FREDERIC SERRE

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

A Quebec coroner examining the tragic 2024 deaths of a farming couple in Montérégie is calling on the Union des producteurs agricoles to alert its members about the importance of wearing protective equipment to prevent the inhalation of deadly gases when working near manure pits.

It was deadly gases that killed farmers Caroline Robidoux, 40, and Éric Jutras, 44, at their family farm, which raises grain-fed calves, in the village of Ste. Christine near Acton Vale on Oct. 4, 2024. At about 6 p.m. that day, Robidoux rushed to try to save her husband as he worked in a manure pit and had lost consciousness, but she, too, inhaled the deadly gases and died from poisoning 18 days later in hospital. Autopsies revealed that the couple died from asphyxiation due to exposure to hydrogen sulphide inside the pit.

“(Éric Jutras) had always worked on a farm, so he had a lot of experience in this area and knew he shouldn’t go down into the pit without equipment. However, according to his loved ones, he was a bit reckless and probably wanted to do something quickly,” said coroner Nancy Bouchard in her report released Sept. 2.

When mixed with water, manure becomes slurry, a form of fertilizer. When stored in an enclosed space, this liquid releases toxic gases as it decomposes, Bouchard said.

“Every year, gases emanating from slurry storage structures claim victims, most of whom die before help arrives,” Bouchard wrote in her report.

She urged the UPA, the province’s professional farmers’ association, to boost awareness activities concerning procedures for entering such pits, which include training, adequate ventilation, and the wearing of respiratory protection equipment.

According to Bouchard, it is “likely” that Jutras was working on the pump inside the pit. When his wife, concerned about his absence, went to look for him, she found him lying face down, unconscious, with his face submerged in manure.

“Instinctively,” she climbed down into the pit without taking the time to protect herself, the coroner said.

After seeing her parents in the pit, one of the couple’s daughters ran to find her uncle, Francis Robidoux, warning him that her parents needed help. Paramedics and firefighters were called to the scene.

Jutras was pronounced dead the same day, while Robidoux was kept in an induced coma for several days before doctors discovered irreversible brain damage. She died on Oct. 22, 2024.

A Gofundme campaign was launched by the family of the couple, raising more than $19,500 to support their three children.

The tragedy was the second of its type to occur in the area. In 2016, a pig farmer and his 18-year-old employee died while trying to do some work in a manure pit at a farm in St. Valérien de Milton, located about 30 kilometres from Ste. Christine.

In the St. Valérien incident, investigators reported that the farmer, who was in his 50s, lost consciousness due to the toxic fumes in the pit, and his employee rushed to his aid but was also overcome by the fumes. Both men died at the scene. It was determined that their deaths were the result of inhaling high levels of hydrogen sulfide.

Cutline:

Éric Jutras and his wife Caroline Robidoux died last October. They were both asphyxiated due to exposure to gases emanated from the manure pit on their farm near Acton Vale where they raised grain-fed calves.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

The Quebec government has levied fines totalling nearly $40,000 against 27 individuals and companies that have violated the province’s regulations respecting sustainable forest development on government land.

The Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts made the announcement last month, identifying the offenders who violated the Sustainable Forest Development Act, and the regions affected, between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. In all, $39,590 in fines were handed out.

In the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, three charges of illicitly measuring wood during June 2022 resulted in $3,000 fines levied against Conseillers forestiers de la region du Québec Inc. Réginald Michaud was fined $1,000 for failing to deliver his 2022 annual report, and 9126-7815 Quebec Inc. was given a $300 fine for illegally cutting wood in 2022.

In the Capitale-Nationale region, Érablières des Frères Champagne Inc. was fined $1,000 for failing to file their 2024 annual report on time, while Yves Lalonde was slapped with a $3,000 fine for doing construction and renovation work and blocking a path on government land. Lalonde was also cited for cutting wood without a permit. The fines were related to activities that occurred in 2022. Forex Langlois Inc. was given a fine of $9,000 for illegally crossing a riverbed with forestry equipment, spilling earth in a waterway and failing to stabilize a waterbed after the completion of a project – all incidents in 2021.

In the Mauricie region, Gaston Buisson was fined $600 for cutting wood without a permit in 2022, while 9418-2292 Quebec Inc. was slapped with a $1,005 fine for cutting wood without a permit and illegally doing construction work on government land in 2021. Jean-Philippe Boulanger was also fined $800 for illegally cutting wood in 2022.

In the Eastern Townships, Sucrerie 2000 Inc. was fined $2,000 for violating terms of its permit in 2022, while Mario Dupuis was fined $6,885 for illegally tapping maple trees in 2022 and 2023. Érablière Lapierre was slapped with a $2,000 fine for illegally cutting wood in 2021.

In the Northern Quebec region, Matériaux Blanchet is facing $9,000 in fines related to spilling earth in a waterway, illegally crossing a riverbed with forestry equipment, and moving equipment too close to a waterway — all of these fines were for incidents that occurred in 2020.

According to the Quebec government, laws and regulations associated with forest management are intended to protect the various resources of the forest environment by targeting, among other things, four areas of concern: the size and distribution of cutting areas, the development of infrastructure for crossing watercourses, soil protection, and the regeneration and protection of fragile environments and wildlife habitats.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

An ambitious land development program led by a consortium from Ottawa, the Quebec government and a federation within the Union des producteurs du Québec has selected 32 agricultural businesses in 24 municipalities in the province as participants to promote biodiversity.

In making the announcement on Sept. 2, the UPA’s Fédération de la Montérégie and ALUS Montérégie announced that more than 20 hectares of additional farmland will be developed this year to promote biodiversity and support the resilience of communities. The program is being spearheaded by ALUS and the Montérégie federation.

ALUS, which stands for Alternative Land Use Services, is a community-developed, farmer-delivered non-profit program that provides support to farmers and ranchers to enhance and maintain ecological goods and services, or what could also be called “nature’s benefits,” on their property.

The areas selected include Acton, Brome-Missisquoi, Haut-Saint-Laurent, Jardins-de-Napierville, Maskoutains, Pierre-De Saurel, Rouville, Roussillon, Vallée-du-Richelieu, and Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

“This will have a real impact on the environment and the quality of life of citizens,” said Julien Pagé, vice-president of the Fédération de l’UPA de la Montérégie and president of ALUS Montérégie.

The program includes creating wider riparian strips, multifunctional hedges, biodiversity islands, flower strips and meadows for pollinators, and setting aside plots for delayed hay mowing for farmland birds.

“By creating environments that are favourable to wildlife and flora, we are strengthening the resilience of our farms and communities in the face of climate change,” Pagé said. “These actions today are sustainable investments for future generations.”

Through ALUS, Pagé said, federal and provincial governments, committed businesses, and philanthropic foundations are investing in agricultural projects to generate positive environmental, economic and social benefits in their communities, one acre at a time.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

The Union des producteurs agricoles is reacting cautiously to the province’s ambitious 10-year, $25-billion bio-food policy program that aims to strengthen food autonomy and support a sector the government says is essential to the economic future of Quebec.

And while UPA president Martin Caron says his organization, which represents Quebec’s 42,000 farmers and forestry producers, will work with the government on the program, “it should be noted that the previous version (of the program) also targeted several billion dollars in private investment, which contributed to a record agricultural debt of $32 billion in 2024. The means chosen to reach $25 billion must avoid exacerbating this problem.”

Announced on Aug. 22 by André Lamontagne before the former Agriculture minister left cabinet, the program charts the course for the next decade to improve what government officials say is the sector’s competitiveness and sustainability, while facilitating adaptation to climate change, economic challenges, and global uncertainties. This year alone, the government has pledged $1.5 billion.

According to Lamontagne, the program has three goals: increase Quebec’s food self-sufficiency, develop a prosperous and sustainable sector, and accelerate innovation in the bio-food sector.

“These (goals) will translate into concrete targets, including generating $25 billion in investments from agricultural, aquaculture, fisheries and food processing companies; diversifying markets and reaching $15 billion in bio-food exports; and aiming for zero net loss of high-potential agricultural land,” Lamontagne said.

Quebec Premier François Legault praised his government’s initiative, saying “the food and agriculture sector is the heart of our economy. Every day, thousands of producers, processors, and workers feed Quebecers and bring life to our regions. It is a sector that generates billions in economic spinoffs, creates jobs throughout Quebec, and sets us apart in international markets. But beyond the numbers, it is also our autonomy and our food security. Focusing on our agriculture and food means investing in our future and in the quality of life of all Quebec families.”

According to Lamontagne, the program puts forward three main orientations that will serve as a guide for navigating a changing business environment: strengthen the sector’s competitiveness in domestic and foreign markets; promote the potential of the territory and bio-food stakeholders; intensify sustainable practices and the response to climate change.

Caron praised the government for adopting several of the recommendations from the UPA and the agricultural community, including a primary concern for the competitiveness of businesses, their potential, and their adaptation to new economic and climatic realities.

But while market diversification and increased exports are laudable and relevant objectives, Caron said, these objectives would be easier to achieve “if the government had responded to the demands of the agri-food common front formed last February. Specific support for businesses penalized by the tariff dispute with the United States is still pending.”

“The significant gap between the sector’s needs and the announced funding ($1 billion over five years) is a major fly in the ointment,” Caron said. “The agricultural community made it very clear, following the mobilization of producers and the next generation of farmers in June 2024, that the policy should pave the way for a major increase in budgets and support. As things stand, this is certainly not the case.”

“Clearly, the ambitions set out in the new policy would be much better served if more support were available,” he said.

“This applies to production sectors, such as cattle farming, which is achieving increasing success in adapting to climate change, but also to peripheral regions, local farms, and the organic sector. Ambition is essential to increasing food security and self-sufficiency. But we must also give ourselves the means to achieve it.”

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

The Canadian government says it’s doing its part to help developing countries better integrate into world markets by boosting measures to protect human, animal and plant life by injecting $250,000 into the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) – a move that is being applauded by key players worldwide, including the World Trade Organization.

“The Government of Canada will continue to support global efforts to adopt international standards for food safety and animal and plant health,” said Heath MacDonald, Canada’s minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Investing in larger-scale capacity-building projects, like the STDF, will help improve food security, reduce poverty and promote sustainable economic growth around the world.”

The STDF is a global multi-stakeholder partnership that promotes safe and inclusive trade, as well as sanitary and phytosanitary measures, including measures to ensure food safety, prevent the spread of diseases, and protect against pests. It was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Bank Group, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) and the WTO, which houses and manages the partnership.

The STDF has outlined its five-year plan to uphold rules-based international trade, and Canada’s donation underscores its major and long-standing commitment to the STDF’s program goal, said MacDonald, adding that the government has brought its total contributions to $7.6 million since 2005.

WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala welcomed Canada’s donation, saying: “Compliance with international standards enhances food security in both importing and exporting countries by facilitating trade in agricultural products. The long-term impact of STDF-related programs will benefit producers, traders and governments along global and regional value chains, helping them raise export revenues, income levels and living standards. The STDF will continue to facilitate inclusive and safe trade worldwide, in close partnership with Canada.”

MacDonald said Canadian officials have shared expertise to strengthen the delivery of STDF projects. He said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) hosted a learning visit for regulators from Honduras and Belize in 2024, and co-organized webinars in March and April 2025 attended by more than 100 experts, many in Africa, to share insights from Canada’s risk-based food safety model. Additionally, the CFIA will host a learning visit for regulators from Rwanda and Uganda in September.  

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

With an eye to putting Canada’s pork producers in a better position to bolster exports, the Canadian Pork Council has joined the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

“Trade is vital to the success of Canadian agriculture, and by working together through the CFA, we can better advocate for strong trade frameworks that support farmers and rural communities across the country,” said René Roy chair of the CPC council.

“As a national organization representing pork producers from nine provinces, it’s important for us to be part of a collective voice that speaks for Canadian agriculture as a whole,” Roy added. “We believe in the value of unity across sectors and see this membership as an opportunity to strengthen collaboration and ensure pork producers are well represented on the national stage.”

The pork council, which represents 7,000 pork producing farms across the country that supports more than 100,000 jobs, formally joined the CFA last month. The CFA, which is the national voice for more than 190,000 Canadian farmers and families, made the announcement in Ottawa on July 17.

“We are so pleased to welcome the Canadian Pork Council as a member of the CFA,” said CFA president Keith Currie. “As Canada’s largest general farm organization, the CFA brings farm leaders from across the provinces, territories, and a diverse mix of commodity groups to drive Canadian agriculture forward by fostering and strong and united voice.”

The CPC exports 70 per cent of its production to markets around the world, with more than $5 billion in global exports annually.

The CPC and CFA are no strangers to collaboration. According to Currie, both organizations have worked closely on issues facing Canadian farmers for many years. He said formalizing this membership now strengthens the relationship and “deepens our joint advocacy efforts while enabling a more cohesive national representation on pressing issues that affect producers from coast to coast to coast.”

“With the CPC at the table, our unified national voice grows even stronger, particularly when engaging with the federal government on complex issues like sustainability, labour, animal health and emergency preparedness, trade and competitiveness,” Currie said. “It’s critical that our industry work together to advance common solutions and this announcement takes us one step further.”

Currie said the CFA remains committed to building a resilient, competitive and sustainable agriculture sector in Canada and that “welcoming the Canadian Pork Council reinforces this mission and ensures the sector is more connected and prepared to address both challenges and opportunities ahead.”

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

With new cases of rabies being reported, the Quebec government is extending its ban on the transportation of certain live wild animals to Oct. 4, while adding 27 municipalities in the Eastern Townships and the Montérégie to its list of regions at risk and subject to the movement ban.

The Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs made the announcement Aug. 6, saying new raccoon rabies cases had been reported in Derby, Vermont, less than 10 kilometres from the Canada-U.S. border. The ban applies to the following species: raccoons, striped skunks, grey foxes, red foxes, as well as coyotes and their hybrids. Under the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife, anyone who contravenes the ban is liable to penalties, including fines.

Among the added municipalities targeted by the ban are Austin, Ayer’s Cliff, Barnston-Ouest, Coaticook, Compton, Dixville, East Hereford, Hatley, Magog, Martinville, North Hatley, Ogden, Orford, St. Benoît du Lac, Ste. Catherine de Hatley, Ste. Edwidge de Clifton, St. Herménégilde, Sherbrooke, Canton de Stanstead, Ville de Stanstead, Stanstead-Est and Waterville, as well as Brossard, Châteauguay, Longueuil, Mercier and St. Lambert.

Relocating a nuisance animal, an injured animal or one that appears to be orphaned can contribute to spreading rabies to areas that are currently free of the disease. An animal that appears healthy can carry the virus and develop signs of the disease several weeks, or even several months, after becoming infected. In the event of nuisance situations involving these species, residents must use preventive and deterrent measures.

According to government stats, since December 2024 to Aug. 1, 2025, 43 cases of raccoon rabies have been detected in Quebec, while 116 municipalities in the Eastern Townships and Montérégie will be affected by a vaccine bait distribution from Aug. 6 to Sept. 20, and additional vaccination efforts will be carried out in the Stanstead area.

The ministry is asking residents of the Eastern Townships and Montérégie to take an active part in enhanced surveillance. Citizens — especially those living in affected areas — are asked to report any dead raccoons, skunks or foxes, or any that appear disoriented, injured, unusually aggressive or paralyzed, by calling 1-877-346-6763.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

Farmers and agri-food groups across the country are being asked by the federal government to participate in national and regional consultations over the next several weeks as part of a review of interprovincial trade rules. The goal, government officials say, is to reduce federal barriers to interprovincial trade and improve labour mobility.

The consultations will help draft regulations under the Free Trade and Labour Mobility Act, which is part of the federal government’s One Canadian Economy legislation approved in June, in part in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial tariffs this year that have threatened Canadian national exports. The tariffs have also sparked interprovincial trade debates between Ottawa and provincial governments.

In February, the Trudeau government said it would remove 20 out of 39 exemptions to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) that were mainly related to government procurement. In March, Canada’s premiers agreed to reduce barriers, including those around direct-to-consumer alcohol sales. And recently, Manitoba signed economic co-operation agreements with New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island.

“Having uniformity and consistency in standards is key, and it is also important that these standards meet the standards our customers require as part of international trade agreements,” Manitoba Beef Producers general manager Carson Callum said in May after Manitoba tabled the Fair Trade in Canada Act.

“Removing regulatory barriers across provinces that impact efficiencies — such as transport regulations — are areas our sector feels are key areas of focus to improve interprovincial trade,” Callum said.

Economists and regulatory experts have pointed to Canada’s agriculture sector as one of the industries that may be most impacted by reduced barriers to interprovincial trade. This, in turn, could mean improved opportunities for the sector. However, agriculture is also one of the industries that may be most resistant to lowering trade barriers. 

Barriers to internal trade that impact the agriculture and agri-food sector include dairy quotas, trucking requirements, health and safety regulations, packaging and labelling requirements, business registration and professional licencing differences across provinces. The Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute estimates these barriers cost the industry approximately $1.7 billion annually.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has identified differing provincial transportation regulations, and inconsistencies between provincial and federal inspections required at meat-processing facilities as the two largest barriers to interprovincial trade in the sector.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

More than two months after a LaSalle mother parked her SUV at the fireworks outlet off Highway 20 in Coteau du Lac and asked an employee to call police saying she had lost her three-year-old daughter, a Quebec Court judge has ordered the woman to remain in custody until her next court appearance on Sept. 8 so that a 30-day mandated psychiatric evaluation can be completed to determine if she is fit to stand trial on charges of unlawful abandonment of a child and criminal negligence causing harm.

The mother appeared before Judge Mylène Grégoire at the Valleyfield courthose by videoconferencing from the Philippe Pinel Psychiatric Institution on Aug. 8, where she has been held since being arrested in connection with the dramatic events that unfolded last June 15. After three days of an exhaustive search by law enforcement throughout the Vaudreuil-Soulanges area, the woman’s daughter was found by Ontario Provincial Police officers in Ontario, on the side of Highway 417 – a rescue that made international headlines.

The woman, 34, was denied bail and a judge ordered the evaluation to determine the accused’s state of mind at the time the alleged crime was committed, in particular whether she was able to distinguish right from wrong.

If found guilty, the mother could face a maximum of five to 10 years in prison.

A publication ban prevents the identification of the accused and her child.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

The Sûreté du Québec and the Canadian Automobile Association are raising the alarm in the wake of three road fatalities involving quad vehicles this month in the province – one of them claiming the life of an 83-year-old Coteau du Lac man.

At about 10 a.m. on Aug. 7, the victim was riding his four-wheeled vehicle on Route 338 near the Centre nature Quatre-Saisons, east of Route 201, near his home in Coteau du Lac when he was struck by a car driven by a woman in her 50s, the SQ said. The speed limit in that sector is 70 kilometres per hour, according to SQ spokesperson Frederic Deshaies, adding that the collision was extremely violent. Both vehicles sustained serious damage, and both drivers were sent to hospital. The elderly man was declared dead in hospital, while the woman was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

According to former SPVM officer and CAA spokesman André Durocher, the Coteau du Lac incident is the third fatal quad-involved accident this month in Quebec, which, he said, is worrisome because it indicates that cars and quad vehicles are not sharing the roads properly. He urged drivers to be more vigilant and be on the lookout for quad bikes, which are often driven by elderly drivers or people with mobility issues.

“The problem is education,” Durocher said. “People (who drive quads) often don’t really know what they can and cannot do on the roads.”

Between Aug. 7 and 11, three people driving quad bikes died on Quebec roads, including one incident in Nicolet on Aug. 7, where a quad was struck by a truck as the driver of the off-road vehicle drove onto the highway to avoid a pile of garbage on the shoulder of the road. A passenger aboard the bike died. On Aug. 11 at 4:30 p.m., a man driving a quad was struck and killed by a truck in Laurier-Station.

Another problem, according to Durocher, is the lack of uniformity in traffic regulations, which vary from municipality to municipality. He said some cities allow motorized traffic on bike paths, while others do not.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Despite killing a woman in 2006 and stabbing a man in 2018 – both in Île Bizard – a 43-year-old repeat offender now faces charges of savagely killing a 66-year-old man in an Oka apartment on July 11.

Arrested inside a Two Mountains convenience store the next day, Dave Ouellette appeared before a Quebec Court judge on July 13 at the St. Jérôme courthouse to be formally charged with beating Jean-Yves Daoust to death.

Relatives of Muriel Chauvet, meanwhile, are expressing outrage and wondering why the man who killed the 43-year-old Île Bizard mother of two while she was out cycling nearly 20 years ago and who stabbed a man outside an Île Bizard bar seven years ago wasn’t behind bars.

“I find it inconceivable that he could have had the opportunity to reoffend like this,” Chauvet’s ex-husband, Serge Des Côteaux, told the Journal de Montréal. “The system doesn’t work for a guy like him,”

On Aug. 21, 2006, Chauvet was riding her bicycle on Bord du Lac Rd. – an activity that she did regularly. At the same time, Ouellette had just stolen a car in Île Bizard and had driven through three stop signs while being chased by the car’s owner, who had borrowed his girlfriend’s car. During the chase Ouellette hit Chauvet, killing her instantly, before he fled the scene. In August 2008, Ouellette was sentenced to 10 years in jail after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death, leaving the scene of an accident and car theft.

At the time, Quebec Court Judge Jean-B. Falardeau described the sentence as “exemplary,” while Des Côteaux told reporters he was satisfied with the sentence.

Eighteen years later, however, Des Côteaux says he is disgusted by a criminal justice system that allowed a repeat offender like Ouellette to be walking the streets. Ouellette was also charged with  stabbing a 20-year-old man in 2018 during a bar fight in Île Bizard. When paramedics arrived on the scene, it was feared that the victim would die of his injuries, but he made a full recovery.

Arrested and initially charged with attempted murder in that instance, Ouellette finally pleaded guilty to a reduced accusation of aggravated assault and was sent to jail for two years, followed by three months of probation.

Last month, at the time of his arrest, he was awaiting trial on charges of drunk driving and possession of narcotics, and had a long rap sheet that included convictions for armed robbery, drug possession, breaking and entering, criminal harassment and uttering death threats.

The Sûreté du Québec said a 911 call was made on July 11 from a residence inside a duplex on Notre Dame St. in Oka. Upon arrival, officers found the body of Daoust, lying on the floor of his kitchen. His body showed signs of having been severely beaten. The SQ is investigating the possible motive for the attack. Like Ouellette, Daoust had a criminal record and was known to police.

“He never stops. He has no human values, no morals, no remorse. Considering that he always re-offends, why is he still free? It’s nonsense,” Des Côteaux said. “Another person has paid a price he didn’t deserve. Let’s hope that real justice will be done this time.”

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

More details are emerging about last month’s dramatic police operation in Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot, which resulted in the death of a 33-year-old man, who had holed himself up inside a house on Perrot Blvd., after killing his mother in her home in Ville d’Anjou.

After an eight-hour standoff, members of the Sûreté du Québec SWAT team stormed the residence in Notre Dame, only to find Jérémie Béland dead inside of self-inflicted injuries.

At 1 p.m. on July 15, the day of the incident, an investigation into the incident was launched by the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), which investigates all deaths related to police interventions in Quebec.

Last week, the BEI released details regarding the case, and urged the public to come forward with any information that could be deemed useful to its investigation. The BEI also said it has called in the Montreal police department to assist in the investigation.

According to the BEI, Montreal police were called to a residence in Anjou shortly after 5 a.m. on July 15, where they found the mutilated body of 60-year-old Lise Roy.

At 5:08 a.m., a 911 call was made urging police to “intervene with a person who had made disturbing remarks” regarding the killing of Roy, according to the BEI.

Acting on a tip, Montreal police alerted the SQ to report that Roy’s son, Béland, was hiding inside a house on Perrot Blvd. near 192^nd Ave. At 5:25 a.m., SQ officers approached the house and saw Béland standing outside. Officers attempted to speak with him, but Béland instead ran inside the house. The officers evacuated nearby residents and cordoned off the area and called in the SQ’s tactical response unit at 9 a.m. During the tense standoff, SWAT officers attempted to contact Béland several times, but without success.

The BEI said a team of officers entered the residence at 11:22 a.m. and found Béland’s body. Paramedics were called to the scene, where Béland was pronounced dead.

A BEI spokesperson said the investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the BEI at 450-640-1350.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

While a Sûreté du Québec investigation continues into a head-on collision last month on Highway 20 in Coteau du Lac that killed a 25-year-old St. Polycarpe man, police now say the two occupants of one of the vehicles are expected to make a full recovery despite an earlier report by the SQ that their lives were in danger.

“The two victims are still hospitalized for major injuries, but we no longer fear for their lives,” said SQ spokesperson Elizabeth Marquis.

For an unknown reason, at about 12:45 p.m., on July 21, the St. Polycarpe man’s car veered off the eastbound lane of the highway in Coteau du Lac, crossed the median and slammed into a westbound car driven by a retired SQ officer and a female passenger. The impact was brutal, trapping all three victims in the wreckage. While the St. Polycarpe man was declared dead at the scene, firefighters used the Jaws of Life to extricate the two other victims, who were rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police now say they are expected to make a full recovery.

The SQ said the investigation is looking into all aspects of the crash to see if driver distraction, a medical issue or a mechanical problem played a role.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

The Sûreté du Québec is looking into several potential causes of a single-vehicle accident last Saturday morning on Highway 20 in Baie d’Urfé that claimed the life of a man in his 60s. And while a medical emergency is believed to be the likely cause, local motorists say the stretch of the highway where the tragedy happened is riddled with dangerous potholes and poor road conditions.

According to Béatrice Dorsainville of the SQ, the crash happened in the westbound lanes at about 8:30 a.m. after the driver lost control or his vehicle. The male driver was ejected from his car and was found in a ditch. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Dorsainville said officers were on the scene and closed the highway until mid-afternoon while investigators analyzed the crash site.

A distraction, cell phone, medical emergency, potholes, a mechanical failure – the SQ is looking at all possibilities.

Meanwhile, drivers familiar with that section of Highway 20 expressed concern about poor road conditions playing a possible role in the crash.

“The right lane of that highway is awful, especially near that exit. It’s all potholes. It’s very easy to lose control if you aren’t paying attention or have no hands on the wheel,” said Pincourt resident Geoff Jackson.

“It’s been like that for at least three years and has been getting progressively worse to the point that it has now become deadly,” said Marc Bessette of Dorval. “The Quebec minister of transport should be ashamed. Our provincial roads are a disgrace.”

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

Fabio Puglisi, the 45-year-old Vaudreuil-Dorion man who two months ago was found not criminally responsible for killing his mother and a neighbour and seriously injuring a third woman during a violent knife attack inside a Vaudreuil condo building last year, has been designated a high-risk offender and will never be released from the Philippe Pinel pyschiatric hospital, where he is being held.

The decision was made by Quebec Superior Court Judge Alexandre Bien-Aimé on July 7 at the Valleyfield courthouse. Bien-Aimé said Puglisi represents a threat to society if he is released because of his mental illness and violent outbursts. Bien-Aimé is the same judge who on May 12 ruled Puglisi wasn’t responsible for the killings due to his mental illness, adding that he suffers from schizophrenia, which causes him to be unpredictable and violent.

On the afternoon of Feb. 15, 2024, Puglisi murdered his mother, Elisabetta Caucci-Puglisi, 68, and neighbour, Manon Blanchard, 53. Evidence presented in court revealed that Puglisi stabbed his mother more than a dozen times inside their sixth-floor apartment before attacking Blanchard, who was killed when she knocked on the door of Caucci-Puglisi’s condo to let her know that her dog was running loose in the hallway. After killing both women, Puglisi fled into the hallway, where he stabbed and severely injured 70-year-old Nighat Imtiaz.

Puglisi has a long history of mental illness and assaults. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2012 after being charged with assaulting a complete stranger. He was also charged with assaulting a woman and held in a psychiatric institution for several weeks. While being monitored by a CLSC, it was learned that Puglisi had stopped taking his medication while still living with his mother.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Another step to dismantle a major scamming network based in Pointe Claire was taken July 4, when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the FBI announced a major arrest – that of the alleged ringleader, Gareth West, who had been on the run ever since June 2024, when police swooped in on two call centres in the region and arrested 25 Canadians, including 11 West Islanders.

And while the RCMP and FBI said they were happy to finally get their hands on West, 38, the hunt for the last remaining leader of the gang — Jimmy Ylimaki of Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot — continues.

West, of Burlington, Ont., was captured by RCMP and Sûreté du Québec officers in the town of St. Colomban in the Laurentians. West and Ylimaki are alleged to have led a gang of scammers who targeted elderly American citizens in Vermont and 44 other states and bilked them out of $30 million through a so-called Grandparent Scam. The telephone scams, in which the suspects claimed to be grandchildren in need of quick bail money after an arrest, originated in call centres in commercial buildings in Pointe Claire and Vaudreuil-Dorion.

The arrests and the names of the suspects were announced on March 4 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Vermont and sent shockwaves across the West Island. The West Islanders now facing extradition to the U.S. are residents of Pointe Claire, Pierrefonds, Kirkland, Dollard des Ormeaux and Ste. Geneviève. If convicted, the accused could face between 20 and 40 years in a U.S. penitentiary.

According to Cpl. Erique Gasse of the RCMP, the scammers victimized more than 600 seniors in the U.S. From their call centres, the fraudsters posed as the victims’ grandsons or granddaughters, leading them to believe that they had been involved in an accident with injuries, that they were being held in custody, or that they needed a large sum of money to obtain bail pending the outcome of legal proceedings.

The scammers relied on the services of collectors, one of whose bosses was based in Panama, and travelled throughout the U.S. to collect the money handed over in good faith by vulnerable victims, Gasse said. While the raids took place in June 2024, the announcement of charges against the suspects was made last March.

Taxes and services were reportedly not paid for West’s properties in Ontario, which were repossessed by the bank, while he was on the run. Meanwhile, another of his buildings was closed by the fire department due to construction defects. The RCMP alleges West earned more than $10 million from the phone scam.

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The 1019 Report

Sûreté du Québec officers responded to two motor vehicle incidents in the region last Wednesday – both involving speeding and careless driving.

At about 4 p.m., a 911 call was made regarding a collision between a car and a truck on Cité des Jeunes Blvd. near Duhamel Street in St. Lazare. When officers and paramedics reached the scene, they learned that a female driver had struck the rear of a truck and ended up in a ditch. No injuries were reported.

Lamborghini speeding

Two hours later, two SQ patrollers caught a 2025 Lamborghini Huracan, worth an estimated $350,000, travelling along Route 201 in Rigaud at over 120 kilometres per hour in a 70 zone. It took two SQ patrol vehicles to intercept the speeding driver, and while a Lamborghini can reach a speeds up to 325 kilometres per hour, the driver instead chose to stop and was issued a speeding ticket.

Motorcyclist killed in Coteau crash

A 60-year-old man was killed Saturday when he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed while attempting to exit Highway 20 in Coteau du Lac.

The Sûreté du Québec say speed is the likely cause of the loss of control and crash, although the confirmed cause of the accident will only be announced after the investigation is completed.

The accident happened at about 5 p.m., when the motorcyclist was heading west on Highway 20  and took Exit 14, toward Autoroute 201 south to Valleyfield.

According to Ève Brochu-Joubert of the SQ, no other vehicle was involved in the motorcyclist losing control of his bike.

The victim was rushed to a Valleyfield hospital with critical injuries, where he was declared dead, Brochu-Joubert said.

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The 1019 Report

Four months after 41-year-old Michael Michaud pleaded guilty to nine sex-related charges involving at least six boys ages 5 to 11 in various regions of the province, including St. Polycarpe, St. Clet and Île Perrot, police are now seeking the public’s help in connecting Michaud to other potential victims.

On Monday, Montreal police and the Sûreté du Québec issued a joint public alert, saying they strongly believe Michaud abused more victims.

On March 28, he appeared before a Quebec Court judge to plead guilty to charges of production and distribution of child pornography, sexual touching and invitation to sexual touching, and voyeurism.

“We have strong reasons to believe that Michael Michaud probably has more victims,” the statement said, adding that both the SQ and Montreal police have spent the past several months investigating Michaud.

Michaud, who police say was offering babysitting and mentoring services to families of young children, allegedly sexually assaulted several young boys over the last 10 years. According to the charges, Michaud assaulted his victims and filmed the sex acts.

Police allege Michaud’s crimes occurred between 2011 and 2024 in various municipalities in the Greater Montreal region, and that Michaud befriended families with young children, offering them babysitting or mentoring services. It was when he was alone with the children that he allegedly committed acts of a sexual nature on them, police said.

Michaud first appeared on the Montreal police’s radar in 2002, when he was investigated, but later was cleared of sexual assault involving a child. Last October, police released several photos of Michaud, going back to 2002. He was arrested in November 2023.

Evidence presented in court included more than 45,000 photos and 11,000 videos of boys between the ages of two months and eight years being sexually assaulted.

Police are urging the public to call 911 or Info-Crime Montreal at 514-393-1133 or by visiting infocrimemontreal.ca

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The 1510 West

Thirty-seven years ago, Richard Plourde abducted and raped a young female dentist before beating her to death with a shovel and dumping her body in the parking lot of a Kirkland warehouse. On Sunday, the 62-year-old escaped from Archambault prison in the Laurentians and was the subject of a nationwide manhunt. Seventeen hours later, he was back in custody after surrendering to police “not far from the facility,” according to the Sûreté du Québec.

According to the SQ, which worked with Correctional Service of Canada officials in the search for the killer, Plourde was back in custody at about 4 p.m. Monday. Neither the SQ nor Corrections officials would provide further details, other than a statement saying they would be reviewing Plourde’s status, adding that, because of his escape, he will likely be transferred to a more secure unit of the prison.

The killing of Nathalie Tétreault, a 24-year-old dentist, shocked Montrealers in 1988 as details emerged of Plourde’s brutal attack, which began when he abducted the young woman as she was leaving a dentists’ conference. Plourde, who did not know his victim, grabbed her by the neck and forced her into her car. Her battered body was found by police in Kirkland, while her car was located in Montreal North with a bloodied shovel in its trunk. Plourde was arrested within days of the attack.

Several months after his arrest, and while awaiting trial, Plourde and a fellow inmate were charged with killing a prisoner. Plourde pleaded guilty in February 1990 to both murders. He is serving two life sentences.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

The Union des producteurs agricoles in the Montérégie region is urging Hydro-Québec to go ahead and build a new 120-kilovolt substation and power line in the Cowansville and Sutton area, despite opposition from the Town of Sutton, which is calling for a 69-kilovolt substation and the installation of solar panels.

Jérémie Letellier, regional president of the Montérégie UPA federation, argues that switching to a 69-kilovolt network would harm agricultural and forest land, causing a greater loss of forest cover with the addition of between 30 and 45 kilometres of additional lines, which would have an impact on a larger pool of landowners and citizens.

“With a 69-kilovolt line, five electrical substations would have to be built to meet the region’s needs, meaning that much more agricultural and forest land would be sacrificed,” Letellier said. “Not to mention that this solution does not seem sustainable for the region. Whereas, the installation of pylons adapted for 120-kilovolt or 230-kilovolt wires requires only one electrical substation, avoids the addition of power lines in the long term and, thus, better meets regional needs.”

In April 2, Sutton’s town council passed a resolution calling on Hydro to build a scaled-down version, saying the infrastructure Hydro-Québec wishes to develop would unnecessarily exceed citizens’ electricity needs and that the installation of towers supporting a 120-kilovolt line would have an unfortunate impact on the landscape.

“While we understand regional considerations, we must look first and foremost at Sutton’s position,” said Mayor Robert Benoit. “We congratulate Hydro-Québec for all the efforts they have made to reduce the number of outages since 2023. However, the current project presented by Hydro-Québec is oversized in relation to Sutton’s projected needs, as outlined in our resolution.”

Benoit reiterated the importance of social acceptability for this large-scale project, urging Hydro-Québec, “even if they are sure of their choice, to demonstrate that it is the best collective choice. Let’s remember that this issue will have a major impact on our territory for the next 100 years.”

In a statement May 27, Letellier said “preserving the region’s landscape is an important issue, but it must not take precedence over preserving the agricultural zone, which represents only 2 per cent of Quebec’s territory. The choice of project must be made with a long-term vision, from the perspective of food sovereignty and regional development.”

Letellier brushed off Sutton’s solar panel proposal, saying it is not an option that the federation favours, “considering that their installation requires large areas of land, which would result in the loss of cultivated land, meadows, hayfields and forest areas, including maple groves.”

“That’s why our organization is requesting that the initial project to build a power station and install a 120-kilovolt power line be maintained,” he said.

The UPA Montérégie represents and 6,926 farms, which generate 30 per cent of Quebec’s agricultural gross domestic product and 25 per cent of agricultural jobs in Quebec.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

Quebec’s milk producers are putting their elbows up and promoting the province’s dairy products through an ambitious advertising campaign in response to fears that American products will soon be making a return to Canadian grocery store shelves.

The advertising campaign, led by Les Producteurs de lait du Québec, comes at a time when a Léger poll shows that 94 per cent of Quebecers believe that it is important for Canada to protect its food security by encouraging local food production. More than 80 per cent are also concerned that American products are replacing Canadian dairy products, even though production standards and practices differ greatly south of the border.

According to the Producteurs de lait, the main message of the ad campaign, entitled “Notre lait. Rien d’autre” or Our Milk. Nothing Else,” the main message is that dairy production boosts hundreds of Quebec towns and villages and plays a vital role in the daily lives of Quebecers.

“Through Our Milk. Nothing Else, we celebrate the producers dedicated to feeding Quebec through a sensitive and cinematic approach, the advertising effort by renowned filmmaker Monia Chokri highlights the intergenerational bond between local families and their attachment to the land. It celebrates the dairy farming profession as a vehicle for sustainable know-how and a commitment to quality,” the organization said in a press release.

According to Daniel Gobeil, president of Quebec milk producers’ group, in a context of economic turmoil, dairy production is more important than ever, as it supports hundreds of municipalities across Quebec. One dairy farm can be found in 60 per cent of Quebec municipalities, which demonstrates its strong roots in all regions and its vital role in the economic vitality of our towns and villages.

“The Quebec dairy sector has more than 4,200 family farms and generates 66,000 direct and indirect jobs,” Gobeil said. “Producing milk in Quebec is much more than a job. It is a promise to meet some of the highest quality standards in the world. It is a continuous desire to improve and pass on this know-how to future generations.”

“The public and producers alike have heard the government’s promise. Quebecers do not want to see more American products on their shelves, particularly because they are produced according to less stringent standards. The message is clear: this issue must not be on the negotiating table, and no concessions must be made at the expense of Canadian dairy production,” Gobeil said.

“The government of Canada committed to not putting supply management on the table during the review process of the Canada-United States-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (CUSMA), and it must now keep its word by protecting this model, which promotes food self-sufficiency, quality supplies without waste, and price stability for consumers and producers,” Les Producteurs de lait du Québec said in a statement.

Les Producteurs de lait du Québec represents 4,215 dairy farms that deliver about 3.57 billion litres of milk, generating total farm revenues of more than $3.55 billion. Through their sponsorship activities and milk donation program, Les Producteurs de lait du Québec supports key events in Quebec and contributes to eliminating hunger and ensuring food security.

The Our Milk. Nothing Else campaign takes a cinematic approach to celebrating Quebec’s dairy producers and their dedication to providing a quality product.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

Canada’s farming and food industry sector is set to get a $2-billion boost, thanks to Farm Credit Canada (FCC), which made the announcement in Regina on May 30.

The investment, spread out over five years, will go towards developing innovative devices, instrumentation, research, and methodologies designed to improve efficiency, productivity and sustainability.

The funding will come through FCC’s investment arm, FCC Capital, launched in 2024 by the Crown corporation and agricultural term lender created in 1936 to assist farmers.

According to the FCC, while the money will be directed toward technology and practices designed to improve farming and the food industry, the goal is also to expand into international markets.

“Canada’s economic future requires an agriculture and food industry leading the world in innovation and productivity,” said Justine Hendricks, FCC president and CEO. “However, until now, investment dollars have been scarce and have not scaled to meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of the sector. Through this investment, FCC is delivering on its commitment to be a catalyst and support innovation and productivity in one of Canada’s most important and investable sectors.”

The announcement comes at a good time, says the FCC, because Canada’s ag-tech sector “is lagging. In 2023, Canada’s venture capital investments in the sector were cited at approximately $270 million, 10 times below the United States when adjusted for population,” Hendricks said.

“This low level of investment puts Canada at a strategic disadvantage,” she added.

FCC Capital executive VP Darren Baccus says that “with this $2 billion allocation, FCC will continue its long history of supporting and partnering with the Canadian ag and food industry to offer greater security and sustainability in a highly competitive global market.”

Graeme Millen, FCC Capital’s vice-president of strategic finance and business development, echoed Baccus’ view of Canada’s ag-tech sector struggling, but said he is encouraged with what the future has in store for farmers and the food industry.

“Over the last eight months we’re seeing an incredible amount of interest from international and really high-calibre investors in agriculture and food as a category and Canada as a market,” Millen said. “It is truly a generational opportunity for Canada to respond to the market need … the global demand for more food.”

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The 1019 Report

Rachel Todd, the 34-year-old mother of a missing 3-year-old who continued yesterday to be the subject of a massive police search in the Coteau du Lac area, appeared before a Quebec Court judge in Valleyfield yesterday where she was charged with one count of child abandonment.

The charge came as suspicion about Todd’s involvement in the child’s disappearance grew in the wake of a disturbing TikTok video she posted on Sunday, the day Todd’s daughter, Claire Bell, disappeared. In the video, where Todd appears holding her child, while angrily telling the camera: “Have you ever come up against a mother with nothing to lose? You try that again, and this is going to get ugly.”

Todd, who is separated from Claire’s father, Matthew Bell, has been held in police custody since Sunday afternoon, when she drove her Ford Escape SUV from her home in LaSalle to the fireworks outlet off Highway 20 in Coteau du Lac and asked an employee to call police, saying she had lost her child and didn’t know where she was. The Sûreté du Québec was immediately called to the scene at about 3:30 p.m., more than five hours after Claire was last seen in LaSalle, where they seized Todd’s vehicle and held her for questioning.

The SQ launched a massive 24-hour search stretching from LaSalle to the entire Vaudreuil-Dorion region, and as far as Lancaster, Ont. The search led two SQ officers to a ditch off Highway 30 near Highway 20 in Vaudreuil-Dorion on Monday afternoon, where they located a dead dog believed to be Todd’s. According to the SQ, the search was then focused on the area where the dog was found.

The SQ issued regular updates on the status of their search throughout the day yesterday, which involved air and ground units, with police even asking local municipalities to delay recycling pickups while the search for Bell continues.

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The 1019 Report

Police have declared open season on organized crime, and last week’s dramatic arrest of a member of the Rizzuto clan in St. Lazare is only part of a wider and highly publicized search for Canada’s most wanted criminal: All Boivin, who, according to several police sources, was recently seen in St. Lazare, where one of his relatives lives. He has been on the run since February 2023.

During the early morning hours of last Thursday, more than 150 Sûreté du Québec and Montreal Police officers swooped in on various residences in the Greater Montreal region, including St. Lazare, Montreal, Laval, Blainville, Shefford, Repentigny and Rosemère. By the time the raids were over, 11 individuals were in custody, including Leonardo Rizzuto, the youngest son of Vito Rizzuto, head of the most powerful Italian mafia in Canada. They are all being held on charges related to six murders committed between 2011 and 2021.

“This is one of the hardest strikes against organized crime,” said Benoit Dubé of the SQ during a press conference to announce the results of Operation Alliance, which focused on the Rizzuto clan and members of the Hells Angels. The probe, which spanned three years, was described as the largest criminal investigation in the country in recent years, and hinged on the confessions of a former gang member turned police informant.

The murder victims are all believed to be associates of the Hells Angels, an individual linked to the mafia, and another person who was targeted by mistake.

Crown prosecutors Kim Chaiken, Geneviève Aumond and Mathieu Longpré filed a direct indictment, an exceptional procedure that speeds up the judicial process. The 11 defendants, ages 27 to 57, will go directly to trial. This will avoid several trips to court for Frédérick Silva, a hitman who turned informant, who is hiding in a secret location, as there will be no preliminary inquiry.

Praising the work of investigators, the SQ meanwhile is stepping up its efforts to capture Boivin, head of the Blood Family Mafia, which has been waging a bloody war with the Hells Angels for control of the narcotics trade in all four corners of the province. Police say that despite being in hiding, Boivin is still calling the shots and controlling his gang.

Boivin is wanted on Canada-wide warrants for numerous drug-related offences, including trafficking, conspiracy to traffic and possession for the purpose of trafficking. Boivin is also suspected of having participated in several criminal activities that are still under active investigation by several police services.

While Boivin has numerous ties in Quebec, particularly in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, he was identified as having a residence in St. Lazare and was reportedly seen in the town last month to visit a relative. Investigators strongly believe he may still be in the province and that accomplices are helping him evade the authorities.

According to the SQ, Boivin may be on the run with a female accomplice, Yaulise Lemieux-Bellavance, 26. There is a $250,000 reward out for the capture and arrest of Boivin and Lemieux-Bellavance.

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The 1510 West

A Quebec Superior Court judge yesterday put an end to the criminal case against Robert Miller, the disgraced billionaire and former owner of West Island-based Future Electronics, on sex charges dating back 30 years and dropped all charges, saying he is too sick to stand trial.

“This is not an acquittal,” Judge Lyne Décarie said at the Montreal courthouse. “(Miller) would be unable to adequately participate in his trial and the procedures could create significant health challenges for him. His medical condition will only deteriorate. Putting the trial on pause would not be a solution.”

Décarie ruled that Miller, 81, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, is not strong enough to face 24 sex-related charges involving 11 victims, some as young as 11 and 12, allegedly committed as far back as 1996. Décarie said she based her decision on recommendations made Monday by both the Crown and Miller’s lawyers, who said Miller is unable to talk and is in the late stages of Parkinson’s.

While he won’t face a criminal trial, Miller’s troubles aren’t over. In January, a Quebec Superior Court judge authorized a class-action lawsuit brought against Miller by women who claim he had sex with them when they were minors. The class action now involves about 50 women, some who were as young as 11 or 12 when they first had sexual contact with Miller. Three others have filed individual lawsuits claiming more than $30 million in damages.

John Westlake, a retired Montreal cop, whose 19 years of undercover work led to the arrest of Miller, scoffed at the claims that Miller is too ill to attend his trial, saying it is an insult to the victims who have stepped forward and who were ready to testify, and it’s a slap in the face of the evidence Westlake presented during his years of investigating the claims against Miller.

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The 1510 West

A police investigation is under way in the wake of an attempted abduction of a 16-year-old girl on Saturday evening in Pierrefonds in which a man grabbed the teen as she was walking home, but she escaped after pulling away from him.

“She’s definitely stressed and traumatized,” the girl’s mother said, adding that her daughter never heard the man sneak up on her because she had earbuds on.

The incident happened near the corner of Kimber and Johnson streets at about 6:45 p.m.

According to police, the girl said the attack happened very quickly, and after bolting away from her attacker, the man ran off and escaped in a waiting car. The girl ran home and immediately alerted her mother, who called 911.

“He came behind her, and with her earbuds, she didn’t hear him coming until he grabbed her,” the mother said. “She grabbed his arm off and ran. She didn’t look back.”

The girl was able to give a brief description of the suspect, saying he wore a black jacket and black baseball cap that covered most of his face.

Responding officers from Montreal Police Station 3 in Pierrefonds arrived on scene and visited nearby houses to inquire about video surveillance cameras. The investigation is continuing.

The mother of the girl urged the public to be vigilant and to go to police “if anyone has any information or outdoor cameras that might have captured the incident or the car speeding away. I’m just hoping that someone saw something or have video of it.”

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

A volunteer animal rescue unit teamed up with Hydro-Québec workers in Kirkland last week for a dramatic rescue of a young and adventurous cat named Mona, who was trapped atop a hydro pole 30 feet from the ground for seven hours under a hot sun and dangerously close to active wires.

“It was a delicate operation,” said Eric Dussault of Sauvetage Animal Rescue, a group of 29 patrollers who cover the island of Montreal and save animals in distress.

Dussault says he was patrolling in the Timberlea district at about 2 p.m. on June 3 when he got called to a house on Meaney Street about a cat that had escaped from its house and was perched on the pole since 7 a.m.

“Our team contacted Hydro-Québec, which sent a truck,” Dussault said. “With Hydro-Québec, it depends on their employees and how comfortable they are with cats, which determines how we respond. Usually, they set up a ladder and we climb up for the rescue.”

In this case, however, Hydro workers cut the power and brought in a hydraulic basket, and because Dussault and the Hydro employee could not both fit inside the basket, it was decided that after being briefed about the best way to rescue Mona, a Hydro worker got into the basket armed with a hook perch and was raised to where the cat was sitting. Moments later, while receiving instructions by Dussault, the cat was brought down to safety.

“She was dehydrated, but she was fine,” he said, adding that the cat was immediately reunited with its relieved owners.

Dussault praised the work of Hydro workers on scene, “but I also want to salute the citizen who had the good reflex to call us right away.”

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The 1019 Report

A Hudson family finally got some good news last week when a 54-year-old Ontario man turned himself in to police and was charged in connection with the May 24 hit-and-run crash in Rigaud that severely injured two cyclists – one of whom emerged from a coma last Wednesday, the same day that the suspect was officially charged.

Brian Poirier, of Vankleek Hill, who surrendered to police three days after the incident, faces a count of dangerous driving causing injuries and one of leaving the scene of an accident. He is being held in custody after being deemed a flight risk, according to the Sûreté du Québec. Poirier was charged last Wednesday after appearing by video conferencing before a Quebec Court judge at the Valleyfield courthouse.

The incident occurred at about 5 p.m. on May 24 on Haut-de-la-Chute Road near St. Thomas Road as Mario Da Rocha, 61, and Julie Gagnon, 58, were participating in a local 150-kilometre fundraising cycling event. A black GMC Terrain pickup truck slammed into the two cyclists, just as they were reaching the finish line, sending them into the ditch, before driving away. Witnesses immediately stopped to render aid to the couple, who were sent to hospital with severe injuries.

“First and foremost, they are alive. My mom has been discharged from the hospital and my dad is in very serious condition, but he’s out of the coma and expected to live,” said Robert Da Rocha, the couple’s son.

The SQ teamed up with the Ontario Provincial Police to locate Poirier’s vehicle at his residence in Vankleek Hill, which was immediately impounded.

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The 1019 Report

Tragedy struck a quiet residential street in the Town of L’Île Perrot last Thursday afternoon when a three-alarm fire engulfed a residence, killing a male occupant.

The cause of the blaze is not yet known and the investigation is in the hands of the Sûreté du Québec and the Quebec Coroner’s Office, which has yet to reveal the identity or the age of the victim.

“At about 3 p.m., emergency services were called to a fire at a residence on 21^st Avenue,” said SQ spokesperson Laurie Avoine, adding that once the flames were extinguished, firefighters made the grim discovery of a man’s body.

An autopsy will take place to determine the exact cause of death, Avoine said, adding a woman was able to escape the blaze and did not suffer injuries.

Because of the death, Avoine said, the investigation is being handled by the SQ’s arson squad. She said firefighters and paramedics attempted to revive the victim, but were unsuccessful.

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The 1019 Report

St. Lazare residents can rest easy, the wayward bear seen wandering through the Chaline Valley  neighbourhood on Monday appears to have returned home to a nearby forest, according to the Sûreté du Québec and a Quebec Wildlife Protection official.

“The bear left the zone and has gone back to the forest,” Tommy Shallow, a wildlife protection investigator, said in an interview yesterday. “We’re not quite sure where he went exactly, he might be back in his forest or wandering near neighbouring municipalities. But he definitely left our area last night.”

Panicked citizens called 911 around 7 a.m. Monday to report a black bear wandering around Place Charbonneau and neighbouring streets. Shallow says he and his officers were called in, along with SQ personnel. They immediately scoured the area while doing door to door visits to alert residents.

“They’re early risers, and they stay out at night,” said Shallow, who has been a wildlife agent for 15 years and who recalls the last time he dealt with a disoriented bear was in 2010 in St. Lazare. “It made the news everywhere.”

Shallow said the bear was probably very hungry, and because it is still early in the summer season and berries, corn and other food sources have yet to grow, it wandered from his forest habitat to residential areas to feed from compost bins.

Generally discreet, it is not uncommon for bears to end up in residential areas, Shallow said. If his activities are not disturbed, the animal will only pass through, and there is no need for residents to panic.

“We did a lot of door to door yesterday to check in with residents,” he said.

Because St. Lazare stretches over a 67 square kilometres of mainly forested area, wildlife, including moose, deer, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and bears also share the territory and, according to the Town, “are an integral part of our reality. Usually discreet, it is possible these animals occasionally end up in a residential area. If their passage is not disrupted, the animal will usually move on.”

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

Concerned residents living on Montée du Comté in Les Coteaux called 911 shortly after 7 a.m. Sunday to report a domestic violence incident at a neighbouring apartment building after reports that a man was beating a woman and had barricaded himself inside his residence. Residents told police they could hear the woman’s screams.

According to the Sûreté du Québec, officers raced to the scene and were met by a barricaded individual. Officers stormed the apartment and, according to the SQ, it took several officers to arrest the individual, who now faces charges of assault and battery. The SQ said he is being held until his court appearance. The woman was treated at the scene by paramedics.

According to one neighbour, who asked not to be identified, this is not the first time she has heard screaming and quarrelling at the apartment where the man was arrested.

“It’s in my apartment block,” the woman said. “I really hope she will be all right. It’s not the first time that the cops come here. I really don’t feel safe.”

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The 1510 West

The son of two cyclists struck and severely injured on the weekend in Rigaud by a hit-and-run driver has joined police in asking for the public’s help in apprehending the suspect.

“First and foremost, they are alive – my mom has been discharged from the hospital and my dad is in very serious condition, but he’s expected to live,” said Robert Da Rocha in a statement on Monday, nearly 48 hours after his parents were mowed down by a speeding motorist, who then fled the scene, leaving the couple severely injured.

The incident occurred at about 5 p.m. on Haut-de-la-Chute Road near St. Thomas Road as Mario Da Rocha and Julie Gagnon, both of Hudson, were participating in a local fundraising cycling event.

“Preliminary information suggests that a motorist collided with the two cyclists and did not remain at the scene,” the Sûreté du Québec said in a press release hours after the incident, while announcing a manhunt throughout the region. “The vehicle involved is believed to be a GMC Terrain pickup truck, black in colour, with front-end damage.”

Robert Da Rocha was a star player with the Beaconsfield Rugby Football Club in 2017 before attending Concordia University, where he played for the Stingers football team. Today, however, he is looking to tackle whoever struck his parents, who are described as avid outdoors and cycling enthusiasts. A Facebook post about the accident garnered impassionate words of support from friends and neighbours of the family.

According to the SQ, investigators are teaming up with Transport Quebec to obtain surveillance camera footage from all highways in the Vaudreuil-Dorion region in the hopes of tracking down the suspect vehicle.

“If you have any information, please call 1-800-659-4264,” Da Rocha wrote. “For all my Hudson/Rigaud/St Laz friends, can you please share this post. Any little bit is extremely appreciated.”

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

The driver of a road construction vehicle involved in a crash on Highway 40 in Baie d’Urfé that killed a young motorcyclist just over one year ago will stand trial next month, Crown prosecutors announced earlier this month.

The family of a Matteo Visnadi, 20, of Pincourt is expressing relief that Luc Masse, the driver of the heavy vehicle, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death.

Visnadi was killed instantly when his motorcycle struck a loader that was illegally crossing eastbound Highway 40 in a construction zone at about 7:15 a.m. on May 10, 2024. After a lengthy investigation by the Sûreté du Québec, the Crown announced that it had enough evidence to charge Masse.

Visnadi’s brother, Stefano, said he was “relieved” that charges have finally been laid, adding that the cause of the crash leaves no doubt about what happened to his brother, who was set to join the Canadian army’s training program.

Matteo Visnadi was on his way to work from his family’s home in Pincourt when the crash happened near the Morgan Road exit. According to the SQ investigation, Masse chose to drive his loader slowly across the busy highway without an escort vehicle, which is mandatory. Masse, 40, was not injured, but Visnadi died on impact. Masse has been ordered to return to court on June 12.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

Outspoken Ontario Senator Rob Black is calling on the new Liberal government to declare soil a national asset that is essential to the well-being and health of Canadians.

Black made the announcement the day after Mark Carney’s April 28 election as prime minister and one year after the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, which Black is a member of, released its report on the state of Canadian soils and the issues faced by farmers and producers.

In its report, Critical Ground: Why Soil is Essential to Canada’s Economic, Environmental, Human and Social Health, the committee proposed 25 recommendations for Ottawa to better protect, preserve and conserve Canadian soils by supporting farmers through financing and programs. The report, which took two years to compile with on-site tours and presentations from farmers, ranchers, research scientists and government officials, recommends that the federal government appoint a national soil advocate.

While the former Trudeau government told Black it supported the recommendations, he says it’s now time for the new government to take action.

As the previous chair of the Senate’s Agriculture and Forestry committee, Black is “calling on the government of Canada to show its commitment to protecting and conserving Canadian soils by fulfilling the first recommendation, and designate soil as a strategic national asset.”

“Farmers, scientists, researchers and stakeholders all agree that the critical ground we need to support our country is at risk and we need to act,” Black said.

According to Black, Canada’s federal election candidates made numerous promises related to infrastructure and the building of more homes, but he says “these promises may need to be achieved by developing on prime agricultural farmland. This would take that land out of food production. Designating soil as a strategic national asset would help to ensure land use planning takes Canada’s soil health into account.”

“Climate change, extreme weather events and urbanization are degrading soil conditions in every region of this country,” said Black, who previously worked for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture for 15 years. “We need to look at this strategically because it is an important issue.”

The study gathered information from more than 150 producers and considered 60 written briefs, along with supporting documents from soil science researchers, agronomists, farmers, ranchers, foresters, environmental organizations, agri-businesses, industry groups and federal, provincial and territorial governments to make its recommendations.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

The family of a Pincourt man killed a year ago in a tragic highway crash in Baie d’Urfé in which his motorcycle collided with a construction vehicle is expressing relief that the driver of the heavy vehicle has been charged with dangerous driving causing death.

Matteo Visnadi, 20, was killed instantly when his motorcycle struck a loader that was illegally crossing eastbound Highway 40 in a construction zone at about 7:15 a.m. on May 10, 2024. A year after his death, charges have been laid against the driver of the loader – Luc Masse – after a lengthy investigation by the Sûreté du Québec.

Visnadi’s brother, Stefano, said he was “relieved” that charges have finally been laid, adding that the cause of the crash leaves no doubt about what happened to his brother, who was set to join the Canadian army’s training program.

Matteo Visnadi was on his way to work from his family’s home in Pincourt when the crash happened near the exit for Morgan Road. According to the SQ investigation, Masse chose to drive his loader slowly across the busy highway without an escort vehicle, which is mandatory. Masse, 40, was not injured, but Visnadi died on impact.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

A pair of Vaudreuil-Dorion teens arrested May 7 and charged with shooting up a Montreal pool hall are being investigated by Montreal Police as being members of a street gang known for committing acts of extortion against bars and restaurants in the Greater Montreal region.

Kassandra Pépin-Larocque, 18, and Steachy Valme, 19, are alleged to have fired shots from a stolen car at the front entrance of the popular Fitzroy Bar, located on Mont Royal Avenue in the trendy Plateau Mont Royal district on May 2 shortly before the bar’s 3 a.m. closing time. No injuries were reported.

Montreal police and the Sûreté du Québec did not reveal the location of the arrests, or how they were able to connect the two suspects to the shooting. Police, however, are linking their alleged crime to a campaign of terror being waged by a street gang named Arabs With Attitude. The group is suspected to carrying out attacks against businesses throughout the region.

According to a source with the Montreal police service, 72 hours after the May 2 attack, an associate with the company that owns Fitzroy was targeted at his residence on Nuns’ Island, when gunshots shattering a window of his home. No injuries were reported in that incident.

Police said Pépin-Larocque and Valme allegedly used an Intratec TEC-9 semi-automatic weapon to commit their crime and were aboard a stolen Toyota Tacoma. During their arrest on the evening of May 7, SQ officers noted that Valme was not wearing a court-ordered ankle monitor. A third suspect, 18, was also arrested, but released on a promise to appear at a later date.

The arrests in Vaudreuil-Dorion led to a raid on a location in St. Sauveur, north of Montreal. Police declined to provide details.

According to police, Pépin-Larocque and Valme are known due to their juvenile records, but do not have criminal records as adults.

According to the Montreal police, investigators are intensifying their hunt for members of Arabs With Attitude as cases of extortion against bars and restaurants are on the rise, with some gang leaders orchestrating the attacks from their jail cells. One police source said merchants are being told to pay several thousands of dollars or risk seeing their businesses torched or shot up.

“If you are a business owner and you’ve been a victim of threats, do not succumb to them. Contact the (Montreal police service) immediately to let us know,” states a press release issued earlier this month after establishments in LaSalle were attacked by arsonists in the span of 24 hours.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

Friends and hiking colleagues of 22-year-old Hudson school teacher Léo Dufour took to social media last week to express their grief over the death of the Vaudreuil-Dorion resident, whose body was found by hikers May 10 on Mount Allen in the Adirondack Mountains of Vermont. Dufour was reported missing at the end of last November while hiking alone.

Hundreds of hikers expressed their sadness, while others issued warnings about the dangers of hiking alone.

“Be careful, friends, you see, even if you have a lot of experience, accidents can happen. Please be careful, and never hike by yourself,” commented Rachel Hamel on the 226,000-member Facebook group, Les Trippeux de Randonnée, which published notes of condolences to the family of Dufour.

Dufour, a physical education teacher at École St. Thomas, was reported missing to New York State Police at about 11 p.m. on Nov. 30 by his family as he hiked on Mount Allen, which is considered to be one of the most difficult climbs among the 46 Adirondack high peaks, with summits above 4,000 feet.

Dufour had driven to the nearby town of Newcomb the previous day from Vaudreuil-Dorion. Early Dec. 1, forest rangers began searching for Dufour. New York State Police first located Dufour’s snow-covered car at the Mount Adams trailhead. Rangers then found one set of tracks in the trail leading from Dufour’s car up Allen Mountain, but snowfall hampered tracking.

On May 10, hikers in the area made the grisly discovery of human remain and called 911. Authorities immediately contacted Dufour’s family and ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Personal items belonging to Dufour were found near the body. Foul play, meanwhile, has been ruled out.

According to friends of Dufour, the young man went hiking by himself that day, but they said he was an experienced hiker who had climbed to the top of 32 of the 46 mountains in the Adirondacks. According to New York State Police, Dufour had successfully climbed Mount Allen and is believed to have begun his walk back to ground level when he vanished.

In all, 59 rangers spent nine days last December searching nearly 400 miles by foot over wintry, rugged mountain terrain. Two State Police helicopters equipped with Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) cameras transported crews, dropped off supplies, and conducted aerial searches as weather conditions allowed.

Early in the search, rangers found what they believed was Dufour’s water bottle near a rockslide close to the summit of Allen Mountain. His phone also registered “two pretty definitive satellite hookups” at a lower elevation on Allen Mountain, police said in December.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

Quick action by paramedics and workers at the Quinn Farm in Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot last Thursday is being credited for saving the life of a 29-year-old labourer who collapsed in a strawberry field of an apparent heart attack.

The dramatic event unfolded when employees working in the field with Tony Boyer witnessed him collapsing. The farm, located on Perrot Blvd., became the scene of a tense rescue effort as employees took turns performing CPR on Boyer while others called 911. Within minutes, fellow workers were able to regain a pulse using a defibrillator as first responders from Pincourt and Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot, along with a team from the Coopérative des techniciens ambulanciers de la Montérégie emergency rescue service, arrived on the scene.

Boyer was transported to a hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition.

The family, meanwhile, credited the quick thinking of Boyer’s co-workers, along with Quinn Farm being equipped with a defibrillator for saving the young man’s life.

“Thank you to the entire (Quinn) team because, thanks to you, I can still tell my son that I love him,” said Joceyline Pouliot. “I love you, Tony.”

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

A 45-year-old man who savagely killed his mother and a neighbour, and severely injured another woman during a mental breakdown inside a condominium building in Vaudreuil-Dorion last year still poses a threat to the public, but isn’t responsible for the killings, a Quebec Court judge ruled last week, adding that the killer suffers from schizophrenia, which causes him to be unpredictable and violent.

When Fabio Puglisi “is mentally unstable, he becomes unpredictable and capable of violence,” said Judge Alexandre Bien-Aimé, as he read his verdict on May 12 inside a courtroom at the Valleyfield courthouse. “In this case, this unpredictability led to tragic and irreversible consequences.”

Bien-Aimé then ruled that Puglisi cannot be responsible for fatally stabbing his mother, Elisabetta Puglisi-Caucci, 68, and neighbour, Manon Blanchard, a 53-year-old retired Armed Forces officer, on the afternoon of Feb. 15, 2024. Evidence presented in court revealed Puglisi stabbed his mother more than a dozen times inside the sixth-floor unit they shared before attacking Blanchard in the hallway after she knocked at their door to inquire about the noise. As he fled the Vela condo complex on Émile Bouchard Street, Puglisi stabbed 70-year-old Nighat Imtiaz as she was leaving her condo using a walker.

Bien-Aimé described the attack on Imtiaz as savage after viewing surveillance camera video footage of the attack, which was presented in court.

“Nighat Imtiaz survived due to pure luck,” said Bien-Aimé.

Puglisi has a long history of mental illness and assaults. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2012 after being charged with assaulting a complete stranger. He was also charged with assaulting a woman and held in a psychiatric institution for several weeks. While being monitored by a CLSC, it was learned that Puglisi had stopped taking his medication while still living with his mother.

On the day of the killings, Bien-Aimé said, Puglisi had lost touch with reality, claiming to talk to god and the devil.

Bien-Aimé said that despite being held at the Philippe Pinel Institute for the past year, Puglisi still poses a threat to the public and must be declared a high-risk offender, which means he will never be released. Puglisi will return to court next month for another assessment.

In the days following the murders, which stirred reactions of shock in the community, Vaudreuil-Dorion Mayor Guy Pilon expressed outrage at the brutal nature of the attack.

In a blistering and impassioned letter sent to Premier François Legault and then-Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant, Pilon urged the provincial officials to take greater action to protect citizens from similar attacks by those suffering from mental illness.

“On Feb. 15, this city that I love so much made headlines all over the media,” Pilon stated in his letter. “A vocabulary that I never thought would be associated with our community was deployed: carnage in Vaudreuil-Dorion, violent attack, sordid assault. Right now, my constituents are worried. Near the building where the tragedy took place are several retirement homes. In the high-rise building where the attacks took place, there were children, couples and people living alone. Many had already crossed paths with the accused. As you can imagine, these citizens were worried. Some of them turned to me to find out what the city was going to do to prevent this type of tragedy from happening again. You will understand that the answer cannot come from the municipal administration.”

“Could this extremely sad human tragedy have been avoided?” Pilon asked in his letter. “I’m not a legislator and my knowledge of mental-health issues is very limited,” he continued, adding that he hopes the government takes swift action to prevent a similar tragedy.

FREDERIC SERRE
The Advocate

Retired Ormstown farmer Peter Finlayson says it is his wish that a $1-million donation he and his wife have made to the Montreal Aviation Museum inspires the public to be more interested in the museum and aviation.

“The most rewarding part (about the donation) is that it stimulates other donors and interest in the museum,” Finlayson, 82, said in an interview. “We are so lucky to have that museum on the Macdonald campus.”

Opened on the Macdonald College Campus of McGill University in Ste. Anne de Bellevue in 1998 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Canada’s and Quebec’s aeronautical heritage, it is the only museum of its kind in the province. It also honours men and women who, through their aircraft and events, positioned aviation as a key contributor to our socioeconomic development.

The museum, meanwhile, marked a milestone May 7 when Finlayson and his wife, Eleanor, attended a special ceremony where the Peter and Eleanor Finlayson Education and Conference Centre was officially opened by museum president Chandra Madramootoo.

Madramootoo praised the Finlaysons for their $1-million gift, saying it allowed for the renovated wing of the museum to launch its Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) aviation and space education program.

Madramootoo also announced plans for the expansion of the museum following a $2.1-million donation from businessman and philanthropist Lorne Trottier.

“The old stone barn found new life as an aviation museum in 1999,” said Madramootoo. “Within its expanse, we can inform and educate the public through displays and workshops about important milestones of Canadian aerospace history. We appreciate the support from McGill University and, of course, our donors, benefactors, volunteers and visitors to make this place a Montreal aviation enthusiasts’ reality.”

Finlayson, who graduated from the Macdonald College’s agricultural program in 1963, told The Advocate that while the museum has unfortunately had a low profile for too long, he said it’s time more people outside the Macdonald campus got to know about it.

“A museum should not only be a place to help us remember the days of old. It should also invite next generations to learn from the past and explore future possibilities. My wife and I are delighted with the museum initiative to bring an active STEAM program into the new centre,” he said.

Finlayson said the idea to make a donation came to him after an impromptu visit in 2022 of the museum with his wife and granddaughter, who just graduated from John Abbott College. While he was very familiar with the barns and the campus, Finlayson said he was very curious to see what the museum was all about and requested a tour.

“I had a tour one time and was very impressed with what I had seen, so I went back a few more times,” he said. “I am not an aviation buff by any means, but the old building attracted me and my wife. So I said: ‘Let’s help them out.’”

“So I reached out to the folks at the museum, and I mentioned that number, $1 million, and I said: ‘Hey, I’d like to make a donation.’”

Lac-Saint-Louis MP Francis Scarpaleggia said he was impressed with the expansion activities taking place at the museum, adding that a lot of the credit must go to the teams of volunteers who upkeep the exhibits. He added that the Finlaysons’ gift is a huge boost for the future of the museum.

“Congratulations to all the museum volunteers and to executive director Jim Killin for whom the museum’s continuous evolution is a true labour of love,” Scarpaleggia said.

Finlayson agreed, saying the tireless work of volunteers has been the key to the museum’s success and excellent reputation.

“Their vision is fantastic, they keep acquiring these relics of planes from assorted places and yet the volunteers have the expertise to repair and turn those planes into new planes,” he said. “We don’t want to lose them. We are so lucky to have them.”

FREDERIC SERRE
The Advocate

The president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is calling on the newly-elected Liberal government to work with his organization to improve the lives of Canadian farmers as they face increasing pressures from recent international trade tensions created by the U.S. Trump administration.

“Coming out of this election, we need to seize the unique opportunity today’s challenges present to truly realize Canadian agriculture’s potential for all Canadians,” said Keith Currie. “A strong, resilient agriculture sector is vital to the health, economy and security of our entire nation. As Canada faces increasing pressures from international trade tensions, now is the time for strong leadership and bold investment in the competitiveness and resilience of Canada’s agricultural sector.”

While Currie congratulated Prime Minister Mark Carney for his party’s electoral victory on April 28, he added that the CFA is looking “forward to working across party lines for the betterment of Canadian agriculture.”

He said the CFA is eager to meet with the new government and members of the new Parliament to begin advancing the CFA’s key priorities, which include supporting farmers through “significant global trade uncertainty and the impacts of tariffs, reducing interprovincial trade barriers, enhancing business risk management programs to make farms more resilient, and investing in Canada’s trade infrastructure.”

Currie praised Carney for easily winning his Ottawa seat, adding: “The political neophyte will finally become a member of the House Commons, but “he will have challenges with a divided House of Commons.  Indeed, the central banker and businessman is not used to the type of scrappy politics and attacks that will come from a re-energized Conservative caucus.”

As for Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who has vowed to continue as leader despite losing his own seat, Currie said the CFA’s “expectation is that, despite future media speculations and some disgruntled party organizers, Poilievre will have a strong command of his party and no one in his caucus will challenge him openly.”

Currie said he is excited about the new government’s plans to assist farmers, including the creation of a new $200-million Domestic Processing Fund and an increase of support for farmers, ranchers and producers, and while these are welcomed changes, “clearly, more needs to be done.”

FREDERIC SERRE
The Advocate

A three-month-long deadlock between the City of Montreal and Sanimax, an animal carcass recovery plant that services the entire province, is holding the entire Quebec agri-food chain hostage, says the mayor of St. Hyacinthe, who sent a blistering letter to Quebec Premier François Legault, demanding an end to the dispute.

“The City of Montreal cannot continue to hold the entire agri-food chain hostage and compromise the economy of all regions of Quebec,” writes André Beauregard in a letter sent in early May to Legault and obtained by La Presse.

For Beauregard, whose city also has a Sanimax plant on its territory, the impasse is threatening more than 60,000 jobs in the province, he told La Presse.

“Despite the efforts of Sanimax, which has submitted solutions developed by experts taking into account the best available technologies, Montreal persists in refusing any consideration,” Beauregard said.

An agreement between Sanimax and Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante’s administration called for Sanimax to build a storage garage and air purification system in Montreal by 2025, along with a water treatment plant by 2027. Sanimax, however, says the city is dragging its feet in granting building permits, while Plante says the delays are due to Sanimax’s refusal to hand over documents needed to grant those permits.

“We all share the wish that the agreement signed by Sanimax, and that the Quebec government and the City of Montreal be respected, and we are cooperating fully in the mediation process under way to achieve this,” Plante said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Legault government has been trying to put an end to the impasse, but without any success. Unless the conflict is resolved, the “consequences of a Sanimax closure in Montreal would be disastrous and immediate for slaughterhouses, but also for pork and poultry farmers who would no longer be able to sell their animals,” he said.

Sanimax specializes in agri-food rendering. It collects animal by-products from slaughterhouses and food-processing facilities, processes that material into products used in other industries — everything from dog food to tires and crayons. This process avoids tonnes of material being sent to landfills. Its Montreal plant in the east end of the city has about 250 employees.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

The former owner of a seniors care facility in Beaconsfield charged with poisoning and assaulting residents under her care will return to court next month to stand trial, at which time her lawyer will decide if the case will be presented before a judge and jury, or a judge alone.

Pramela Kooblall, 66, ran Résidence Alpson on Beaconsfield Blvd. between 2015 and 2023. The Pierrefonds resident is charged with administering a poison “with intent to aggrieve or annoy,” along with three assault charges — one involving a weapon — and three counts of failing to provide the necessities of life.

Police allege that the incidents occurred between January and October 2023. Kooblall is also charged with deliberately falsifying medical records, which, police say has made it difficult to accurately keep track of the residents’ actual medical conditions.

Résidence Alps specialized in long-term care for mostly autonomous seniors. The allegations came to light by complaints from families of the seniors, despite an inspection by the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST), which in 2022 found no irregularities.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Robert Miller, the disgraced billionaire and former owner of West Island-based Future Electronics, suffered yet another legal setback last month, when one of his associates – an unidentified 41-year-old woman – was arrested and charged with two counts of luring girls to have sex with Miller.

Miller himself faces 24 counts of sexual assault involving 10 victims, including one case where he is alleged to have sexually assaulted a girl under the age of 14 between February 1995 and February 1996. He is also charged with continuing to assault the girl after she turned 14 until 2000. Police said some of the victims were underage in incidents that were alleged to have happened between 1994 and 2016.

In January, a Quebec Superior Court judge authorized a class-action suit that will be brought against Miller by women who have alleged he paid to have sex with them when they were minors. The class-action now involves about 50 women, some who were as young as 11 or 12 when they first allegedly had sexual contact with Miller. Three others have filed individual lawsuits claiming more than $30 million in damages.

The latest development involving his co-accused relates to incidents that allegedly occurred between 2006 and 2017.

According to Montreal police, the woman played an active role in recruitment and screened candidates before bringing them to meet Miller. Investigators were able to find conversations between Miller and his entourage in his cell phone.

Miller’s legal team has sought to delay proceedings for their 81-year-old client, who they say is suffering from advanced Parkinson’s disease.

“It’s just one postponement after another,” said John Westlake, a retired West Island cop who was hired in 2006 by Margaret Miller, Miller’s ex-wife, to investigate the billionaire.

Margaret Miller explained that she and her ex-husband had gone on a cruise in which he brought a hockey bag. She had a chance to look in the bag and saw it contained DVDs with footage of girls.

“She said, ‘I want surveillance on him. I want to find out who these girls are,’” said Westlake, whose work led to police finally arresting Miller.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

An east-end Montreal man will remain behind bars until late July, when he will return to court for his trial in connection to the firebombing of a Dollard des Ormeaux synagogue last December.

The decision to hold 19-year-old Mohamed Ilyess Akodad in custody was made last week by Quebec Court Judge Salvatore Mascia, the same day Crown prosecutor Marie-Claude Bourassa said she will present additional evidence against Akodad.

Akodad is charged with deliberately setting fire to the Congregation Beth Tikvah synagogue on Westpark Street early on Dec. 18 by allegedly tossing a Molotov cocktail through a window of the building’s vestibule. Police and firefighters were called to the scene at about 3 a.m. and quickly extinguished the blaze.

An investigation by the Montreal Police arson squad led to the arrest of Akodad in April at his residence in Anjou and the seizure of various incendiary devices. The man is charged with arson, attempted arson, destruction of property and possession of incendiary materials. He has pleaded not guilty.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Retired Ormstown farmer and Macdonald College graduate Peter Finlayson says it is his wish that a $1-million donation he and his wife have made to the Montreal Aviation Museum in Ste. Anne de Bellevue inspires the public to be more interested in the museum and aviation.

“The most rewarding part (about the donation) is that it stimulates other donors and interest in the museum,” Finlayson, 82, said in an interview. “We are so lucky to have that museum on the Macdonald campus.”

Opened in 1998 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Canada’s and Quebec’s aeronautical heritage, it is the only museum of its kind in the province that preserves the civil and military aviation heritage of Quebec and the rest of Canada. It also honours men and women who, through their aircraft and events, positioned aviation as a key contributor to our socioeconomic development.

The museum, meanwhile, marked a milestone last Wednesday when Finlayson and his wife, Eleanor, attended a special ceremony where the Peter and Eleanor Finlayson Education and Conference Centre was officially opened by museum president Chandra Madramootoo.

Madramootoo praised the Finlaysons for their $1-million gift, saying it allowed for the renovated wing of the museum to launch its Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) aviation and space education program.

Madramootoo also announced plans for the expansion of the museum with a $2.1-million donation from businessman and philanthropist Lorne Trottier.

“The old stone barn found new life as an aviation museum in 1999,” Madramootoo said. “Within its expanse, we can inform and educate the public through displays and workshops about important milestones of Canadian aerospace history. We appreciate the support from McGill University and, of course, our donors, benefactors, volunteers and visitors to make this place a Montreal aviation enthusiasts’ reality.”

Finlayson, who graduated from the Macdonald College’s agricultural program in 1963, told The 1510 West that while the museum has unfortunately had a low profile for too long, he said it’s time more people outside the Macdonald campus got to know about it.

“A museum should not only be a place to help us remember the days of old. It should also invite next generations to learn from the past and explore future possibilities. My wife and I are delighted with the museum initiative to bring an active STEAM program into the new center,” he said.

Finlayson said the idea to make a donation came to him after an impromptu visit in 2022 of the museum with his wife and granddaughter, who just graduated from John Abbott College. While he was very familiar with the barns and the campus, Finlayson said he was very curious to see what the museum was all about and requested a tour.

“I had a tour one time and was very impressed with what I had seen, so I went back a few more times,” he said. “I am not an aviation buff by any means, but the old building attracted me and my wife. So I said: ‘Let’s help them out.’”

“So I reached out to the folks at the museum, and I mentioned that number, $1 million, and I said: ‘Hey, I’d like to make a donation.’”

Lac-Saint-Louis MP Francis Scarpaleggia said he was impressed with the expansion activities taking place at the museum, adding that a lot of the credit must go to the teams of volunteers who upkeep the exhibits. He added that the Finlaysons’ gift is a huge boost for the future of the museum.

“Congratulations to all the museum volunteers and to executive director Jim Killin for whom the museum’s continuous evolution is a true labour of love,” Scarpaleggia said.

Finlayson agreed, saying the tireless work of volunteers has been the key to the museum’s success and excellent reputation.

“Their vision is fantastic, they keep acquiring these relics of planes from assorted places and yet the volunteers have the expertise to repair and turn those planes into new planes,” he said. “We don’t want to lose them. We are so lucky to have them.”

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

House fires in Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot and Pincourt last week caused extensive damage and forced two families to be relocated.

Shortly after 5 p.m. on April 26, firefighters were called to a residence on De la Caza Street in Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot after a 911 call was made to report flames coming out of a garage attached to the house. More than 30 firefighters fought the blaze, which caused heavy damage.

Fire department spokesman Yanick Bernier said the flames quickly spread from the garage to the roof of the house, causing extensive damage. The cause of the fire is still unknown, Bernier said, but it is believed to have originated in the garage.

He said the occupants of the house were able to seek refuge inside a neighbour’s residence.

Two days later, on April 28, at 6 p.m., firefighters were called to a residence on Boisé des Chênes Street in Pincourt, where flames were visible on the exterior of the building. It took several hours to put out the fire, which caused extensive damage. No injuries were report.

Fire destroys shed, garage in St. Lazare

Firefighters battled a blaze in St. Lazare early Monday that destroyed a storage shed and a garage located behind a residence, which suffered only minor damage, thanks to the work of the responding brigade.

A 911 call was made shortly after 5 a.m. to report a fire engulfing a large shed behind a house on  Du Clairon Street. By the time St. Lazare firefighters arrived, the flames had spread to a garage. Firefighters are being credited for saving the main residence and rescuing five cats.

No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Firefighters from Pincourt, St. Clet, Ste. Marthe, Hudson and Vaudreuil-Dorion also responded.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

Sûreté du Québec officers and Pincourt firefighters had their hands full last week as they were called to a high-tension power line site along Duhamel Road in Pincourt to rescue a pair of individuals described as “adventurous teenagers” who had climbed all the way to the top of the pylon to take photos.

The drama unfolded on April 27 at about 8 p.m. when witnesses called 911 to say that two boys were stuck at the top of the tower. The youths later told police they simply had wanted to take photos and enjoy the view after climbing the tower.

Firefighters climbed the tower and successfully brought the pair down to the ground before handing them over to police. Officers contacted their parents.

According to the SQ, an investigation is continuing to determine if trespassing charges will be laid.

Police said the boys are lucky to have escaped the drama unscathed, as they could have been electrocuted.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

A Quebec Court judge on Monday acquitted two brothers of kidnapping their 16-year-old sister from a Kirkland restaurant in 2021.

But both men will be back in court in October to learn their punishment on charges of assaulting a witness during the alleged kidnapping.

Judge Thierry Nadon announced the acquittal at the Montreal courthouse, clearing the 25- and 26-year-olds of kidnapping and uttering threats, saying the sister’s sudden decision to testify in her brothers’ defence cast reasonable doubt on accusations of kidnapping and forcible confinement against them.

Nadon presided over the trial in which the two men allegedly stormed the B12 Burger outlet on St. Charles Blvd. on July 26, 2021, where their sister worked, and forced her into a waiting vehicle before driving off. The incident touched off an Amber Alert, with Montreal police setting up a command post in front of the restaurant. Several hours later, as police searched the West Island, the brothers dropped off their sister at a local police station. The identities of the girl and her brothers are protected by a publication ban.

The trial began last November, when a third individual, identified as a friend of the brothers, pleaded guilty to forcible confinement after admitting he was at the wheel of the getaway vehicle. During the trial, a colleague of the alleged kidnapping victim testified that as the woman was being dragged out of the restaurant, she was screaming for someone to call 911. The man will return to court in July for sentencing.

In a twist of events, on April 7, the victim chose to testify on behalf of her brothers, saying the abduction was a big misunderstanding. She told the courth that her siblings were only trying to help her, as she had been going through a difficult and rebellious stage and not following her family’s Muslim traditions.

Meanwhile, Nadon found the brothers guilty of assaulting a man who tried to intervene during the alleged attack. Video footage presented in court showed both brothers attempting to strangle the sister’s co-worker.