Chelsey St. Pierre

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Pierrefonds-Roxboro mayor, Jim Beis has taken a strong stance against the City of Montreal’s decision to ban cars from the new urban boulevard leading up to the REM station, currently under construction, in Kirkland. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante says her administration’s goal is to connect the road to an eventual urban park that her administration planned for the West Island.

“After decades of planning by the community and with the REM coming, this was the perfect opportunity, that was ruined. They (the Plante administration) completely disregarded the work of the community and decided to throw this into her bike path plan,” Beis told The Suburban. “We are not against alternate modes of transportation, but the reality for many residents is that they need their vehicles to reach public transit access points.”

The $60 million north-south artery has been in talks for decades to relieve traffic congestion as the growing West Island population still only has three main north-south arteries to choose from. The REM became part of the discussions and it parallels with Highway 40 at the center of the North-South split. In 2018, the Provincial government approved the community’s proposal.

In 2018, the Plante administration took a sharp turn and decided that the road would not be accessible to drivers and will be exclusive to bikes and public transport, which comes as a shock to locals.

“What does this look like for the average West Island family? Well I drop off my 3 kids to school or transport pick up points and then I return home and pick up my husband, who cannot travel by public transport, to bring him to work,” West Island resident, Marisa C., told The Suburban. “Most families operate the same way. How are they supposed to reach public transit departure points without a car? And is she (Valerie Plante) aware that the West Island experiences winter like the rest of Quebec?”

The $20-million loan bylaw that will enable construction to begin on a road to the station slated to connect to an urban park, was approved by Montreal city councilors last Tuesday.

Plante boasted about how the park would be the largest public park in Quebec and how important it is to this plan. “That road will be something to access, essentially, the park. And there will be buses, because that’s important. We want for the last kilometer from the REM, for example, that people can access it with other types of public transit,” Plante stated at a press gathering last Wednesday.

The road will be paved from Antoine-Faucon Street in Pierrefonds-Roxboro to Sainte-Marie Road in Kirkland.

Beis says the City’s plan for the West Island is inconsiderate and impractical as it does not respond to the realities of the community. “This demonstrates the lack of understanding of reality where 80% of West Island residents need their vehicle,” he said. “It is a lack of respect for the community.”

According to Beis, the Quebec government is also “out of touch” with the community. “Why are they consulting with the Montreal mayor about the West Island?” he asks. “The needs of the community are not included in this proposal.” n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A senior died in hospital after she was struck by a snow removal truck last week in a shared parking lot private residence in Dollard-des-Ormeaux. According to authorities, the woman was quickly transported to the hospital by ambulance from the lot on Arthur Street near Hurteau Street with severe lower-body injuries.

“She was conscious at the time of transport and we were closely monitoring her health status,” SPVM spokesperson, Jeanne Drouin, said. Police and Urgence Santé were called to intervene following the tragic incident.

Authorities confirmed that the 75-year old woman succumbed to her injuries later.The 71-year old truck driver was questioned by investigators while a complete analysis of the scene took place, Drouin confirmed.

The investigation is ongoing.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Habitat for Humanity is building a six-unit residential condo complex on 7th Avenue in Lachine, which is expected to be complete by next June. More than 150 families have applied as demands for affordable housing have soared due to inflation and the rise in housing costs. Habitat for Humanity Canada’s annual national survey results demonstrate for the second year in a row that a lack of housing affordability ranks as a top concern for Canadians alongside inflation and access to healthcare. The survey revealed that Canadian homeowners and renters are reaching their breaking point when it comes to juggling the increased cost of living. including housing.

“This year’s survey revealed that Canadians continue to worry about their ability to afford housing in this country, not only for themselves, but also for their children,” President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada Julia Deans said. “Despite the increasing challenges facing Canadians, the survey results indicate that Canadians believe action can be taken to tackle our housing issues.”

To be eligible for available units, families need to meet the criteria. “They must have a certain revenue, they must also come from a very difficult situation, in precarious conditions,” Executive director of Habitat for Humanity’s Quebec Shirlane Day told media.

Though every project is helpful to the community, the demand is so high that most families in need will not find an available spot anytime soon, unless changes are made. This project, according to Lachine mayor Maja Vodanovic, is a stellar example of how cooperation between municipalities, private groups and foundations can help move much needed projects forward. “This is very good news. Its a very different way of doing things, they are not attached to pro-government programs, they are independent and these initiatives help to add social housing to the market in a different way.”

Vodanovic says she encourages other West Island mayors to consider adding these projects to their municipal agendas. “It would be nice to see this type of initiative spread. On our part, we were able to give them a piece of land and alleviate some of the fees. Where there is land available, Habitat for Humanity is willing to pick it up and create homes for families. Its a little known fact that they build small projects that integrate with the milieu. I encourage other West Island mayors to consider this.”

“At Habitat for Humanity Canada, we share this belief. The housing crisis can be solved. And everyone has a role to play – governments, financial institutions and investors, home builders and citizens. We must work together to build more, build faster, and invest in all parts of the housing continuum to ensure affordability for all. Strong, healthy communities start with safe and affordable housing,” Deans said.

Habitat for Humanity provides families with a unique model for mortgage payments with no down payment and zero-interest charges. Families who benefit from these properties are required to “pay it forward” with 500 hours of volunteer work helping others.

The Lachine project was made possible by the Montoni Foundation. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A teen who tried to outrun the police in a stolen sports utility vehicle (SUV) was arrested overnight Wednesday in Montreal. According to authorities, the officers from the Candiac highway station attempted to intercept the SUV at around 1:45 a.m. in Brossard.

The vehicle matched the description of an SUV that was reported stolen earlier. The police chase was triggered when the driver refused to stop, heading West on Highway 20.

The fleeing driver lost control of his vehicle on the exit towards Norman Street, in the Lachine borough. The entrance to Norman Street exit remained closed Wednesday morning.

The 16-year old driver was arrested at the scene and transported to the hospital for non life-threatening injuries. He is facing charges of vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, fleeing police and possession of burglary tools.

“The suspect was released with a promise to appear,” Quebec provincial police (SQ) spokesperson, Ève Brochu-Joubert, stated.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Several Pointe-Claire city councilors dramatically walked out of the December 18 public meeting. The walk-out, councilors say, was triggered by out of turn and out of context comments by the mayor, highlighting the issue of contention within the city’s administration. The tension at the city of Pointe-Claire has been apparent to the public with unusual public debates going off the rails and longer than usual delays on administrative files such as the one mentioned at the last meeting, which sparked the debate to begin with.

“The mayor’s message is supposed to be discussing things happening at the city such as budget, garbage pick up etcetera. Instead he turned the meeting into a political message about how council does not support him,” Pointe-Claire city councilor, Eric Stork, told The Suburban. According to Stork, the mayor spoke out of turn during the councilors’ report portion of the meeting, which he says was added to the process of public meetings specifically to stop the mayor from interjecting “out of turn”.

The file in question is a request made to the City by the Archdiosese which occupies a portion of land in Pointe-Claire village. The request dates back to September 12, 2022. “We never signed off on anything. This was not brought to us. Just like poutine fest, he makes arrangements behind our backs, decides whatever he wants and when things don’t work out, he points the finger back at us at a public meeting,” Stork explained. “He is not doing his job correctly and blames council when residents take notice.”

According to Thomas, he did not speak out of turn as he says no official regulations state that he could not speak at that time. “I respected the processes completely. We have no by-law written for that circumstance,” Pointe-Claire mayor, Tim Thomas, told The Suburban. When asked about fingers being pointed back and forth between Thomas and his councilors, he said “I don’t point the finger, I am just trying to get the job done. They refused to accept my election victory since the beginning. I have in no way conducted myself on the same level as them. I have been a gentleman acting with grace. I have never been rude. I remain calm and behave with decorum.”

“We have different visions on development, the environment, climate change, and heritage. They are deliberately trying to disrupt the process so that people will blame the mayor, even planting people in public meetings cause disruptions,” Thomas explained. “I lose almost every single vote. We are not a united front. I was elected to speak on the vision of my campaign that the majority of citizens voted for. I am not there to promote the vision of (some) councilors. I have not altered anything and am doing exactly as I said I would during my election campaign. I am not betraying citizens’ expectations.”

City councilor Brent Cowan released a public letter calling for Thomas to resign. He told The Suburban that council has been reluctantly tolerating the mayor’s actions since his election. “He uses his position to push his own political partisan agenda.”

Thomas said there is no legal reason and it would be an irresponsible waste of residents’ money to launch a bi-election. “In two years, Cowan can run for mayor. Citizens will decide to vote for a mayor to carry out their vision or a council that supports that vision. (In the previous election) the citizens elected me and a number of councilors refuse to accept that. I am there to serve the taxpayer and do my job and I don’t run out of the room when someone upsets me. I am allowed to express myself and I will continue to do so. It is childish to run out like that. Citizens can’t believe that councilors are running out of a meeting that they are payed to attend.”

Pointe-Claire city councilor, Kelly Thorstad-Cullen, told The Suburban that her expectations of a council meeting is that it follows the by-laws: that respect and decorum are maintained. “I left at a certain moment in the December Council meeting because my professional expectations were not being upheld. There is no place for misinformation, hidden political agendas, or false accusations towards any elected official.”

Councilors, Paul Bissonette and Claude Cousineau were the only two councilors who did not participate in the walk out. “They went to persuade them (the other councilors) to come back,” Thomas told The Suburban. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A third traffic lane opened Monday as the repair work on a portion of the damaged slab on the Île-Aux-Tourtes bridge was completed. Upon reopening, two lanes became available towards Vaudreuil-Dorion and one towards Montreal, at all times.

The space required to continue the work in order to reinforce the beams did not allow the width of the traffic lanes to be increased, which is a prerequisite for achieving optimum traffic management.

Adjustments to the guardrail as well as marking work will be necessary.A complete overnight closure of the bridge took place on Sunday, January 14 at 8 p.m. until Monday January 15 at 5 a.m.

The work could be postponed or extended due to operational constraints or unfavourable weather conditions.

During heavy snowfall, only one lane per direction may be available, allowing for snow removal operations to take place.

The MTQ stated that where possible, workers and employers are recommended to favour teleworking and travel by public transport. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Since October 31, 2023, school bus drivers serving more than 15,000 children on the island of Montreal have been on strike, affecting students and their families from the Lester B. Pearson School Board (LBPSB), the English Montreal School Board, the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal, the Centre de services scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys and Collège Sainte-Anne.

In a statement to parents and guardians, the LBPSB wrote “We are continuing to offer extended supervision for families of elementary students before school and/or after school on regular school days. We realize the inconveniences this situation may cause and are working with all the parties involved to try to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.”

The school board introduced contingencies designed to help mitigate the circumstances including:

-Extended supervision hours to elementary school students who would normally use school bus transportation. The service allows parents to drop off their children for supervision up to 45 minutes prior to start of school and 30 minutes after regular dismissal.

-Authorized third-party pick up of their child from elementary school at dismissal.

-Encouraging the use of carpooling and the use of public transit wherever possible to get students to and from school.

“Throughout the negotiation process, the Transco–CSN Workers’ Union has continuously made unreasonable demands which would not be viable to any school bus operator in the province of Quebec,” Longview Communications and Public Affairs Partner Claude Breton wrote to The Suburban.

According to Breton, this action by the union ensures that students continue to be prohibited from getting to school safely and creates continued challenges for the family members of the children, who are having to alter their schedules and commitments because of these lost opportunities created by the union. “Instead of coming to the bargaining table with realistic proposals, the union has decided to recently engage in a campaign of misinformation.”

Breton says that Transco bus drivers are some of the best paid hourly drivers in town. “For 10 weeks now, the Transco–CSN Workers’ Union has been formulating wage demands that are significantly higher than what CSN referred to in its media interviews, when talking about other collective agreements signed in school transportation in Quebec or talking of new funding granted by the government in 2022. The union’s demands would make it impossible for the company to carry out daily operations. Autobus Transco originally proposed a substantial salary increase. Given that the union continues to make unreasonable and unrealistic demands, in an interest to resolve the outstanding issues and get students back to school safely, this week Transco offered third-party arbitration to the union. This would allow an independent adjudicator to resolve all outstanding issues and ensure that students can get back to school safely and their families can resume their normal routines and schedules. Bus service could then resume, allowing drivers and their families to benefit immediately from the financially meaningful wage increases. Instead of allowing a neutral adjudicator to move forward immediately to resolve this strike, the union rejected our offer of third-party arbitration.” n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Danny Williams, founder of the Lac Brome Men’s Shed — a group of men who gather to do Shed work and community work — moved to the Pointe-Claire area where he intends to kickstart a West Island branch of Men’s Shed.

“There is a phenomenal interest in the Men’s Shed and the West Island seems to be a good fit for this kind of organization,” Williams told The Suburban

Despite its name, the Shed, originally created to boost mental and physical health and create a sense of community support, is also open to women and to youth for certain activities. “We work a lot in community events and school events, which is where the kids tend to join in with their families,” Williams explained.

Participants develop skills learned from their host and from each other while they collaborate on projects agreed on by the group.

The activities are not limited to shed work. The members volunteer for community projects, participate in social games like pool or foosball, attend boating, fishing trips, cooking classes, golfing and more.

The initiative was launched by Williams when he came upon a global trend that began in Australia in the late ‘90s for men to share their shed time socializing with others in the community to help alleviate feelings of loneliness.

“Whatever creeps up in the community where people need help is where we get involved. For example, we had a family with no water at home for months, so we repaired their pipes. We’ve helped seniors with moving. We do all kinds of things.”

Williams hopes to extend his program to help community organizations, contribute to school programs and raise funds for local organizations in need, such as food banks.

The Pointe-Claire branch is currently looking for a suitable space in the Pointe-Claire area to conduct its activities. “I am looking into a few suggestions. It’s just a matter of time,” Williams explained. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A Montrealer who allegedly assaulted his daughter, threatened to kill her and rape her corpse following her refusal to be forcibly married to a cousin in Turkey is now facing justice according to Canadian laws. The 53-year old accused, who cannot be identified due to the involvement of the department of youth protection in the case, is facing charges of threats, assault, as well as armed assault.

He was arrested and detained following an incident on January 3, where his wife dialed 911 for help after he allegedly became aggressive and threatened to kill her (and their daughter) upon discovering that she filed for divorce.

The accused was likely to remain detained throughout the court proceedings as authorities have assessed him to be a high risk individual likely to commit a crime should he be released from custody. “He reportedly said that when he was released, he would go and kill his wife and daughter with a knife and cut them into small pieces. The police assess the homicide risk as high,” Crown prosecutor Catherine Ménard stated on Tuesday January 9, at the Montreal courthouse. “The woman mentioned that she has been experiencing violence for decades, that she is beaten regularly, but that in Turkey, she could not do anything, because women’s rights are not like in Canada.”

Defense lawyer Antonio Cabral, representing the accused, argued for the release of his client stating that he has no criminal record since his arrival in Canada 20 years ago. “The comments he allegedly made are worrying and deplorable, but he is presumed innocent.”

Following the arrest of the accused, both mother and daughter went to the police to ask that their complaints be withdrawn. However, according to the prosecutor’s statements — the danger of the accused attacking them is “clear and obvious.” “His detention is necessary for the safety of the public and the victims,” she explained to the court.

On Thursday January 11, Judge Pierre E. Labelle decided that “the safety of the plaintiffs seems to me at this stage to be more than compromised. The detention of the accused is more than necessary.”

The accused will remain in custody throughout the course of the criminal proceedings. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The new draft agreement proposed to the Archdiocese by the City of Pointe-Claire, modified by a committee of councillors, was presented at the recent council meeting. Pointe-Claire mayor Tim Thomas and city councillor Bruno Tremblay voted against the adoption with modifications of a by-law concerning the creation of a financial assistance program for the protection and enhancement of a built cultural heritage — Pointe-Claire windmill — with a maximum amount of contribution of $967,761.00.

In August 2023, a committee was formed to address the negotiations between the Archdiocese and the City of Pointe-Claire. “We created the committee following a proposed draft agreement that was presented to us in June 2023 which was completely one-sided to the full benefit of the Archdiocese but not the taxpayer. Under that agreement, we would be paying for the complete maintenance of the structure, electrical lines and there was no guarantee for public access,” Councillor Eric Stork told The Suburban.

“From September 2022, when this file was opened, to June 2023, we had no communications from the Archdiocese. We sent an e-mail in July of 2023 stating that we did not agree with the draft agreement presented to us in June and again received no response.”

According to Stork, the Archdiocese maintained contact with Mayor Thomas and the agreement was treated like a “done deal” when it was not, as council’s concerns were not addressed in the file leading to the formation of the committee. “He (the mayor) keeps saying we reneged, but we had no agreement to begin with, just discussions.”

“This is not a perfect deal but it is the best deal for Pointe-Claire citizens and their tax dollars. The ball is going to be in the diocese court. We have done and our staff has done a magnificent job.”

Thomas said that the original deal was viable and acceptable to the Archdiocese, but that he is not so sure that this new deal modified by the committee will pass. “The deal was rejected by council in 2023 who put themselves in charge of renegotiation. They proposed a by-law which will force us to start all over with a new process which could potentially add years of delays.”

“This by-law will make it harder for the Archdiocese and heritage society to fund the project as they will have to apply tens of thousands of dollars on architects’ plans, then front the entire cost before they can be reimbursed instead of progressive disbursements. This is much stricter than the Quebec ministry’s uses for these types of projects. We had a deal and now we don’t, so we will see what the future holds,” Thomas said.

Stork says that he does not and will not blindly support the demands of the church at any cost. “We are not going to give them a million dollars of taxpayer dollars while they set the tone for the agreement, with demands for maintenance, etcetera. That is unusual. We are in the midst of a housing crisis and inflation affecting families. We drafted a fair agreement. A million, in my opinion, for their private property, is much more than fair.” n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

ABOVAS, an accompaniment service in the West Island, is looking for volunteers. Since 2007, a team of volunteers have helped West Islanders without the means for transportation to get to medical appointments and conduct errands, free of charge. Volunteer drivers receive a small compensation to cover the costs of using their vehicle.

“Our volunteers go to our client’s homes, they bring them from the door to the car safely, they drive them to their appointment, which is either medical or a non-medical appointment. They help them, and then they bring them back home,” ABOVAS executive director Denise Hupé stated.

ABOVAS is recognized by the Agence de la Santé et des Services Sociaux de Montréal. The medical accompanied-transport service covers recurring, annual and unplanned appointments on the island of Montreal. The social accompanied-transport offers accompaniment to the grocery store, the pharmacy, malls, spiritual centres, post offices, cleaners and more.

“It is important to understand that our volunteers do more than drive our clients to their appointments. They listen to them and make them feel safe. They pick them up at home, accompany them to the waiting room of the health centre or though the aisles at the grocery stores and drive them back home,” the service stated.

To make a request for accompanied-transport to a medical or social appointment or to sign up to be a volunteer, go to: www.abovas.com n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

ABOVAS, an accompaniment service in the West Island is looking for volunteers.Since 2007, a team of volunteers help West Islanders without the means for transportation to get to medical appointments and conduct errands, free of charge. Volunteer drivers receive a small compensation to cover the costs of using their vehicle.

“Our volunteers go to our client’s homes, they bring them from the door to the car safely, they drive them to their appointment, which is either medical or a non-medical appointment. They help them, and then they bring them back home,” ABOVAS executive director, Denise Hupé, stated.

ABOVAS is recognized by the Agence de la Santé et des Services Sociaux de Montréal. The medical accompanied-transport service covers recurring, annual and unplanned appointments on the island of Montreal. The social accompanied-transport offers accompaniment to the grocery store, the pharmacy, malls, spiritual centers, post offices, cleaners and more.

“It is important to understand that our volunteers do more than drive our clients to their appointments. They listen to them and make them feel safe. They pick them up at home, accompany them to the waiting room of the health center or though the aisles at the grocery stores and drive them back home,” the service stated.

To make a request for accompanied-transport to a medical or social appointment or to sign up to be a volunteer, go to: www.abovas.com

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The West Island’s tenant action committee ‘Comité d’Action des Locataires de l’Ouest-de-l’Île’ (CALODI) launched its second annual in-person and online workshops to educate tenants on their rights and obligations.

In the West Island, 20 per cent of housing units are rentals. The West Island is home to four percent of Montreal’s social housing and it is difficult for tenants to find adequate and affordable housing.

Tenant action coordinator Lily Martin assisted the Table de Quartier Sud de l’Ouest-de-l’Île (TQSOI) with its community consultation workshops. The workshops helped identify issues important to the community in order to develop solution plans. The issues surrounding renters in the West Island were significant and seemed to be missing a category of its own. CALODI was initiated to address those issues by educating renters and advocating on their behalf.

“Tenants have rights codified in the Civil Code of Quebec, but it is up to them to inform themselves of their rights and defend their rights, often against significant barriers and obstacles,” Martin told The Suburban.

The workshops address ongoing issues, particularly rent increases which Martin says makes up 30% or more of the general inquiries.

“Landlords are allowed to present tenants with lease renewal notices that omit key information, namely their right to refuse rental increases or other lease modifications. If tenants do refuse their increase, they are often intimidated by the prospect of having to go to the Tribunal Administratif du Logement (TAL), which is quite far from the West Island,” Martin explained.

She says that the imbalance between landlords and tenants during lease renewal negotiations is primarily due to the lack of transparency as tenants do not have access to the landlords expenses. “They either have to ‘take their word for it’ or do their best to estimate what is fair based on incomplete information.”

New issues may arise each year, which is why the workshops are to be repeated annually. “There have been significant tax increases in the West Island this year and these increases trickle down into tenants’ rent,” Martin explained. Data obtained in 2021 from the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) showed that the number of low-income tenants who spend 30 per cent or more of their income on rent is higher than the City of Montreal average in multiple West Island municipalities. On average, it reported that renters in Dollard-des-Ormeaux spent 33.1 per cent of their income on rent, 32.1 per cent in Beaconsfield, 33.9 in Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue and 43.2 per cent in Pointe-Claire.

The workshops will take place in Pierrefonds on January 15 (French) and January 29 (English) and in Pointe-Claire on January 16 (English) and January 20 (French) and online on January 26 (English) and February 2 (French). n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The City of Beaconsfield is suing the City of Montreal for $15 million due to an alleged breach in the 2008 agreement of expense sharing that was set up by the provincial government. Since 2020, Montreal has increased the share that demerged municipalities pay for island-wide services, now at 65 per cent more per capita than residents of Montreal for the same services. “There is no justification for that,” Beaconsfield mayor George Bourelle told The Suburban.

Beaconsfield is one of 15 cities that demerged from Montreal in 2006. As part of that agreement, an agglomeration council was set up to manage island-wide services like police and fire protection, arterial roads and water management. Bourelle says Montreal is running a tab of unjust expenses that it has passed on to the demerged municipalities.

The 2008 agreement established the relative weight for each city for the sharing of Agglomeration expenses based on the 2007 evaluation roll. According to Bourelle, this relative weight was to remain constant for future evaluation rolls except for future new development, which would tip the scale up or down for each city. He explains that it was also agreed that a new calculation algorithm would ensure that neutrality be maintained for future evaluation roles.

“There was no new agreement signed by all 15 demerged municipalities, the City of Montreal and the provincial government and the 2008 agreement was never rescinded and/or annulled,” Bourelle explained. “The 2008 agreement should have been applied for the 2020 and 2023 evaluation rolls.” Bourelle says that Montreal uses demerged cities as “cash cows.”

What tipped the scale for Bourelle is that since 2020, Montreal decreased its share while increasing the shares for demerged municipalities. “The financial impact for the 2020 and 2023 evaluation rolls would be over $122 million. Montreal’s share of agglomeration expenses will be reduced by over $122 million and the demerged municipalities will go up by over $122 million.”

The $15 million lawsuit covers the period from 2020 to 2024. “That number will go up every year until the lawsuit is resolved. As a result, for the period starting in 2020 to 2024(inclusive), our lawsuit is now up to $15 million plus interest and it will go up every year until the lawsuit is resolved. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A new housing project comprising 18 units is being built on the corner of 6th Avenue and William-Macdonald Street in Lachine. The project is expected to be complete by next fall and will be run by the Old Brewery Mission.

The Tenaquip Foundation donated $5 million to construct the 18-unit building. President and CEO of the Old Brewery Mission James Hughes said that this is one of the largest donations the Mission has ever received. Tenaquip has offered ongoing support to the Old Brewery’s existing services over the years. The large donation was made to assist with an additional step to help the city’s homeless population with a more permanent solution.

According to Hughes, it is expected that the project will help approximately 100 individuals transition out of homelessness on a more permanent basis over the course of a decade.

The project has been in the works for three years, while a viable location was being sought out.

Lachine borough officials approved the project, with the Old Brewery Mission in charge of managing services.

Hughes said that 180 units would be required to respond to the overall need for this type of housing. This project makes up 10% of the overall need.

“This is an example of what can happen when the private sector joins forces with non-profits,” Hughes stated. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Amber Alert issued on Tuesday afternoon for a missing one-year old girl has been lifted. At approximately 2:05 a.m. Wednesday morning Montreal police officers located the missing child safe and sound in the Saint-Laurent borough.

The mother, an 18 year-old whose identity is protected by a publication ban, was arrested and is scheduled to meet investigators. A thorough investigation into the circumstances which led to the Alert is being conducted throughout the day today. No charges have yet been filed.

The infant was reported missing by her maternal grandmother who is her custodian. The grandmother discovered the infant’s room empty with the window open and reported her missing, triggering the Alert.

“I have not seen the little one yet, I am waiting for youth protection to contact me,” the grandmother told The Suburban. “Our life has been upside down since my daughter met this boy at age 16. My daughter was reported missing multiple times and the ‘system’ badly managed this entire ordeal. I am worried about how this (incident) will be dealt with. I hope that they bring her back home,” she explained.

A Source who had close dealings with the family told The Suburban that the mother was a quiet and shy girl who left her home in Lachine at age 16 to get away from a “difficult” situation. “The police were often at their apartment and the girl’s step-father was arrested on multiple occasions.” The infant was not returned to her grandmother’s home as of 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday and remained in the custody of Youth Protection services.

According to the grandmother, her granddaughter was remitted to her custody at 2 months of age following a three-week stay at the hospital for treatment of severe injuries. At the time of the incident which led to the lengthy hospital stay, the infant was living with her grandmother, her boyfriend and his mother, all of whom lost access rights to the child.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Snowy weather overnight into Monday morning caused slower traffic throughout the West Island this morning. Slowed traffic on the three main north-south arteries, Saint-Charles, Saint-Jean and Sources Boulevards leading to Highway 40 and Highway 20 were scattered at multiple intersections as snow plow drivers worked to clear the roads. Lane closures on all three roads due to repair work caused long standstills as traffic was consolidated to one or two lanes at several intersections.

Highway 40 blockages due to lane closures on the Ile-aux-Tourtes bridge are ongoing and was exasperated by the heavy snow fall. Chemin Sainte-Marie exit remains closed causing congestion at the Saint-Charles Boulevard detour. The Ministry of Transport continues to encourage road users to opt for public transportation or telework in order to reduce heavy congestion resulting on both Highway 40 and Highway 20 from Vaudreuil-Dorion to Dorval circle. Express bus 40 is now free to travelers until further notice.

Highway 20 continues to be used by road users as a detour from Highway 40. Snow removal began shortly after 10:30 p.m. yesterday evening west of Saint-Jean Boulevard. Traffic was slower than usual Monday morning until approximately 9 a.m. at which point it resembled the typical 6:30-8:30 a.m. traffic hours. Municipal snow removal vehicles were busy clearing snow on residential streets while residents were busy shovelling or plowing the snow piles blocking their driveways.

Police authorities sent reminders that removing snow and ice from their vehicles is obligatory before hitting the roads and that winter tires are required as well since December 1st. Police vehicles from the Montreal Police Service (SPVM as well as Provincial Police (SQ) were present at the majority of major intersections Monday morning, especially near Highway exits. Schools and daycares sent letters to parents Sunday evening or Monday morning allowing for late arrivals or absences on an as needed basis taking into account the difficult road conditions.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Only one lane in each direction will be available on the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge for several weeks.

The toll on Highway 30 as well as travel from certain stations on the Vaudreuil-Hudson Exo train line will be free during this period.

Despite these actions, traffic was still backed up during the Monday morning and evening commute for tens of kilometres in either direction on both Highways 20 and 40. In many cases it took motorists up to two hours to reach their destinations.

As the bridge situation changes rapidly, the MTQ continues to encourage people to favour public transportation or telework where posssible.

According to the Chrono application, motorists are encouraged to use Highway 20 and it is recommended that truckers use Highway 30. Damage to a portion of the slab has led to the reduction of lanes to traffic for the foreseeable future. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Montreal police discovered the body of a 23-year-old man in an apartment located in the near the intersection of Duranceau Avenue and des Érables Street in the Lachine borough on Wednesday evening.

Police officers and Urgence Sante responded to a 911 call at approximately 5:30 p.m. The man’s death was pronounced on site.

Following an investigation surrounding the circumstances surrounding the man’s death, authorities established that the cause of death was homicide.

This is the 32nd homicide recorded this year in the Greater Montreal Area..

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Montreal Police arrested two suspects in connection with break-ins that occurred in the Town of Mount Royal and in the Saint-Léonard borough. Jordan Camilo Garcia-Prada, 29, and Alvaro Sebastian Parra-Orjulea, 24, were arrested shortly after the incidents. They are facing charges of breaking and entering and receiving stolen property.

Investigators say that the two individuals arrested are believed to be part of a cell linked to an international criminal network called the South American Theft Group (SATG) specializing in private residence break-ins. Operating in several countries, members of SATG’s criminal network travel to carry out organized theft activities. The SATG is under investigation by various police forces and border patrol services.

Officers discovered items in their possession such as jewelry, laptops, chequebooks, a wave jammer and burglary tools.

Following a search of their home located in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough, investigators found additional stolen property linked to a similar break-in that had previously occurred in a house in Laval.

The two suspects remain detained following their arraignment that took place at the Montreal courthouse. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The City of Dorval implemented measures to secure the transit corridor of the Ullivik residence following the death of two Inuuk women, Jane Tulugak and Nellie Niviaxie, who lost their lives in tragic circumstances as they were walking from the residence to Dorval’s commercial and transport hubs in 2022. Dorval Mayor Marc Doret fulfilled his promise that he would do whatever would be necessary to avoid another tragedy of the sort.

New pedestrian crossings have been installed along the transit corridor that was defined in cooperation with the implicated partners, and new directional signs were introduced in three languages (French, English, and Inuktitut).

These newly implemented measures were initiated by the City of Dorval in collaboration with the Montreal Police department (SPVM) and the Ministère des Transport du Québec (MTQ). “The changes initiated by the City of Dorval have been instrumental in developing pedestrian routes which allow our Ullivik residents to access transport hubs. It has transformed the way our residents move, granting them confidence and convenience bringing the Inuktitut language into the very fabric of our streets,” Ullivik residence Director Rita Noralinga stated.

City officials and officers from station 5 (Dorval) of the SPVM walked the walk along the new pathway following the announcement. “We will continue to participate in any projects that are undergoing to ensure the safety of the Inuit community and all of the Dorval community,” Station 5 officer Lisa-Marie Bridges, accompanied by station 5 Division Chief Francois Charron, told The Suburban.

“In August 2022, I made a commitment with our Director General to find a way to provide a safe and secure environment for those staying at the Ullivik residence to move back and forth between Ullivik, the Dorval EXO-STM terminal, and the commercial hub on Dorval Avenue. We decided that solutions needed to be found, not just discussed, and we acted without waiting for higher levels of government or ministries. We did this at the local level to ensure the safety of all members of our community and to prevent any more fatal accidents like the ones that took the lives of Mary-Jane and Nellie,” Doret said.

“For us, it was paramount that, as an administration and based on the wishes of the municipal council, we take the necessary actions to make sure that such tragedies do not happen again. I am proud of the various City of Dorval teams that worked closely alongside our community partners to put in place measures that could potentially save some lives,” Marc Rouleau, Director General of the City of Dorval, said.

Action Jeunesse de l’Ouest de l’île (AJOI) in partnership with the City of Dorval, will be donating reflecting backpacks containing a first aid kit, hygiene products, a map of the Greater Montreal Area (GMA), a list of resources and tickets for public transport in the coming weeks to Ullivik residence users. Communications director Sarah-Jane Boivin presented the backpack with enthusiasm stating that “we know the the backpacks will make a difference for the beneficiaries to make them feel more at home, because they are home. This help will facilitate their stay as they enter into a new step of their lives.” n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The City of Pointe-Claire and retired Canadian boxer Otis Grant have teamed up to offer the Grant Brothers Amateur Boxing Program at the Olive-Urquhart Sports Centre.

The program includes boxing classes as well as group and one-on-one training sessions, work-out sessions and a variety of community programs.

For over 20 years, brothers Otis and Howard Grant have been training boxers in the West Island. The duo run their own boxing gym in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, and are now expanding their program to Pointe-Claire.

Pointe-Claire Mayor Tim Thomas told The Suburban that he is very proud to have signed this agreement with Otis Grant and pleased to see that major sports figures are willing to offer their programming in Pointe-Claire’s sports facilities. “This is a win-win for us and the Grant brothers. We fill an under-utilized space with programming and an established martial arts organization and they extend their existent programming to a broader community.”

Otis Grant is a former professional boxer who competed on the world stage and won a silver medal for Canada at the 1987 Pan-American Games. He is also one of the few Quebec boxers to have won a World Boxing Organization (WBO) championship.

Following his professional boxing career, Grant has been involved in a wide variety of community and charity work. The former boxer started his own foundation in 1999, namely The Otis Grant and Friends Foundation, which continues to donate medicine, as well as food and clothing to communities, while also aiding families in need across the country.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The ongoing strikes of nurses and French-sector teachers joined last Friday by English-sector teachers are having significant consequences on strikers and parents alike. The nurses are partial walkouts. But the teachers are out full time forcing parents to balance work and family.

“We are always the bottom of the barrel,” school transport services worker John Rallis told The Suburban. “These bogus government offers are utterly disrespectful to us.”

“Before Legault got elected he was raving about how important school boards, nurses and essential workers were. And again during the pandemic. What does it look like now?” school payroll employee Kathleen said to The Suburban. “This is not just about salaries. We understand parents, we (many of us) have kids. Particularly parents with special needs kids need our support. Down the line this is for the students.”

“Teachers are important, but support staff are also important, we play an important role also for the students. The education system needs change. There were many reforms but without putting students first. We need to revolutionize so future generation receive adequate education. I tell my own kids that we are making history for the future generation of students,” Sandra, a school organization technician, told The Suburban.

When asked what is at the forefront of these efforts from her perspective, Sandra replied straightforwardly that special needs students are neglected. “We need to improve student services.”

Picketing without pay has also affected staff. Personal sacrifices are being made by many strike participants in order to hold the line. “Many of us (involved in the strike) have cancelled Christmas this year, or scaled down, hoping that this will make some kind of impact,” Kathleen explained.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault is calling the negotiation tactics “detrimental to families.” Many parents living through the difficult consequences of ongoing strike days agree. Others are willing to make the sacrifice in support of staff and in support of improving learning conditions for students.

A mom of three, one with special needs in elementary school, told The Suburban that although the financial pressures on her family are high at this time, she is in support of a long-term solution. “My son was integrated into the public system that offers extra support, but it is clear to me that he needs more and the staff are willing to offer it, but they need our support now to put pressure on the government to recognize these issues and act.”

“Our family can barely make ends meet. Christmas as we know it is cancelled. I am barely making it as is and missing work to care for my son while he is scheduled to be in school is exhausting my already limited financial resources,” a single working mom said to The Suburban. “At the end of this strike, they might get paid more but I won’t and if this continues, I might be out of a job.” n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Dollard-des-Ormeaux will soon be the home of a new Sportsplex which will include a Soccerplex. There has been growing demand by West Islanders for such a facility. It is expected to come to life as soon as financial resources from the minister of education as well as private funding respond to the initial plans drawn up by DDO.

With the closure of Lachine’s Soccerplexe, previously named Catalognia, the closest indoor facility for West Island players is located in Laval.The demand for an indoor complex for soccer as well as an array of sports such as basketball and tennis that need them through the winter months is growing in the West Island and off-Island neighbouring communities.

With the 2026 Fifa World Cup coming to Canada, the competition amongst local soccer players is fierce and training facilities are in high demand. “This is a lucrative revenue stream for the city and benefits local athletes and residents,” Dollard-des-Ormeaux (DDO) Mayor Alex Botaussci told The Suburban. According to Botaussci, the facility will come at a low cost for residents as it will generate revenues from indoor events such as a theatre while benefiting athletes from a buffet of sports. “The opportunities seem endless,” he said.

Additional uses under consideration include: public education, sport study programs, dance, entertainment and city run outdoor event alternatives to rain-outs. The exact location of the Sportsplex will be officially disclosed following several “next steps,” however Botaussci shared an exclusive hint with The Suburban that it will be located near the city centre (near the civic centre) with easy access to Highway 40.

Former Soccerplex Lachine owner Avi Krispine bought Catalognia as a property ripe for condo development. Shortly after he purchased the property, he was made aware of the importance of the Soccerplex facility. Krispine then gave up his lucrative condo project in an act of goodwill and decided to keep the facility running under his administration for the sake of the community.

“I got connected to soccer and developed an understanding of the sport. I even started playing myself,” Krispine told The Suburban. “I genuinely wanted to save the business, but with the price I paid for the land, I could not afford the payables with the revenues from the business and was forced (for financial reasons) to revert back to my original condo plan after trying for two and a half years.”

Botaussci’s desire to build an athletic facility to serve the West Island and Krispine’s experience both as a former owner of a Soccerplex and as a developer was a “match made in heaven” for West Island athletes. Krispine, a DDO resident himself, offered to donate all equipment from the Lachine facility and his knowledge on a volunteer basis. “I am very excited about this project and what it represents for our city and for the West Island. Avi’s support is appreciated and we are lucky to have him,” Botaussci said. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Montreal Police (SPVM) and Quebec provincial police (SQ) carried out six searches linked to organized crime in the cities of Laval, Mirabel, Rosemère and Notre-Dame-de-l ‘Île-Perrot on Wednesday to gather evidence. Five searches related to the same investigation were carried earlier this week in Vaudreuil–Dorion as well as in the Montreal boroughs of Anjou, Lachine and Montréal-Nord.

The police forces joined in the investigation with the objective of solving several murders linked to organized crime which occurred in the Greater Montreal Area (GMA) dating from the mid 1990s until the present. Authorities confirmed that individuals associated with the Italian Mafia and the Hells Angels as well as other street gangs are targeted by the investigation.

Three murder victims who were targeted by mistake in connection to organized crime were identified by authorities working to solve their cases:

– Ms. Lida Phon, 32, who was murdered in a residence on Brunel Street, in Laval, in August 2012;

– Mr. Domenico Facchini, 37, who was shot dead in a café on Boulevard Provencher, in Saint-Léonard, in December 2012;

– Mr. Nicolas Lavoie-Cloutier, 18, killed near Montée Major, in Terrebonne, in June 2018.

The joint investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to communicate anonymously and confidentially with Info-Crime Montréal at 514 393-1133 or with the SQ Criminal Information Centre at 1-800-659-4264.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Montreal Police (SPVM) arrested two suspects aged 36 and 41 last week during a major drug trafficking operation deployed in the borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro and the municipality of Terrasse-Vaudreuil. Searches were carried out at the residences of the two suspects, as well as in a business run by one of them.

Officers seized various quantities of street and illegally-obtained pharmaceutical drugs including; cocaine, 2C-B, ketamine, methamphetamine (tablets), methamphetamine in crystals, isotonitazene, amphetamines, fentanyl, cannabis, hashish, Cialis/Viagra, psilocybin and THC jujubes. The total value of the drugs seized was estimated at over half a million dollars.

The searches also led to the seizure of two vehicles, luxury accessories, 1 kilo of gold and nearly $20,000 in cash. The two suspects remained in custody while waiting for their arraignment at the Montreal courthouse to face multiple drug charges scheduled for November 17.

The investigation was a collaborative effort by the ÉCLIPSE squad, the ACCESS and proceeds of crime section, neighbourhood station 3 (L’Île-Bizard, Pierrefonds, Sainte-Geneviève, Roxboro) and the Sûreté du Québec. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Veterans Howard and Annie McNamara were honoured last week at Sainte-Anne’s veteran’s residence in Sainte-Anne de Bellevue last week. Speaking with The Suburban, the couple, aged 103 and 102, shared their experiences meeting each other near the end of World War II shortly after their return from their respective European tours.

Fellow veterans and staff organized the tribute. Alain Vandecruys, Immediate past president of the Royal Canadian Air Force Association presented the with 25-year service pins. They received 100-year pins from the Royal Canadian Air Force which will be celebrating its 100-year anniversary next spring. They also received lifetime blazer badges from the Director-General in Ottawa and certificates, signed by Terry Chester, RCAFA National President.

“We didn’t expect it. Whoever kept a secret sure kept it good,” Mrs. McNamara told The Suburban. At that moment, Mr. McNamara revealed that he discovered the secret prior to the event, but was asked to keep the surprise for Mrs. McNamara.

“It is so nice when people take the time to come and talk to us, to listen to our stories. This was a lovely day that I will remember forever,” she said.

Mrs. McNamara performed with an entertainment unit formed to support and lift the spirits of the troops in the RCAF. Her group performed in Canada, the United States and Europe.

Mr. McNamara served as a pilot in the RCAF in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. At age 20, he joined the forces with his younger brother Ian McNamara, aged 18 at the time. Following his return from Europe in 1945, Mr. McNamara was informed that his brother had been killed.

“We did our duty,” Mr. McNamara said stoically. “We had a job to do and we did it. If I had to talk to a son today, I would not want him to go but I would not stop him, because it is our duty to protect the country.”

The couple met in Verdun at a dance in 1946, shortly after Mrs. McNamara returned from her tours. They married in 1948 at ages 28 and 27.

“We have had a good life, together — we travelled the world.. again…” Mrs. McNamara said.

Today, they share their memories in conversations about their lives together as well as their experiences serving the country. “He reminds me of certain things and I remind him of certain things.” n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Following last year’s relaunch, the annual DDO Fine Arts & Crafts Holiday Market was back again last week. Early holiday shoppers discovered authentic crafts and unique gifts from generations of dedicated artists and artisans while getting a feel for the holiday season to come in a jovial holiday atmosphere.

The Royal Canadian Legion set up a table at the fair and the sales of products and music was paused temporarily at 11 a.m. to honour Remembrance Day.

“We were thrilled by the support and feedback we received from crafters and patrons alike,” Patrick Charron, Managing Director of the Dollard Centre for the Arts, said.

Alia, from soon to open boulangerie Mira in Vaudreuil-Dorion, served an array of authentic German baked goods and coffee in the busy cafeteria section.

Brothers John and Jason were selling handmade wood kitchen accessories on behalf of their father who creates the products. “He carried on the tradition of his father and grandfather. This has been our dad’s hobby for 45 years, working out of the basement. It has become his retirement hobby,” they told The Suburban.

Watercolor artist Alice started a side business selling book marks, greeting cards and small illustrations. “It was my way to survive motherhood,” she said to The Suburban.

“Its a great time to buy unique gifts that you can’t find in a general store. If you haven’t been able to make it out this year, don’t worry, it will be back next year,” Dollard-des-Ormeaux mayor Alex Bottausci told The Suburban.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Barry Christensen launched Montreal’s “Sock It To Me” nine years ago to give clean, dry socks to the needy at St. Michael’s Mission. Christensen has 42 years of experience working with people from all socio-economic backgrounds, including the homeless population while working as a paramedic.

After working alongside outreach workers, helping to tend to the needs of the homeless surrounding Berri-UQAM Métro for 10 years, Christensen identified a particular basic need that was unmet: socks.

More than 50,000 pairs of socks have been distributed through “Sock it To Me” in the last decade. The campaign runs from November 1 – November 30 each year.

Due to the rise in homelessness in the city, last September, St. Michael’s Mission ran out of socks. “Supplies normally last from campaign to campaign,” Christensen told The Suburban.

We need more reserves for both winter and summer necessity. According to Christensen, socks are a basic necessity which contribute to the maintenance of good health. “It’s a basic need,” he explained.

Socks are collected through multiple campaign platforms hosted by companies and schools. West Islanders can drop off socks at Terrafolia on Sources Boulevard and at Gilbert and Daughter clothing store on Donegani, in Pointe-Claire and at the Samuel Moscovitch arena in Cote St.Luc.

St. Michael’s Mission places a box by the door every day for people who wish to pick up a fresh pair of socks. With the rise in homelessness in 2020, The Suburban‘s Michael Sochaczevski, donated 10,000 pairs of socks accounting for 20% of all socks donated over the last decade.

Last year, a total of 7,000 pairs were donated and the supply lasted nine months with the delivery date in the beginning of December.

In addition to the Sock drive, Christensen also collects clothing on an as-needed basis throughout the year. “This past August, I did a quick clothing drive when the mission needed it, and I do drop offs throughout the year,” he said.

This year, Christensen is also helping the mission look for storage, as it will not have storage space for the socks as of January. Until that issue is resolved, Christensen is opting to drop off the socks on an as needed basis, storing the bulk in his home.

He is asking for the public’s help in finding a storage location.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The 17th joint Remembrance Day Ceremony took place at Memorial field, located on the campus of John Abbott College on November 9th, despite the hail storm.

Students and staff from McGill University – Macdonald campus, John Abbott College and Macdonald High School attended the event along with students and staff from Edgewater, Dorset, St-Patrick’s, Birchwood and Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary schools.

The ceremony was largely attended despite the weather conditions giving a whole new meaning to “rain or shine” and adding to the overall message of importance in commemorating Canadian veterans.

Bag pipers led the groups from Macdonald High School and McGill to the athletic field at John Abbott.

Students from MacDonald High School’s senior band braved the sub-zero temperature playing their instruments bare-handed while seated without overhead coverage from with hail fall. “We are very honoured to be here today especially in these conditions (where) it not easy to play but these kids are amazing troopers. I am very proud of them,” Stephane Crete, Music teacher at MacDonald High School, told The Suburban.

“Today we remember those who volunteered, sacrificed served and died for our freedom. We salute those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We will never forget. We remember the doctors and nurses who tended to the wounded. The parents who watched their children suffer, the children who lost their parents, the young men and women who never had the chance to experience their adulthood. We remember the sacrifices made to allow us to be here today,” MacDonald High School principle, Dion Joseph, stated in a heartfelt speech.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The West Island Mission (WIM) held a two-day toy drive at Fairview Pointe-Claire last Saturday and Sunday to spruce up its inventory as part of the annual toy drive.

Shoppers were invited to drop off unwrapped toys to support the holiday campaign to help bring joy to families who are struggling to make ends meet during these difficult times.

Each year, toys are collected from participating corporations that gather stock and arrange for the bulk of toys to be picked up at the end of the campaign. Individual community members also drop off donations at WIM’s food bank in Pointe-Claire.

With the growing need this year, WIM organized the additional two-day campaign directly in the West Island community’s city centre mall.

“This is a wonderful initiative which reminds people to give to others while doing their own holiday shopping. It is so convenient to have the opportunity to give directly in the mall,” a woman named Karen said to The Suburban as she was dropping off toys and gift cards donations.

WIM is a local food bank that serves 350 families experiencing food insecurity in the West Island. Every holiday season, it offers toys to help the children of its clients experience some holiday cheer.

Jay Walker of Global News was involved with the initiative from the start this year. Growing up in Pierrefonds, he talked about how he was aware of the needs, particularly in certain pockets of the West Island, and was made aware that the need has expanded significantly. “So far the response has been incredible. When I learned about the need, it was inexcusable not to get involved and try to be a part of this.”

It is important for children to be celebrated throughout the year, and specifically throughout the holiday season, Toy drive volunteer Carly Wener-Fridman told The Suburban.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Many parents are growing impatient with school staff and school transport services striking intermittently and simultaneously. In multiple interviews with parents who contacted The Suburban to express their views on the strikes, the majority expressed their sympathy and appreciation for school staff and bus drivers, however the overall message is that their patience is wearing thin with the strike tactics.

Most agreed to be identified on a first name basis or by their profession only as they do not want their children to be identifiable to school staff via this report on their position. “By choosing this repeat tactic, instead of inciting our support, it is having the opposite effect,” working dad Emmanuel told The Suburban. “They are holding parents hostage in this negotiation gambling their own wages while many parents are suffering financial losses that will certainly not be replaced by wage increases.”

“The government is laughing at them, they are taking days off unpaid then threatening to take off more days… not paid. So financially, it is in the government’s interest to let them keep going and use the money saved from that time period to ‘increase their wages’. They are foolish standing out there in the cold, not getting paid. It will all come out to the same. My frustration is not for lack of sympathy to their cause, it is for the lack of common sense in their tactics. It is as if your boss at work causes a problem for you and you go home and slap your neighbour, it just does not make any sense.”

“They use the word ‘essential’ to describe themselves, so obviously they are aware of that fact,” Maria told The Suburban. One parent, who owns a law firm said the decision to strike affects the entire ecosystem in unrelated professions. “Some of my employees cannot work during the strike days. I have had to scramble for temporary replacements which also affects the overall quality of service. These are more than half a million people striking, everyone knows someone whose life gets turned upside down every time they walk out.”

“One day I am late for work because the bus drivers want more money. The next day, I am absent from work because the teachers want more money, the janitor wants more money. It is hard to feel sorry for them when they don’t feel sorry for us. After a three-day strike, they are aware that parents have been severely affected and they expect sympathy when threatening to do it again and indefinitely?” Emma said to The Suburban.

“Essential service workers should not be allowed to just walk out without consequences, the consequences on the population is far too damaging for this to be okay.” Stay at home mom Debbie says that though she is capable of absorbing the consequences of the strike, she worries that her children won’t fare well in their exams coming up shortly before the holidays.

“Inflation hit all of us and now we all have to join them in taking days off unpaid against our will and with Christmas right around the corner. Maybe when our kids ask why there are no gifts under the tree, we can say that Santa’s priority this year is that their teachers get paid better. These are the adults we trust our children with every day. How can they do something so irresponsible and expect to keep our trust, our respect?” Michel told The Suburban. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (SABD) Mayor Paola Hawa has collaborated with the Montreal police services (SPVM) and the Quebec Ministry of Transport to deter congestion in the municipality for the safety of its residents. In previous years, intermittent closures of the Île aux Tourtes bridge caused hours of bumper-to-bumper traffic in the narrow streets of SADB’s village by the water from the Lakeshore to Highway 20 causing major inconveniences for both drivers and residents.

“My issue is less about the inconvenience. This became a safety issue as emergency vehicles had no access. The congestion was so severe that residents could not get in or out safely in the event of a emergency,” Hawa told The Suburban.

Police vehicles are now stationed at all major turns, deterring traffic and even ticketing drivers using the roads unnecessarily to avoid using the highways. The exit to Highway 20 West from the south side of SADB is now completely closed off during peak hours.

Drivers who try to avoid traffic by moving through the village’s streets will be detoured back around the loop. According to Hawa, although traffic may be slow on Highway 20, drivers are better off being patient rather than trying to cut through traffic in SADB.

“We put these measures in place to deter drivers from using our roads. They have been advised not to use our roads during peak hours, unless they reside here, for the time being, as it poses a risk to the safety of residents. If they somehow manage their way in, they will lose an extra hour when they realize, at the end, that they won’t be able to access the westbound highway from here. They will learn.” n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

An open letter calling for solutions concerning the gaps in emergency housing resources was sent by Comité d’action des locataires de l’Ouest-de-l’Île, Table de Quartier Sud de l’Ouest-de-l’Île (TQSOI) and Table de Quartier Nord de l’Ouest-de-l’Île (TQNOI) to eight West Island municipalities as well as the West Island CIUSSS, the Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal (OMHM) and Société d’habitation du Québec.

This year, West Island residents were displaced and left temporarily homeless following residential fires in Dorval and Dollard-des-Ormeaux (DDO). On September 23, 2023, a blaze uprooted residents living in a 26-unit apartment building in Dorval. Immediately, the Red Cross stepped in to provide temporary housing, however the support available is limited and lasted for just a few days.

Residents, finding themselves without a home, searched for housing solutions and were accompanied by the referral service of the OMHM. However, residents from demerged cities do not have full access to services offered by the OMHM. According to the letter, a lack of communication and understanding regarding the protocol for the provision of aid to disaster victims following an emergency intervention by the Montreal Fire Department in the territory of the agglomeration of Montreal leaves many victims feeling confused and helpless.

The letter also addresses the issue of residents living in West Island homes who find themselves homeless after a repossession, a “reno-viction” or are evacuated due to a sanitation issues. Residents of the City of Montreal are eligible for temporary housing, reimbursement of moving and storage costs, and housing search assistance through the referral service. However, residents of demerged cities are not eligible for the same benefits, and there are no equivalent services in these cities.

Only 20% of housing units in the West Island are rentals. The West Island is home to 4% of the island’s social housing and it is difficult for tenants to find adequate and affordable housing once they are displaced. “We call upon the demerged cities of the West Island and the CIUSSS of the West Island to take advantage of available resources and partnerships in order to address these gaps in emergency housing resources,” the letter read.

The letter calls on its recipients to apply for a subsidy under Stream 1 of the Programme d’hébergement temporaire et d’aide à la recherche de logement (PHTARL) of the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ) which would unlock significant provincial funds so that cities can provide temporary housing and a moving and storage service to residents in need. Under Stream 2 of this program, it is also possible for cities to contact the OMHM to begin discussions on possible service links with the referral service, in order to allow low-income residents of demerged cities to have full access to the housing search assistance services all year round.

“We look forward to an ongoing dialogue to address this pressing matter that affects the well-being and safety of our communities,” West Island Tenant Action Committee, Tenant Support Coordinator Lily Martin told The Suburban.

“We approached the campaign first with public support to go to the cities with a list of constituents. Our intention was to get as much support and [as many] signatures [as possible] to be able to sit at the table with city representatives to present our plan in order to move quickly with our objectives.” n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

To conclude the first phase of the consultative process for the future Urban Planning Programme, the City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux (DDO) held a final workshop on the development of its major boulevards last Wednesday evening at the Civic Centre.

More than 80 residents participated at the meeting where they had the opportunity to work in teams around discussion tables and exchange their ideas to imagine and propose developments for Boulevards Saint-Jean, des Sources, de Salaberry, Brunswick, Spring Garden and Sunnybrooke.

“We are very pleased with the significant public response. We want to hear from our residents what they would like to see on our major boulevards,” DDO Urban planning Director Sylvain Boulianne told The Suburban.

“This is a valuable exercise to shape a city that takes into consideration the innovative ideas of residents that are based on their daily experiences.”

“I would like to congratulate our residents for their active involvement and remarkable participation in the revision of the Urban Planning Program. Their invaluable input will contribute to the development of tomorrow’s city in a collaborative and visionary manner that benefits the community as a whole,” DDO Mayor Alex Bottausci told The Suburban.

With the input received via the various consultative and interactive activities carried out since August 30, 2023, the city intends, in 2024, to adopt a new Urban Planning Program adapted to the specific social, economic and environmental realities of its territory.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Firefighters responded to a three-alarm fire at the Collins Clarke funeral home located at the corner of Cartier Avenue and Highway 20 in Pointe-Claire last Wednesday.

Smoke from the blaze was pushed east by the 20 km per hour wind. Dark smoke was visible for several kilometres, as far as Dorval Avenue.

According to Montreal fire department department spokesperson Francis Fleury, the two-storey building was occupied and all occupants were safely evacuated.

Seventy firefighters were deployed in 30 fire trucks to contain the building that was visibly engulfed in flames and significantly damaged.

One firefighter was reported injured.

“His injuries were treated by first responders on site. He was not transported to the hospital,” Fleury told The Suburban.

Four Bronco sky-lifts were strategically situated at different angles. The two closest to the building were operated by firefighter duos. At one point the two-person operated sky-lifts became invisible, surrounded by smoke for nearly 10 minutes.

The cause of the fire still has not been determined. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A wreath-laying ceremony took place at CHSLD Sainte-Anne’s Hospital (previously Sainte-Anne’s Veterans hospital), largely attended by the institutions’ resident veterans, along with veterans from the Greater Montreal area.

Special guest Nicolas Meunier, a veteran who served in Afghanistan, Yugoslavia, Haiti and Bosnia and is known for his participation as an athlete for Team Canada at the Invictus Games, spoke about the social label associated to veterans of more recent wars. While highlighting the honoured contribution of older veterans, Meunier discussed how newer veterans tend to be ignored on the scale of  social norms.

“People don’t want to support war,” he said in explaining why younger veterans have a harder time being recognized and recognizing themselves for their contributions.

“We have resources, but because of a stereotype, we are afraid to ask for help and to go get what we are entitled to receive. We’ve sacrificed our lives for a very long time, we have psychological wounds as well as physical ones.”

Sixty men and women who served in the Second World War or the Korean War still reside in the hospital that has been converted into a long-term care residence.

The institution’s expertise in the treatment of operational stress injuries, war injuries and pain management continues to welcome soldiers along with police officers. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Over 245 West Islanders drove up to the “drive-thru” food drive held on Sunday with their vehicles loaded up with food to help restock West Island food banks. The drive-thru was hosted by YMCA West Island and the Table de quartier sud de l’Ouest-de-l’Île and was held at the entrance of the Olive-Urquhart Sports Centre in Pointe-Claire.

Donations from the event will be shared with West Island Mission (WIM), On Rock Community Services, West Island Assistance Fund (WIAF) and La Maison Entre Familles collectively covering the four corners of the West Island.

“People have been generous, its been awesome,” On Rock founder Kim Reid told The Suburban as car number 245 drove up. “This food will serve families across the West Island. This was a good haul.” Volunteers showed up in the cold and rain for the four-hour long drive to help sort food and unload vehicles. Some volunteers stayed longer to help fill up the food-bank trucks once the collection was over.

“Its cold, but we are happy to be here, happy to help,” Alexandre Beaulieu, On Rock volunteer, said to The Suburban as he was helping a family unload their vehicle. When the fall season collections are fruitful, the additional stock flows into the winter holiday season. “This is the beginning of that season (the holiday season). Once people see this food drive, they think okay, we have to start ramping up and that’s a good thing and we need it.”

According to West Island Mission’s Executive director, Suzanne Scarrow, the number of food bank users surged in the West Island as a result of inflation while donations are down for the same reason. “We are adding 3-5 recipients a week and are receiving a high volume of new walk-ins looking for immediate food.” Thousands of West Islanders depend on food banks for survival or to make ends meet. Food bank operators have noticed more elderly, single persons and employed persons who cannot survive on their salary alone as a result of rental and mortgage rate increases and inflation. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Quebec Provincial Police (SQ) is seeking the public’s help in its search for Mya Jack, 16, from Prévost, QC.

The teen was last spotted in the early evening on September 15th in Lachine travelling on foot.

Police have reason to believe that she may be located in the greater Montreal area.

Jack’s family stated that they have reason to fear for her health and safety.

Mya Jack stands at 5’6″, weighs approximately 109 lbs, has dark colored eyes and dark hair. She communicates in both English and French.

The SQ asks that anyone who sees Mya Jack or has any information pertaining to her whereabouts is asked to contact 911. Members of the pubic may also communicate any information they may have confidentially to the Criminal Information Center of the SQ by dialing1 800 659-4264.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A new reserved-lane on Provost Street westbound in Lachine will opened to buses, taxis and bikes as of this past Monday.

The performance of five bus lines is expected to increase significantly, serving the area with departures every seven to 10 minutes during peak hours.

The new lane will be open to traffic between 1st Avenue and 31st Avenue, Monday through Friday, from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

“We remain committed to improving this route for public transit customers by ensuring more regular and comfortable service, especially on this stretch of the road, where more than two out of three bus trips are made in the area,” Éric Alan Caldwell, Chair of the STM Board of Directors, said. “The new reserved lane will benefit the 4,500 customers who already use this bus route and encourage local residents to choose public transit as a convenient way to travel.”

The STM’s network of reserved lanes in Montreal is currently estimated at a total of 320 km.

According to Lachine Mayor Maja Vodanovic, the new reserved lane will increase efficiency and fluidity in the sector by 65 percent.

“As with any change, there will be a period of adjustment, but we are confident that our residents will understand the need to move towards more efficient public transit to combat climate change and reduce traffic congestion,” Vodanovic, said. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Concerned by the situation at the Youth Protection Agency (DPJ), Brigitte Garceau, MNA for Robert-Baldwin and the Official Opposition Critic for Youth Protection, demanded answers in the National Assembly on a range of issues from Lionel Carmant, the Minister Responsible for Social Services.

Garceau passionately questioned the Minister on the slow and fragmented implementation of the Laurent Commission’s report recommendations, the lack of training for DPJ workers in the area of conjugal violence, the lack of resources and services for parents, the infringement on children’s rights and the labour shortage.

She said the promises of the Legault government have yet to produce tangible results on the ground. Garceau criticized the failure of the government to meet its obligation to smooth the transition of children from the DPJ to adulthood, in addition to emphasizing the Minister’s lack of an action plan. She also expressed disappointment at the absence of the other two opposition parties at the interpellation, which offered a unique opportunity to question the Minister. “The recent troubling news from the DPJ should motivate elected representatives from all political parties to urge this government to act immediately in the best interests of our youth.”

“It has been two and a half years since the Laurent Commission’s report was tabled, and the implementation of its key recommendations, in particular the appointment of a Commissioner for Children’s Welfare and Rights, remains unclear. While the Minister assures that a bill is ready to be presented, he could not confirm the actual date. What disappoints me the most is the Minister’s lack of a sense of urgency in dealing with pressing issues affecting the well-being, and psychological and physical safety of our children. We’re talking about thousands of children in difficulty. It’s a deplorable situation,’’ Garceau stated.

The press secretary to Minister Carmant told The Suburban that, “the projet de loi is ready and we can expect a development at that level very soon. The implementation of recommendations is divided in three phases in a six-year plan. We decided to do it over a shorter stretch than Régine Laurent, president of the Special Commission on the rights of children and protection of youth, had suggested over a 10-year span. Phase one is complete and advancements are going well. As for the MNA’s comment concerning the work force depreciation, it is quite the opposite as (since 2019) we have 7,000 new social service workers and 3,000 new youth centre workers.”

According to the press secretary, at the start of his mandate, the situation in Youth Protection was degraded and he considers the reform to be of a high level of importance. “Is everything perfect? Of course not. We have a lot more work to do.”

“Never has a government done so much in terms of youth services and youth protection. We are the first government to have put in place financial incentives for work at the DPJ following the creation of the CISSS and CIUSSS and we want to continue to improve their working conditions. We fundamentally reformed the Youth Protection Act last year. Adopted unanimously in April 2022, this law marked the first milestone in this major project for our children. One of the key points of this reform is that we have put in place strong leadership by appointing a national director of youth protection, Ms. Catherine Lemay, so that there is a competent authority with the necessary powers to intervene when required.” n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A prefabricated modular ER is being erected at the Lakeshore General Hospital (LGH). The Emergency Room will operate within the temporary structure by next spring as a three-year construction project of a new three-storey building is scheduled to begin in 2025.

The current ER has 31 stretchers. The temporary facility will have six additional stretchers.

According to Assistant-Director General at the regional health authority (CIUSSS-ODIM) Jean-Francois Miron, the permanent structure is expected to be announced officially next year by Quebec’s health ministry.

“This is a real step prior to construction, that’s the step just before we go to tender for a novel plan out to start building. I am very hopeful that we will have our new ER and the government has been very supportive for the modular system that they just invested in. Plans for the new (permanent) ER are in the works as we speak,” Miron told The Suburban.

Quebec has committed to investing $14.5 million towards the design phase, a model of functionality and analysis of tenders presented to construct the new ER.

Plans released to date for the permanent ER depict an 8,300 square-meter building housing 38 emergency-ward stretchers in cubicles on the ground floor along with a number of examination rooms, pre-triage and triage zones. On the upper floor, twelve short-term hospitalization beds will be located in a unit reserved for physical health patients and six beds reserved for short-term mental health care will be located in a separate unit. Medical imaging rooms as well as a rapid assessment zone with 10 seats will also be located on an upper floor. A mechanical equipment room will be set up in the basement.

Community activist Sheila Laursen — former board member at the West Island health and social services center — told The Suburban that she is hopeful about the proposed project but is also skeptical. “I’ll believe it when I see it,” she said.

“I was on the board for many years and the population has grown well beyond what it was in 1965. Along the way, many promises of expansion were made, especially around election time and in the end, nothing more than some cosmetic updates were done,”

Laursen noted that while the ER was getting more and more flooded over the years, simultaneously the shortage of family physicians grew, forcing patients to use clinics and ERs, only adding to the issue.

“This is another ‘plan’ and promise. A temporary building is coming up while they say the permanent ER work will start in 2025. Funny how it gets dangled on election years. Politics take place but reality takes place. I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Now facing Bill 15, we are taking all the bad things and making it worse. CIUSSS is a monolith of healthcare structure management and it is already difficult to respond on a local level. Under Bill 15, hospital management will not be local. Quebec needs to guarantee the funding and allow for adaptability on a local level, rather than patchwork. Health services are only as good as you can get access and in a timely way.”

When asked how this plan is different than other promises made in the past by the provincial government, Miron said:

“We are building the temporary ER and there will be a real announcement by the Ministry. It is not something we can mention because we have to give context around the modular system that we’re putting together, but that will be announced probably in a year from now. The module system is important because it’s a first step in making the emergency a better environment for the community as well as for staff.”

When questioned about plans for adequate staffing with the temporary expansion of the modular, and the eventual ER, Miron responded:

“We are starting to have conversations on how that will be addressed. It’s hard to have full staff, like any emergency room in any hospital in Quebec. What we are creating now with the modular is a better environment, and hopefully that will help us with staffing as well.” 

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Jacques-Cartier MNA Greg Kelley hosted a town hall recently at Cedar Park United Church to discuss seniors issues and listen to concerns of the public as well as private and public organizations. According to Kelley, some solutions and proposed solutions arose from the meeting, which was also attended by observers from the West Island Health Authority (CIUSSS-ODIM).

“I made a pledge on my campaign trail last year to do my best to bring people together, not divide. I’ve heard a lot of concerns over the last year concerning seniors issues, which is why I felt it was important to hold a town hall,” Kelley told The Suburban.

The reintegration specialist at the West Island Mission (WIM) and program director at the West Island Community Resource Center (CRC), Sandra Watson, voiced her concerns for seniors at the town hall. Working with seniors, addressing issues on the ground covering multiple levels, Watson wore “many hats” as she put it, at the meeting representing seniors voices.

As the food bank has reported a significant increase of clients 65 and over with food prices going up while surviving on fixed incomes, Watson is addressing their concerns as many are looking for solutions such as affordable housing and food solutions while juggling costs associated with their medical needs.

“Going forward, prices are not going down and seniors’ income not going up,” she stated.

According to Watson, waiting times for affordable housing are currently hovering around five to seven years in the West Island. “It is an impossible situation for seniors. The CRC helps seniors navigate resources and accompanies them through the processes of applications, but the long wait lists cause isolation and a degeneration of their overall situation.”

The burden is often heavy on community organization workers. Watson told The Suburban that she has even cleaned bathtubs and changed sheets for clients on home care waiting lists who did not receive services for six months or longer.

“We need to maintain contact in the interim to ensure that while our clients are on waiting lists, their immediate needs are being met. One of my clients got hip replacement surgery and she was sent home alone with no caregiver or support. She had my phone number and called me because she had no food and no follow-up care, she couldn’t even bathe. Even with my intervention, it was two weeks before she received any support.”

One message that really hit home is how new seniors envision their golden years and as it turns out, it is not all like what we see on TV commercials. Rather, they are juggling the cost of living and grocery costs with fixed incomes and limited budgets,” Kelley told The Suburban.

Montreal’s only women’s daytime homeless shelter has reported a significant increase of senior women who have fallen “through the cracks” as they face inflation and increased housing costs while living on a limited budget, which is a clear indicator of systemic failure.

Kelley said to The Suburban that he intends to communicate his findings from the town hall to MNA Linda Caron, official opposition critic for seniors, and when opportunities arise in caucus, he intends to speak out on his constituents’ behalf directly.

“I want to make sure that proposals to the government reflect information picked up directly from the concerned community. My objective is to have at least two more town halls and conduct this same type of exercise with our youth.” 

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Kirkland residents received awards and participation prizes at the Kirkland sports complex recently as the “Kirkland in Bloom” season came to an end.

Kirkland Mayor Michel Gibson brought back the “Kirkland in Bloom” contest. It had not been staged for several years.

For Gibson, the activity is ultimately geared to heightening a sense of community amongst neighbours. “It was important to me to bring this activity back to Kirkland. It brings new residents and current residents a sense of pride in their property and their city. The participants that decorate, maintain or manicure their property encourage and inspire their neighbours to do the same,” Gibson told The Suburban.

Winners for each district and category were announced after all participants received a certificate and an 8” x 10” photograph of their home and garden handed to them by their respective councillors. Winners received a plaque with a laminated photo of their property, a trophy and a gift.

Photos of each participating household were placed on display, sparking jovial gardening discussions amongst attendees. Kirkland also posted photos of all winners and their gardens on its social media pages for residents to view.

Prizes were handed out in categories voted upon by residents, in addition to district winners voted upon by Kirkland’s horticultural team, such as the “Coup de coeur” prizes for “south side” and “north side” as well as an “overall winner”. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A group of parents from Westpark Elementary School in DDO contacted The Suburban because they were upset after receiving a letter on October 17 from the school’s principal stating that the school would be raising funds for the Red Crescent, a Red Cross associated organization which serves Muslim countries.

According to Westpark principal Diana Martire’s account, only a few parents expressed that they experienced a “tiny bit of controversy”. When asked why the Red Cresent was chosen as a sole beneficiary, Martire told The Suburban that according to her research, the Red Crescent seemed to fit the idea presented by parents at the previous school governing board meeting where the concept of fundraising was brought up as part of a “Help for Hurt” initiative. “We felt like the decision was neutral. As it turns out, it is not as neutral as we thought.” The “we” referred to by Martire in her statement is unknown as it was not the governing board.

Parent sources — confirmed by Martire — said that the governing board was never consulted about the Red Crescent, rather a discussion took place regarding the possibility of hosting a series of fundraisers called “Help for Hurt” for a number of charities. The charities the governing board decided on were the Magen David Adom and Federation CJA emergency funds as the meeting was held on October 10th, soon after the Oct.7 attack on Israel.

According to the letter, the fundraiser was intended “to provide humanitarian assistance for people affected by the ongoing and escalating October 2023 crisis.”The parents — who wish to remain anonymous — took issue with the fact that the Red Shield of David — that is also associated with the Red Cross but which serves Israel — was not included in the planned fundraising activity which was slated to take place on Friday October 20th, while others felt that fundraising of that nature should not take place at all in a public elementary school setting.

They also expressed disagreement with the decision to involve school children in a fundraiser which allows only those who participate in raising funds to “dress down” given the nature of the fundraiser, while others whose families did not wish to donate would have to wear the school colours like any other day and be potentially targeted.

Speaking with The Suburban on condition of anonymity in order to protect the identity of the minors involved, some of the parents who did not wish to send funds via the Red Crescent said that they were concerned that their children were going to be singled out as a result of the school-wide activity and that the position they have taken in regards to the brutal Hamas attack would forcibly be exposed by their child’s elementary school and send mixed messages to their children.

Following some parents complaints, a second email was sent out on October 19, again by the principal, stating that the school would be having a “dress down” day the following day, but that no fundraising would take place.

When parents received the email late evening on October 17th, it came as a shock that the governing board approved charities were dropped and a new charity was chosen without approval. Some parents say that the possibility of approving additional fundraisers was not the issue, rather that the approved organization was missing and that no consultation was made in selecting another.

According to the policy at Westpark, the administration can make changes to a governing board decision only after calling a special meeting which was not done. Draft minutes are normally released as public information shortly after meetings take place and reviewed at the following meeting with updates to follow as necessary. The minutes from this meeting were not released.

The “Help for Hurt” logo was created on October 19 and according to the initial letter sent by Martire to parents, the Red Crescent fundraiser was scheduled to be the first of an intended series similar in nature to previous dress down days. Parents said that dress down days have been ongoing at Westpark for six years supporting a number of charities without the condition of donation where all students were permitted to dress down.

The school had launched fundraisers in the past for charities such as The Cure Foundation last spring where it raised over $4,000 to support breast cancer patients.At the launch of ‘Help for Hurt’ via the principal’s e-mail, it was specified that the “privilege to dress-down” was allowable for “the cost of a donation”.

“Help for Hurt was created to fundraise for issues of importance to the community. For example we have three students with diabetes so one of the ‘Help for Hurt’ days was intended to be allocated for a foundation which would help with diabetes research,” Martire said to The Suburban. “We are all connected in some way, you don’t need to be from Palestine or Gaza to understand hurt. As a public school, we need to respond to those affected by hurts in the world.”

Martire maintains that she and her staff members value neutrality. “We are always looking for ways to help. Our intentions were good.”

LBPSB spokesperson Darren Becker told The Suburban that the school board was not aware of the fundraiser. “We don’t know about every bake sale or every little thing,” while he also acknowledged that “this is not a little thing.”

According to Becker the LPBSB does not have a policy for fundraising. “These decisions are usually made at the school level and/or governing board level.” n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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