053,972, while all expenses totalled $98,346,667, leaving a surplus of $4,707,305.

“The slowdown in the real estate market in 2023 was reflected in transfer tax revenues falling compared to the budget,” said city treasurer Marco Pilon in his presentation to council. “On the other hand, higher interest rates generated increased interest income, which helped to compensate.”

The city’s unallocated accumulated surplus as of Dec. 31, 2023, amounted to $8,914,479.

“City council will meet shortly to consider how best to apply this surplus, which could be made available, in part, for the preparation of the next five-year capital plan while setting aside an amount to deal with various unforeseen events,” said Mayor Guy Pilon in a statement.

In addition to the unallocated surplus, the city also controls allocated surpluses and reserved funds totalling $4.19 million. Of that sum, $1.68 million has been assigned to the city’s 2024 budget in an effort to reduce the tax burden on taxpayers.

An additional amount of $2.09 million of the allocated surplus funds will be invested in parks and green spaces, the city stated.

The municipality’s long-term debt as of Dec. 31, 2023, hit $223 million, up 11 per cent from the previous year. The current figure represents 2.8 per cent of the city’s taxable valuation of $7.98 billion, which, falls within the acceptable range set by the provincial government for a developing city like Vaudreuil-Dorion, municipal officials stated.

About half of the city’s debt is carried by all taxpayers in the city, while 43 per cent is attributed to local improvements and specific infrastructure projects, therefore, attributed to the property owners who benefit from these services. The remaining debt mainly represents sums borrowed on behalf of the government of Quebec.

Vaudreuil posts $4.7-million budget surplus for 2023 Read More »

Hudson teen pleads guilty to charges in Walmart fire

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / July 10, 2024 / FREDERIC SERRE

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

A Hudson teenager charged with setting a fire at the Walmart in Vaudreuil-Dorion in February that kept the store on De la Gare Blvd. closed for three months will be sentenced this fall after he appeared before a Quebec Court judge on June 17 and pleaded guilty.

Luciano Minisini Burke, 18, will return to the Valleyfield courthouse on Oct. 15, where he will learn if he will face prison time. While Burke initially pleaded not guilty to charges that he lit a fire inside the store on Feb. 20, while shoppers were inside the building, he waived his release hearing last month, and will remain in custody until the fall.

Burke was charged with two counts of wilfully causing fire damage to the Walmart and causing fire damage to property with the knowledge that individuals were in the store. In unrelated incidents, he also faced charges of causing fire damage to residences under construction in Piedmont and Terrebonne.

Police arrested Burke the same day as the fire at Walmart, and he appeared before a Quebec Court judge in February, where he was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, which ruled that he was fit to stand trial.

The damage to the store was so extensive that it took three months to carry out repairs. The Walmart finally reopened on May 16.

At his court appearance on June 17, the accused entered guilty pleas to all counts related to the fire at Walmart, while a conditional sentence was imposed on the charges related to the fires in the other municipalities.

Hudson teen pleads guilty to charges in Walmart fire Read More »

Moose wandering through Vaudreuil eventually herded back to wooded area

Local Journalism Initiative / Brenda O'Farrell The 1019 Report / July 10, 2024 / FREDERIC SERRE

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 West

A young moose on the loose that led police and wildlife officials on a wild, five-hour chase along Highway 40 in Vaudreil-Dorion late last month was eventually herded back unhurt to a forested area in the town a few kilometres away, police said.

According to the Sûreté du Québec, citizens began making 911 calls as early as 5 a.m. on June 26, saying a moose was running loose along eastbound Highway 40. After searching the area, officers with the SQ and Quebec’s wildlife protection services located the frightened animal and ordered the closure of the westbound Highway 30 exit at about 8 a.m.

According to Élizabeth Marqui-Guy of the SQ, officers came close to cornering the moose, but it managed to escape by running into the parking lot area near the Walmart store on De la Gare Blvd., trotting along the store’s main entrance area before the outlet opened. It was then seen trying to cross Highway 40. Finally, at about 10:30 a.m., officers on scene were able to lure the animal back to the forest where it is believed to have come from, while reopening the Highway 30 exit to traffic.

Valleyfield resident Jacques Rocheleau says he was driving along Highway 40 at about 5 a.m. when he first spotted the animal near the Highway 30 exit.

“He was running in between the 30 and the 40,” Rocheleau said.

Chantale Laplante of Vaudreuil-Dorion said she called 911 when she saw the moose running along the highway at about 8 a.m. “I’m the one (of the residents) who called it in this morning at 8,” Laplante said. “I really hope that he is safe and sound. It’s such a good thing that we were responding in so many numbers,” she added, referring to the frantic calls posted on social media to rescue the wandering animal.

Moose wandering through Vaudreuil eventually herded back to wooded area Read More »

Four decades later, Wakefield’s own whodunnit remains a mystery

Local Journalism Initiative / The Low Down / July 10, 2024 / Trevor Greenway

By Trevor Greenway
editor@lowdownonline.com

When Joan Garnett peered out her Wakefield window in the late evening of July 10, 1984, all she could see were flames.

Wakefield’s treasured wooden bridge – a village icon that had spanned the Gatineau River for 69 years – was a fiery inferno. Villagers were out on their docks or scattered along the riverbank, watching the structure crack and bust apart span by span – many of them, like Garnett and her partner, Norma Walmsley, aghast as the violent flames tore through the nearly 90 metres of wood in a matter of minutes. It was precisely 40 years ago from this edition’s publication date.

“We were up, and we saw it start,” said Garnett from her home in Wakefield. Back then, she was living with Walmsley just off Wakefield Heights Road, and their living room had a clear, first-row view of the bridge. The two would spend hours on their deck, taking in the iconic site they loved so dearly. But that night, they couldn’t bear to watch their beloved bridge burn. “We saw it, and we pulled the curtains closed.”

After a few minutes, the pair decided to walk down to the water’s edge, where several other residents were gathered “in their nightclothes,” Garnett said. “It didn’t take long [for it to burn]. It broke in two; one part remained, and the other floated. It was just like an ocean liner going down and crackling all the way. I just couldn’t believe it.”

Garnett recalled hearing the steam off the wood hiss as the walls and the roof became ablaze, and within minutes, bits of the burned bridge were floating down the river.

By morning, all that was left were two grey piers – a difficult sight to see, according to many locals. Garnett said the whole ordeal was “surreal.”

“It didn’t really sink in until the next morning, and I saw the piers,” said Garnett.

Investigators from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) deemed the incident arson, as the culprit or culprits rolled a car full of gasoline onto the bridge around 11 p.m. The 69-year-old structure was lit on fire, entirely burned, and its several charred sections sent floating down the Gatineau River – all within seven minutes.

Mysteries within a mystery

Forty years later, the case remains unsolved, and the police files – the 9-1-1 call, the police report and any other authoritative information about the case – have been sealed. It has become Wakefield’s own whodunnit. The Low Down tried to unseal some of the documents through an access to information request, but was told that some of the files have been “purified.”

“Depending on the nature of the files, they are destroyed after a certain number of years,” wrote SQ Media Relations Officer Sgt. Marc Tessier. “This file is no longer available.”

Typically, the Low Down would be a perfect source for this information, as the local paper covered the burning, the criminal case and the impressive and successful campaign to rebuild it 13 years later. But when we looked in our files, someone had ripped out all the coverage from our bound archive books – every article about the case is missing. We only found a Gatineau Valley Historical Society feature article by former Low Down reporter, the late Ernie Mahoney.

In his Up the Gatineau article from 1997, he noted that the Low Down ran the headline, “Heart Torn Out of Village”. The article also referred to David McAfee’s gripping photograph “of the blazing bridge spans collapsing into the water.”

“Even to this day, some people will not look at the photo, as they claim it is akin to looking at a dying relative, so much was the intense passion associated with the famous landmark,” wrote Mahoney. “Witnesses said that there was nothing that could be done to stop the fire, and that even a nearby house was in danger of catching fire. Its aluminum siding was hot to the touch.”

Despite the mystery, Wakefielders in the 1980s certainly had their theories.

“You would get all these people phoning and saying, ‘I think I know who did it, I know who did it,’ and that went on for about two weeks,” said Judy Grant, the editor of the Low Down at the time.

She also didn’t know about the ripped-out pages in the Low Down’s archives.

When asked about it, Grant said she couldn’t recall much of the Low Down’s specific coverage, but she did remember the day after the fire – when she arrived at the office to see a large photograph of the bridge on fire pinned to the Low Down door.

Grant said she refused to run the photo, thinking the arsonists wanted to see their “dirty work” on the front page.

“I was afraid to put it on the front page. Someone had set this fire, and I thought, ‘Somebody wants this printed very badly.’ And so I didn’t put it on the front page…”

Why then-publisher Art Mantell didn’t enforce the journalism mantra of “if it bleeds it leads” is yet another mystery.

“When something like this happens, everybody has their ideas of who did it, but what a stupid thing it was to do something like that,” said Grant, pointing out that it left people on the other side of the Gatineau River stranded.

The ‘congestion’ theory

Despite the mystery surrounding the identity of the arsonist or arsonists, many witnesses, residents and journalists agree on the motive: truck drivers sometimes had to wait hours to cross the single-lane bridge to get across the Gatineau River.

The original bridge, built in 1915, was the only bridge between Chelsea and Low linking both shores of the Gatineau River, and delays could be long on busy weekends, holidays or during rush hour. The only other option was a nearly 30-kilometre detour to the nearest crossing. The bridge was also in extreme disrepair, and the province had not committed any funding or action to repair it.

The theory is that a trucker, or truckers, torched the bridge so that the province would be forced to build another two-lane bridge, which it did in 1987 – the concrete and steel bridge that you now see near the Wakefield police station.

“There would be lineups on weekends, and the delays would be high during the ski season,” said Wakefielder Neil Faulkner. He wasn’t living in Wakefield when the bridge burned down but became a significant player in the rebuilding efforts during the 13-year build. “I used to go over [to Wakefield] to go skiing, and it wasn’t too bad. But there were periods where there’d be quite a lineup. There are pictures of trucks that had [partially] fallen through – it was in really bad shape.”

It didn’t take long for Wakefielders to rally for a new covered bridge. In fact, Mahoney reported that it was the night of the fire when Walmsley vowed to rebuild it.

“Norma Walmsley viewed the conflagration in a state of shock from her home high on the hillside overlooking the bridge,” wrote Mahoney. “It was then that she vowed that the bridge must be rebuilt, even as the flames were dying.”

Walmsley took charge of fundraising and spent the next decade-plus raising money and rallying the community to build a new bridge.

The new bridge was finally completed on Oct. 4, 1997, but what happened between 1984 and 1997 “would astound even the greatest skeptics,” as Mahoney put it.

Read Part 2 of this series on July 31 and the story of how a small village built a multi-million dollar bridge against all odds.

Four decades later, Wakefield’s own whodunnit remains a mystery Read More »

Photo Credit: Andrae Lewis, The Link Rosie Awori, Montreal Community Contact David Venn, Nunatsiaq News

QCNA Announces 2024 Better Newspaper Competition Winners

Local Journalism Initiative, QCNA NEWS / Amanda Hansen QCNA / July 10, 2024 / BNC Awards, Local News, Montreal, QCNA

Photo Credits: Andrae Lewis, The Link

Pictured: Rosie Awori, Montreal Community Contact & David Venn, Nunatsiaq News

QCNA is proud to honour our member newspapers once again this year through the Better Newspaper Competition, recognizing excellence in news coverage, including reporting on education, agriculture, environment, health, and civic affairs.

An in-person Awards Gala highlighting this years winners was held on June 28th at The Holiday Inn & Suites Centre-Ville Ouest in Montreal, Quebec by over 100 participants. The prestigious Awards Gala was succeeded by a two day strategic planning session, organized and developed through QCNA and facilitated by strategic consultant Frances Ravensbergen, inviting 28 delegates from official language member publications across Quebec to join us in shaping a new vision, mission and focus for the organization.

We were thrilled to see the number of entries into the contest rise this year to over 600 submissions, which evidenced a continued passion for journalism, reflected in the work of every participant organization and individual in this profession. Over 100 participants were in attendance at the awards gala.

Photo Credits: Andrae Lewis, The Link

QCNA Board Members (left to right): Cynthia Dow, Charles Dickson, Nikki Mantell, Brenda O’Farrell and Lily Ryan. Missing from photo: Michael Sochaczevski and Sharon McCully

Among 40 awards presented that evening, some highlights included:

The Low Down to Hull & Back News, who took home 11 awards (many 1st place!) and was named Best Overall Newspaper for 2023-2024.
The Eastern Door newspaper (located in Kahnawake) had 13 big wins, including young journalist Eve Cable, who was presented with the honorable Paul Dumont-Frenette Outstanding Journalism Award for reporter of the year.
Two new QCNA awards were given out that evening, inlcuding the Best Contributed Photo Award (won by Anthony Qrunnut, a Grade 9 student at Igloolik’s Sivuniit Middle School) and Best Nature/ Environment Photo (won by Sarah Rennie for The Gleaner).
The first Egbert Gaye Dare to Make a Difference Award in tribute of founding owner/editor of newspaper Montreal Community Contact, was presented by Rosie Awori on behalf of the publication.

A full list of this year’s winner is available here.

The QCNA would like to thank the following sponsors who helped ensure the success of this years event:

The Department of Canadian Heritage
MP Anthony Housefather
MP Anna Gainey
MP Marc Miller
MP Marie-Claude Bibeau
The Honourable Greg Fergus, P.C., M.P.
Elizabeth Prass Deputy of the National Assembly of Quebec

And many thanks to businesses who provided services or donations:

The Holiday Inn & Suites Centre-Ville Montreal & Encore
Sabrina’s Linen Rentals
Michèle Desormeaux – the supplier of the trees
The Royal Canadian Mint
Via Rail Canada
NAV Canada
Moulin Wakefield Mill Inn & Spa
Hebdo Litho

And lastly, to the volunteers:

AV Tech support provided by Tom Hansen and event volunteer extrodinaire Skye Metcalfe.

QCNA Announces 2024 Better Newspaper Competition Winners Read More »

Police pursuit leads to Buckingham golf course before ending on foot

Local Journalism Initiative / Gatineau Bulletin / July 10, 2024 / Taylor Clark

Taylor Clark

LJI Reporter

Two individuals were arrested on July 8 after leading police on a short chase that ended with the suspects’ vehicle being stuck on a golf course in Buckingham.

While on evening patrol, the Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau began to pursue a vehicle that refused to stop upon request. The car had caught the attention of police earlier due to its poor general condition, along with mismatched front and rear number plates.

Throughout the pursuit, the driver was seen committing several Highway Safety Code violations, which led police to call off the chase, citing safety concerns. A few moments later, the suspect vehicle was spotted by police at the intersection of Church and Soucy streets but managed to bypass the patrol car that was trying to block its path.

Officers later obtained information that the suspect vehicle had made its way onto the Club de golf Buckingham on Bélanger Street where several people were located. The car was found stuck on the golf course with the driver no longer aboard.

Suspecting the driver fled on foot, a perimeter was established, and police began their search. The suspect was quickly found getting into a taxi with another individual. The 46-year-old man and 44-year-old woman were arrested and transported to the police station. Upon meeting with investigators, the man was linked to a break-in that occurred earlier that day at a business on Boulevard de la Gappe in the Gatineau sector.

Both appeared before the Court of Québec on July 9. The man faced several charges including fleeing, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, obstructing police, and breaches of conditions. The woman faced charges of breach of probation along with possession of drugs.

Photo caption: A police chase ending around the Club de golf Buckingham led to the arrest of a man and a woman on July 8.

Photo credit: Camera du nuit Facebook Page

Police pursuit leads to Buckingham golf course before ending on foot Read More »

Free outdoor programming for children and families until August

Local Journalism Initiative / Gatineau Bulletin / July 10, 2024 / Djeneba Dosso

Djeneba Dosso

LJI Reporter

Rain or shine and free of charge, once a week in July and August, children can enjoy inflatable structures, arts and crafts workshops, sports games and a mouth-watering BBQ. La Maison du Quartier de Notre-Dame has put together a loaded program this summer, offering Gatineau families entertainment every Thursday from 3:30 pm to 7 pm at John Luck Park.

The MQND, whose mission is to “improve quality of life and recognize the full potential of residents,” believes this type of activity can help develop a sense of belonging and create solidarity among local families.

This second year of programming was made possible through the support of the City of Gatineau and the Comité de Vie de Quartier du Vieux-Gatineau. This year, the Gatineau Library has hopped onboard and will be donating lightly used books to the children. Additionally, a storyteller will also be in attendance each week, reading children’s books from 4 pm to 5:30 pm.

The activities available will vary each week, including but not limited to, gymnastics, soccer, scavenger hunts and musical chairs. Free activities are also available for older kids aged 11 to 17 each Monday from 10 am to 3:30 pm, where they’ll put their own spin on art projects found on the platform TikTok.

On August 22, the last day of programming, activities will be extended until 8 pm and closed-off with an open-air cinema for all attendees to enjoy.

A full list of the activities offered each week is available on MQND’s Facebook page.

Photo caption

Photo #1: Each Thursday in July and August, La Maison du Quartier Notre-Dame will be putting on free activities for children and families to enjoy. The programming, put together in partnership with the City of Gatineau, the CVQ Vieux-Gatineau and the Gatineau Library, aims to create solidarity between local families. (DD) Photo: Djeneba Dosso

Free outdoor programming for children and families until August Read More »

Whodunit?

Local Journalism Initiative / The Record / July 9, 2024 / William Crooks

Murder Mystery Dinner comes to the Piggery this weekend

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

A thrilling and delicious evening awaits as the highly anticipated Murder Mystery Dinner event is set to take place on July 13 at The Piggery in North Hatley. The event will begin at 6 p.m., offering an engaging show coupled with a sumptuous buffet meal for a ticket price of $30 per person.

The themed dinner, titled “Murder at the Baking Olympics,” will feature countries from around the world competing in a premier culinary showdown. Participants will face off in a heated contest to earn the prestigious international title of “Meilleur Ouvrier Boulangier” (Best Baker).

Tickets for this event can be purchased by contacting 819-842-2431 or via email at: piggerymedia@gmail.com

Deep dive with organizer Mead Baldwin

Organizer Mead Baldwin, who also regularly plays the detective in these events, shared insights into how the evening unfolds during an interview with The Record July 8. “We usually have about 10 to 12 actors, all performing improv,” Baldwin explained. “Each actor portrays a character for the entire night, complete with name tags and photos on the wall for easy identification. It helps the audience keep track of who’s who, especially since the characters can get pretty involved.”

The format involves actors mingling with the dinner guests, each revealing secrets about their characters or others. “For example, one character might be blackmailing another,” Baldwin said. “This keeps the audience guessing and engaged. It’s fascinating to watch the interactions and see how people respond to the evolving storyline.”

After an hour or so, the plot thickens when a character is ‘murdered.’ “Each actor then has a new secret for the second part of the evening,” Baldwin noted. “And by the end, there’s always a detective, which is me in this case, who helps solve the mystery.”

Baldwin, who will be portraying a version of detective Armand Gamache from Louise Penny’s Three Pines, enjoys the complexity and engagement these events bring. “It’s all about creating an immersive experience,” he said. “We want our guests to feel like they’re part of the story, solving the mystery alongside the characters.”

This year’s theme is the ‘Baking Olympics,’ a playful twist on the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris. “We have chefs from different countries competing with their dishes,” Baldwin said. “For instance, there’s [a chef] representing Greece with her baklava and a French chef competing with his dessert. Each chef has their own story and motivations, adding layers to the mystery.”

The actors and organizers have clearly put a lot of thought into the names and characters to avoid any legal issues. “Our host this time is someone called Martha Stuart—spelled S-T-U-A-R-T,” Baldwin shared with a laugh. “We also have a character named Gordon Rambo, among others. It’s a fun way to play with familiar names without stepping on any toes.”

Baldwin reminisced about past events and characters, including notable local figures like Bishop’s’ Wade Lynch, who played Queen Elizabeth during a royal-themed mystery. “He loves doing Queen Elizabeth,” Baldwin said, chuckling. “It was totally crazy. We’ve had Queen Elizabeth come to Ayer’s Cliff for her 90th birthday, where I played Prince Philip. It was a blast.”

Fundraising is a significant aspect of these events, with proceeds often going to various community causes. “We’ve done mysteries for Grace Village, the refugee committee in Ayer’s Cliff, and even for a museum in Cookshire,” Baldwin said. “These events are a fun way to raise funds and bring the community together. It’s great to see familiar faces return year after year, eager to solve the latest mystery.”

Despite taking a break during COVID, the murder mystery dinners have made a strong comeback. “We had to pause during the pandemic, which I hated,” Baldwin admitted. “But we’re back at it, and people come every year to try and solve the crime. It’s become a bit of a tradition.”

The dinner theatre setup is designed to immerse the audience fully. “We sell about 80 to 90 tickets per event,” Baldwin explained. “We set up tables for dinner, with each table having a reserved spot for one of the actors. The actors meander around, introducing themselves and interacting with the guests. It makes for a very dynamic and engaging evening.”

The audience plays a crucial role in the event, as they are tasked with solving the mystery. “At some point during the evening, we set up an evidence table,” Baldwin said. “On the evidence table, you’ll find clues like bloody knives, secret journals, and other items pertinent to the mystery. The guests use these clues, along with the information they gather from the actors, to solve the crime.”

Baldwin takes pride in the challenge the event presents. “It’s not easy to solve the mystery,” he said. “You can’t just point at someone and say they did it. You need to figure out who the murderer is, how they committed the crime, and why. The motive is crucial.”

As the evening progresses, guests are given solution sheets to fill out. “After the murder is solved [in the detective’s mind] on stage, we give the audience some time to write down their guesses,” Baldwin explained. “We then collect the sheets and take a few minutes to sort through them. Finally, we announce the winners and reveal the true killer in a dramatic scene.”

Baldwin emphasized the importance of creating a challenging and engaging experience. “We don’t want it to be too easy,” he said. “The actors’ job is to make people think they might be the murderer, to throw them off. It’s always fun to see how many people guess wrong.”

The murder mystery dinner theatre events have a history of creative and varied themes. “We’ve done all sorts of themes,” Baldwin said. “From high school reunions and weddings to funerals and medical conventions. Last year, we had an antique art auction theme, and people were searching for valuable antiques, including a special chair supposedly used by Queen Elizabeth and her sister Mary during a visit to Canada in the 1930s.”

The event has also seen contributions from various local talents. “We’ve had a lot of local actors participate over the years,” Baldwin said. “Gordon Lambie, Shanna Bernier, and Claude Charron have all been involved. It’s a great way to showcase local talent and bring the community together.”

Baldwin and his team have been organizing these events in the Townships for the last 14 years. “It’s become a beloved tradition,” Baldwin said. “People look forward to it every summer. We started as church fundraisers and now we’re all over the place, including the Piggery Theatre.”

Tickets for this Saturday’s event are still available, with the Piggery Theatre and Baldwin encouraging those interested to join for an unforgettable evening. “It’s fun playing a dead body,” Baldwin added with a grin. “And it’s even more fun watching everyone try to solve the mystery. The dinner, the laughs, the mystery—it’s all part of the experience.”

Whodunit? Read More »

Barnston West council meeting dominated by quarry project concerns

Local Journalism Initiative / The Record / July 9, 2024 / William Crooks

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

The monthly council meeting of Barnston West, held on July 8 and presided over by Councillor Virginie Ashby in the absence of Mayor Johnny Piszar, quickly moved into a robust first question period dominated by concerns from the public about a proposed quarry project. Nearly 50 local residents attended – packing Way’s Mills’ beautiful, wood-finished community hall – eager for answers.

Opening remarks and agenda

Ashby started the meeting by welcoming the unusually large crowd, a testament to the public interest in the issues at hand. “We don’t usually see so many people attending a council meeting in Barnston West,” she remarked. The agenda for the meeting included the adoption of the minutes from the previous meeting, ongoing municipal affairs, and two periods for public questions.

Public consultation and zoning modifications

The first question raised concerned the necessity of a public consultation for the quarry project. A resident pointedly asked, “Is there an obligatory public consultation before implementing a quarry… at the site?”

In response, General Director Sonia Tremblay elaborated on the process for zoning modifications, stating, “Usually, when we make a change to zoning regulations, it’s either to align with an MRC amendment or in response to a citizen’s request where we see the need for minor adjustments.”

She explained that the administrative process for zoning changes is quite extensive, taking about four months and involving two project phases with a public consultation in between. “There is always a public consultation between the two phases of the project,” she emphasized.

Council’s decision-making process

Residents were keen to understand the timeline and the council’s stance on the quarry project, especially since it was not listed on the current agenda. One resident queried, “Did the council make a decision on the quarry project in the last meeting, and why is it not on today’s agenda?”

Ashby clarified that the absence of the mayor and a key councillor influenced the decision to delay the discussion. “We had mentioned that it might not be tonight because we weren’t sure if everyone would be present,” she noted. “It wasn’t ideal to discuss such a significant topic without the full council.”

Direct impacts and information gaps

A resident who owns property directly opposite the proposed quarry site voiced significant frustration and concern about the lack of clear information. “I am directly affected, and I don’t clearly understand the project’s scope. I need a more transparent explanation of where we stand,” he stated.

The resident also brought a photograph showing the current state of deforestation at the proposed site, questioning whether the work was authorized. “I don’t know if this deforestation was done with a municipal permit or if it’s part of agricultural development,” he said.

Clarification on quarry project process

Tremblay provided further details on how zoning change requests can originate. “A request can be deposited by a citizen to the municipality, which then undergoes a lengthy process that includes the first and second project phases and a public consultation,” she explained. “The council examines the request to determine if there are grounds for modification, which involves collaboration with the MRC.”

Residents expressed concerns about the council’s previous discussions on the quarry project and the apparent delay in decision-making. “We had mentioned that the quarry project might not be discussed tonight due to the absence of key members,” Ashby reiterated.

Environmental and social concerns

Environmental and social impacts of the quarry were major points of concern for many residents. One property owner detailed his apprehensions about noise, environmental degradation, and the potential decrease in property values. “With the proposed quarry right in front of my property, I am worried about the noise, dust, and impact on my property’s value,” he shared.

Ashby acknowledged these concerns, emphasizing the council’s commitment to considering both regulatory compliance and social acceptability. “It’s crucial to have all the information and ensure that the project’s benefits outweigh any negative impacts on our community,” she said.

Council’s evaluation and future discussions

Several residents asked about the timeline for the council’s decision on the quarry project. “Given the complexity and the need for a thorough review, we’re aiming to discuss it further in our next working session,” Ashby explained. “We need to have all council members present and well-informed before making any decisions.”

The council reassured the public that their concerns were being taken seriously and that the project would not proceed without thorough evaluation. “If the council decides not to move forward with the project, it won’t advance to the MRC level,” Ashby noted.

Transparency and communication

Residents requested better communication and transparency from the council regarding the quarry project. “Will there be updates on the project’s progress?” one resident asked. A council member assured that updates would be provided and encouraged residents to attend future meetings for continuous engagement.

After over 20 minutes of discussion, Councillor Ziv Przytyk addressed the gathering passionately, emphasizing that a formal process needed to be followed, and, since the council had not seen a lot of the relevant information on the quarry proposal, they could not answer everyone’s questions yet.

He urged everyone to be patient and let the meeting continue, promising more information would be available in the months to come. One resident thanked him for his words and the council for letting the community air its concerns. There was a round of spontaneous applause. Nearly every resident then left the meeting, letting the council continue on to regular business. The meeting was adjourned at roughly 8 p.m.

Barnston West council meeting dominated by quarry project concerns Read More »

Duclos: Poilievre ‘humiliated’ Paul-Hus on tramway funding

Local Journalism Initiative / The Quebec Chronicle Telegraph / July 9, 2024 / Peter Black

Duclos: Poilievre ‘humiliated’ Paul-Hus on tramway funding

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

With a federal election slated for next year, Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) Leader Pierre Poilievre has contradicted his Quebec lieutenant about whether a future Conservative government would respect a federal financing agreement for Quebec City’s tramway project.

Liberal MP and federal cabinet minister Jean-Yves Duclos mocked the Tory dispute as humiliating for the local Tory MP.

Pierre Paul-Hus, MP for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint- Charles, told reporters at a July 3 ceremony to celebrate Quebec City’s birthday, “If the financing of the tramway is secured before the next federal elections, the Conservative Party of Pierre Poilievre does not intend to axe the project. Mr. Poilievre was clear about financing [the tramway project]: No. But the fact remains that if, in the coming months, there are agreements signed, we will not undo what has been done, obviously. We will not start undoing contracts.”

Upon hearing this statement from reporters, Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand said it was “good news. Now we need to get this project done quickly. It’s urgent, but not because of a possible federal election. It’s urgent because Quebec City needs it,” he said.

However, later that same day, Poilievre corrected his Quebec lieutenant, with Paul- Hus sending a message on X saying, “A Conservative govern- ment will NOT invest federal money for a tramway, regardless of the promises from Justin Trudeau.”

A message from Poilievre’s office around the same time said, “A Conservative govern- ment will neither prevent the project nor finance it. Other levels of government are free to do the project without inter- ference (and money) from the federal government.”

Duclos, federal minister of public services and procurement, seized on the Tory position at a July 4 news conference to announce sports funding (See separate story in this edition).

“If the Conservatives were brought to power and slowed down funding already granted for a tramway project in Quebec, it would be a real ‘theft’ at the expense of the people of the region,” Duclos said.

He accused Poilievre of practising “politics of lies and chaos.”

Poilievre, he said, “lied be- cause he said that all the Canadian government had made were promises to the tramway. It’s not true. He knows very well that there is an agreement with the Quebec government. … It’s not a promise, it’s a signed agreement.

“It’s really a shame and distressing for Pierre Paul- Hus and the other deputies from the Quebec City region to be rebuffed and humiliated like that by their own leader,” Duclos said.

“Pierre Poilievre yesterday clearly indicated that he had no confidence in his deputies from the Quebec City region. Pierre Paul-Hus tried timidly and in vain to serve the people of the region. Pierre Poilievre shortly after corrected him and forced him to retract.”

The QCT contacted the office of Paul-Hus for clarification of the Conservative stance on financing the tramway. An assistant replied by sending links to X statements from the MP and Poilievre reacting to Duclos’ comments.

Paul-Hus, reposting a message from Poilievre’s X account, said, “For the people of Quebec, ‘theft’ is spending billions on a project they don’t want. Despite what JY Duclos may think, the Conservative MPs from the Quebec region were very clear to CPDQ-Infra: it’s NO for the tram project! Unlike Justin Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre listens to citizens and defends the priorities of the greater Quebec City region. I am very proud to be part of his team.”

Poilievre’s response was, “No, Mr. Duclos, it’s you who are stealing money from families in the greater Quebec City region by forcing them to finance an $11-billion white elephant that they don’t even want. The common-sense Conservatives will listen to the population, which is why the money promised by Justin Trudeau for the tramway will be reinvested in the construction of a third link.”

The “third link” to which Poilievre refers is the bridge the Coalition Avenir Québec government has vowed to build in the eastern end of Quebec City despite the Caisse de dépôt et placement (CDPQ) Infra report rejecting such a structure as unnecessary.

Duclos: Poilievre ‘humiliated’ Paul-Hus on tramway funding Read More »

Mayor defends deficit for popular àVélo bike rental program

Local Journalism Initiative / The Quebec Chronicle Telegraph / July 9, 2024 / Peter Black

Mayor defends deficit for popular àVélo bike rental program

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Quebec City’s àVélo bike rental program may be wildly popular, but it’s also distinctly unprofitable.

According to data the Opposition Québec d’abord party (QCDAB) obtained through an access-to-information request, the program was in the red by $2.3 million in 2023, the third year of the service’s operation.

The party’s interest in the financing of the bike-sharing service follows the city administration’s recent unveiling of a massive expansion of the program over the next four years, to a total of 3,300 bikes and 330 stations throughout the city.

QCDAB Leader Coun. Claude Villeneuve released the figures before the July 2 city council meeting, showing àVélo had revenues of $1.07 million versus expenses of $3.36 million.

To finance this expansion, the city needs to borrow $24 million to buy the bikes and station infrastructure. The loan came up for a vote at the council meeting, with QCDAB members and the two Équipe Priorité Québec members voting against.

Villeneuve said the city needs to be more forthcoming about the financing of àVélo, which is managed by Capitale Mobilité, an agency of the Réseau du transport de la Capitale (RTC).

QCDAB Coun. Alicia Despins said in a statement to the QCT that her party “believes it is irresponsible to authorize over $24 million for the àVélo project without having access to the financial records of Capitale Mobilité. … We are very concerned by the lack of transparency from the Marchand administration regarding the funding.

“I’m a regular user of àVélo. So to be clear, Québec d’abord is not against the àVélo project, which was implemented by the [former mayor Régis] Labeaume administration,” Despins said. “We simply request factual elements to properly manage public funds.”

Mayor Bruno Marchand dismissed opposition concerns about the bike service deficit, saying no form of public transportation operates without a deficit.

“It’s surprising to see such a great success being brushed aside by the opposition. This is what they have been doing since the beginning,” the mayor said.

He said, “Each bicycle trip is a gain for the population since it saves other costs linked to the environment, in particular. We are approaching 500,000 trips. We will exceed a million this year. Now imagine when in four years we will have 3,300 bicycles spread across the city!”

Mayor defends deficit for popular àVélo bike rental program Read More »

Local wine bar Soif hosts wine, cider and spirit tasting event in Gatineau

Local Journalism Initiative / Gatineau Bulletin / July 9, 2024 / Djeneba Dosso

Djeneba Dosso

LJI Reporter

Champagne, wines, ciders, beers, spirits or even tea; Soif’s tasting event had a little bit of whatever one’s heart desires. The fifth edition of the Salon des Assoiffés gathered brewers, vintners and distillers from far and near at the Canevas Space on July 6. Equipped with a complimentary wine glass in hand, event goers were able to try over 300 products from 50 different producers and importers with the purchase of tickets ranging from $75 to $95. The event, which only featured winemakers and agencies who partner with Soif, offered the opportunity to taste their products and order them to drink at home.

This year saw the biggest turnout thus far, with over 700 people and producers in attendance. Among those partners was Selection Caviste, a wine agency based in Laval that focuses on French and Italian wines. Philippe Pearsall-Vézina, their sales development manager, was approached to participate in the Salon back in October.

“We said ‘why not!’ Ottawa and Gatineau is a super nice market, we get to speak to people from both places which is great,” he said.

For him and many of the producers and importers present on Saturday, events like these are not about making sales, but instead, networking.

“It’s a nice clientele, there’s a lot of people here,” he said, “however, we do it more for the name, we don’t come here expecting to do a bunch of sales. If we can meet a couple of restaurants and private clients, why not, it’s great, but we come here to put our names out there and show our wines.”

A new addition was made this year with the intention of making the tasting easy and stress-free for each attendee. This was done through the creation of an app called “Le Salon des Assoiffés”, available on the App store, which doubled as a guide for those who may not know much about wines. On the app, event goers can find a list of all the vendors present, along with descriptions of each of their products and their social media and websites.

Attendees were advised to eat beforehand and drink cautiously as food was not sold on site. However, fresh oysters from Prince Edward Island were available for the price of $20 for six.

Pearsall-Vézina, who attended the event for the first time this year, says that besides the long hours standing, his experience exceeded his expectations, adding; “If they’ll have us, you can expect us to be back next year.”

Photo caption

Photo #1: Local wine bar Soif hosted the fifth edition of their tasting event, Le Salon des Assoiffés, at Cavenas Space on July 6. The event, which saw a turnout of around 700 people, was a chance for brewers, vintners and distillers from across Quebec to share their products with Gatineau residents. (DD) Photo: Courtesy of Soif Bar à Vin

Local wine bar Soif hosts wine, cider and spirit tasting event in Gatineau Read More »

Community comes together for family of Laval prof from Gaza

Local Journalism Initiative / The Quebec Chronicle Telegraph / July 9, 2024 / Ruby Pratka

Community comes together for family of Laval prof from Gaza

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

When Zakaria Helles went to bed on Oct. 6, 2023, he was still counting the days until he could return home to his wife, Islam Helles, and their five young children in the Gaza Strip.

Zakaria Helles, a civil engineering professor, arrived in Quebec City in August 2023, for a three-month fellowship at Université Laval. It was the first time he’d ever travelled outside of Gaza, and the first time he’d spent any significant amount of time away from his family since his wedding. “I left, and my kids were crying, and I was trying to convince them that it would just be a few months, I’d be back as soon as I could, no problem.”

Events beyond his control would decide otherwise. Early in the morning of Oct. 7, the militant Palestinian nationalist group Hamas fired thousands of rockets from Gaza into Israel; in a co-ordinated series of terror attacks, an estimated 1,100 Israelis and foreigners were killed and hundreds taken hostage. Israeli retaliation was swift and violent, and Gaza was cut off from the world.

“In the morning, my wife was preparing the kids’ lunchboxes – it was a normal day,” Helles said. By midday, the children and their mother were refugees, with only the clothes on their backs. They began a series of desperate moves of which Zakaria Helles, on the other side of the Atlantic, soon lost count. “Many, many times.”

He was pitched into a frantic spiral of uncertainty, trying to find the financial and legal means to extend his own stay in Quebec, while not knowing if his own wife and children were dead or alive. “It was an ocean of problems, and I didn’t know where to start,” he remembered.

Out of that ocean of problems, Helles’ friends, his employer and provincial and federal elected officials helped build a life raft that brought his wife and children to Quebec City earlier this summer.

At a protest calling for an end to violence against Palestinian civilians, Helles met fellow Laval professor Jesse Greener. “He [Greener] told me, ‘We have no time to waste; we have to act.” I said, ‘What can we do?’”

Greener and his partner, Nora Loreto, fronted $40,000 of their own savings to help the family through the expensive, perilous process of evacuating to Egypt and onward to Cana- da. Through a contact in the West Bank, Helles was able to get his children new passports to replace the ones left in their destroyed home, pay their way across the border and find a place to live while the Cana- dian government reviewed their family reunification visa applications – normally only offered to the family members of citizens and permanent residents. In January, the federal government announced it would give up to 1,000 temporary residence permits to evacuees from Gaza with fam- ily members in Canada, but advocates have decried the program as overly strict, poorly organized, slow and prone to technical glitches; as of mid- June, only 108 people had arrived in Canada through this scheme, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. An estimated 90 per cent of Gaza’s civilian population has been forced from their homes since the conflict began, according to the United Nations Office for the Co-ordi- nation of Humanitarian Affairs, and only a fraction have been safely resettled abroad. Helles knows his family are among the lucky ones.

“Everyone told me, you’re blessed to get everything ac- complished so quickly,” Helles said. He credits the “total support” of his friends, his employer, MP Joël Lightbound, Mayor Bruno Marchand’s office and the Québec Solidaire caucus for allowing the five children and their mother to safely enter the country. They don’t know when or if they’ll be able to return to their old lives in Gaza; rebuilding basic infrastructure in the occupied territory is expected to take decades.

The four eldest Helles children – Maryam, 11; Mira, 9; Layam, 6; and Hisham, 4 – are eagerly learning French along- side their parents, learning their way around the city and getting ready for school in the fall. The youngest, Razam, 18 months, is learning to recognize her father again. “When I left her, she was just a baby,” Helles said. “She doesn’t know me. Right now, I’m just trying to do my best to make her feel safe.”

Community comes together for family of Laval prof from Gaza Read More »

Expanding access to government-offered French classes easier said than done, reports show

Local Journalism Initiative / The Quebec Chronicle Telegraph / July 9, 2024 / Ruby Pratka

Expanding access to government-offered French classes easier said than done, reports show

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Kent Boudreau came to Quebec City from Alberta in 2021 with the express purpose of learning French. Three years later, despite reforms to the province’s French language learning program that gave newcomers from English Canada like Boudreau the possibility to enrol in the same government-run French classes as immigrants, he still hasn’t set foot in a class. It’s not for lack of trying.

Boudreau is a baggage handler at Jean Lesage International Airport and has yet to find a class that fits around his work hours. He also finds the application process – which is entirely in French apart from an English-language landing page – nearly impossible for a unilingual person to manage without help.

Mike Ulusoy, a Turkish-born Torontonian who moved to Quebec City to learn French last year, had less difficulty fitting classes into his schedule than Boudreau, but raised concerns about course mate- rial that was irrelevant to his career aspirations and an environment where he and his classmates felt “pushed,” rather than encouraged, to learn the language. Like Boudreau, he chose Quebec City for the French fact; like Boudreau, he doesn’t know when he’ll be able to learn in a way that suits him.

Francisation Québec, the province’s one-stop shop for registering for French-as-a- second-language courses, run jointly by the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) and the Ministry of Education and Higher Learning (MEES), was created last year by Law 14 (better known as Bill 96), the massive bill brought forward by the Coalition Avenir Québec to shore up the role of the French language in public life. The same bill opened up government-run French classes, previously available only to immigrants, to Canadian-born non-French speakers. However, several recent reports – in addition to anecdotal stories like those of Ulusoy and Boudreau – show that the system doesn’t seem to be living up to its ambitious promise, at least for now.

In a wide-ranging recent report on anglophone-franco- phone relations, the federal Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages cited a learner’s partner who found the program “disorganized and [potentially] discouraging for English speakers.” Earlier this spring, the office of the Commissaire de la langue française, a provincial government- appointed language watchdog, released a highly critical report on the program’s implementation, noting it was “variable and sometimes delayed” and had difficulty responding to an avalanche of increased demand brought about by the reforms and by increased immigration, which led wait- ing lists to more than double (from just over 21,000 to over 48,500) between October 2023 and April 2024. The target wait time before learners are placed in a class is 50 days; some learners are placed in a class a few weeks after a preliminary assessment while others wait five to six months.

School service centres, which administer about half of all of francisation classes, may have to reduce capacity further due to a funding shortfall brought about by a dispute between the federal and provincial governments, Carl Ouellet of the Association québécoise du personnel de direction des écoles (AQPDE; Quebec school principals’ association) told the QCT last week. “We won’t be reimbursed for services we’ve already paid for and we’ll have to turn people away.”

“Prior to Bill 96, [Canadian- born] English-speaking Quebecers were not eligible for francisation, and Bill 96 has kind of solved that problem,” said Nicholas Salter of the Provincial Employment Round Table, a nonprofit address- ing barriers to employment for English speakers in the regions. “But now we have an accessibility problem instead of an eligibility problem.” He added that the waiting lists for French courses combined with the fact that new Quebecers can only receive government services in English for six months after arrival create a “short runway” to learn the lan- guage, especially for learners who have to balance courses with work or caregiving respon- sibilities.

“Francisation is a priority for the Legault government, but from what I have seen, they don’t have a consistent approach,” said Quebec Liberal immigration critic André A. Morin, calling on the MIFI, the MEES, the finance ministry and the ministry of agriculture, which oversees the working conditions of temporary foreign workers, to co-ordinate their efforts more closely. “I’m not saying that centralization is a bad idea, but when you do it, you have to plan, and this government hasn’t planned.”

Expanding access to government-offered French classes easier said than done, reports show Read More »