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The 1510 West

Police responded to a drive-by shooting early yesterday morning at a residence in Dollard des Ormeaux, which was the scene of a suspicious car fire a month earlier. While no injuries were reported, investigators are looking into a possible connection to both incidents.

According to Montreal Police spokesperson Caroline Chèvrefils, several 911 calls were made around 1:20 a.m. to report that shots had been fired from a passing car at a residence on Papillon Street near Hyman Drive. Officers raced to the scene, but the suspects had fled.

Crime scene analysts recovered bullet casings and found several points of impact in the garage door of the luxury residence, while officers, some with sniffer dogs, scoured the scene.

On Feb. 1, police and firefighters were called to the same address to extinguish a mysterious car fire. No injuries were reported in that incident, which is also still under investigation.

As the family and friends of a popular West Island restaurant waitress prepare to say farewell to her at a memorial service this Friday, new details are emerging regarding the tragic death of Brites Machado on March 16 while walking her dog in Beaconsfield.

Machado, who turned 63 last month, was walking her dog on a leash at the corner of Windermere Street and Berkshire Avenue near her home at about 4:30 p.m. when the dog saw a squirrel and bolted, which caused Machado to fall and strike her head on the pavement while being dragged into the street by the leash. Machado was on the phone with her boyfriend at the time of the incident.

While media reports indicated that Machado had been struck by an SUV, a source told The 1510 West that the driver of the SUV did not hit her, instead stopped after seeing Machado strike her head on the road and immediately rushed to her aid and called 911. Twenty-five minutes passed before paramedics arrived to tend to Machado, who went into cardiac arrest. She was rushed to hospital in critical condition, and was declared dead after arriving at hospital.

“I was on the scene of this event, and I have to admit, it was one of the saddest things I’ve seen,” a police officer told The 1510 West.

“According to our information and witnesses, she was pulled by the leash of her dog, which she was walking when it crossed the street,” Montreal Police spokesperson Véronique Dubuc said yesterday, adding that the incident is still under investigation. “It could take several weeks before we confirm what exactly happened.”

The mother of two was a waitress at Maurizio, a popular restaurant on St. Charles Blvd. in Kirkland. In interviews with The 1510 West, friends expressed shock over the death of Machado, describing her as a vibrant, energetic and warm person who loved to travel and host dinner parties. Born in Portugal, Machado grew up in the Portuguese district on the Plateau Mont Royal before moving to the West Island.  On her Facebook page, she posted: “Life is full of surprises, live is as it comes to the fullest, be happy.”

“That’s exactly who she was,” said Ingirid Castenada, who knew Machado since the 1980s. “She was actually my brother’s old girlfriend in the ’90s and we had the pleasure of having her around us frequently. She was an amazing woman, loving and caring. Her delightful smile would light up any room that she entered. Brites was the perfect example that life was grand and any bad obstacle that would come towards her, she would not fear it. She knew how to handle it with so much passion, forgiveness and love. She will be missed, and my heart still aches in sadness.”

Sylvie Longtin, the owner and sushi chef at Pointe Claire’s Avocado restaurant, recalls visiting Machado at her restaurant for many years, adding: “I’m in total shock, I saw her about a month ago. She was super nice and friendly, and we talked about the restaurant business often. She was looking to finally retire.”

A funeral service is planned for Machado on Friday at the Belvedere Funeral Complex in Senneville.

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The 1510 West

Store owners at a shopping centre in Pierrefonds-Roxboro were busy cleaning up after a failed arson attempt early Monday morning caused more inconvenience than damage, with firefighters being credited for their speedy response in saving the businesses.

Flammables found at the scene indicate that the fire were deliberately set inside the Sher-Mir shopping centre, located on St Charles Blvd., just south of Pierrefonds Blvd. The centre accommodates a hair salon, a vape store, a snow-clearing company, as well as a café and an automotive parts store.

A fire alarm rang shortly after midnight, prompting a 911 call to police and the fire department. By the time police officers arrived on the scene, firefighters had already extinguished the blaze on the north side of the building. No injuries were reported, as the mall was closed.

Montreal police spokeswoman Caroline Chèvrefils said arson investigators are studying surveillance camera footage to find clues about the fire.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

The brutal murder of a Ste. Anne de Bellevue woman, whose battered body was found floating in a river near her residence in 1973, is among the 419 cold case files the Sûreté du Québec’s homicide squad is examining.

The SQ issued the list on its website last month, identifying all of the unsolved murder cases that the provincial police is still hoping to resolve. On the list is the violent murder of Georgette Mallet, who was killed in 1973, and whose assailant has never been captured. The case has remained dormant for over five decades, but the SQ says it is hoping to revive it by reaching out to the public for assistance to finally catch the killer.

On April 24, 1973, at about 4 p.m., a group of teenagers canoeing down the Outaouais River, between Ste. Anne de Bellevue and Bellevue Island, discovered a body floating on the surface of the water. The teens raced home and police were called to the scene.

The body was retrieved by police. The woman was later identified as Mallet, 24. There were signs of violence on the body. Almost a month earlier, on March 15, 1973, police said an acquaintance of Mallet’s had reported her disappearance to police.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

The Quebec government unveiled the results of the 2024 hunting season in the province, saying it was a record year for the white-tailed deer hunting campaign, describing it as “historic,” with a record 40-per-cent success rate for first-time deer hunters.

The Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs also said it was a record year for wild turkey, while reporting excellent results for moose and black bear trapping.

White-tailed deer results

According to the ministry’s report made public Jan. 30, the number of deer hunters has continued to rise since 2020, once again reaching the threshold of 10 years ago. Game was plentiful and the harvest was the second-highest of any year, meaning deer populations are doing well, the ministry stated in its report.

The report revealed that more than 142,000 hunters harvested a total of 59,500 deer in Quebec (excluding Anticosti Island) during the 2024 season. This represents a 3-per-cent increase over 2023. About 15 per cent of hunters, or 21,700 individuals, purchased an additional licence.

“The excellent harvest in 2024 can be attributed in part to the fact that Quebec has not experienced very harsh winter weather conditions for deer since 2019 in most hunting zones, which has favoured their survival,” the ministry stated.

As for the situation on Anticosti Island, data compilation is not yet complete, as the hunt ended on Dec. 24. However, preliminary statistics suggest a record harvest, with more than 9,000 deer harvested.

Wild turkeys

The ministry reported that the overall harvest of wild turkeys in Quebec set a new record last year at 10,766. This represents an 11-per-cent increase over 2023. Spring and fall wild turkey harvests reached new highs, at 10,163 turkeys (up nine per cent from 2023) and 603 turkeys (up 71 per cent on 2023), respectively.

The number of licences sold set a new record, with 23,361 for the spring hunt and 2,964 for the fall hunt. The total number of permits sold in 2024 reached 26,325, up 5 per cent from 2023.

All indicators suggest that wild turkey populations are doing well, the ministry’s report stated, adding that the species is either expanding or stable in the various regions of Quebec.

Moose

Overall, moose hunting was very good in Quebec last season, the ministry said, with a total harvest of 20,431 individual moose, including 15,700 adult bulls, 2,578 adult cows and 2,153 calves. These figures reflect a total increase of 11 per cent over 2022 (when specific restrictions were imposed on hunters to limit the harvest of moose in a given area) and 6 per cent over the average of 2020 and 2022.

The harvest of 15,700 adult bulls is a record for both permissive and restrictive years. The harvest was 15-per-cent higher than in 2022, and 9-per-cent higher than the average for 2020 and 2022.

The government report said 167,618 licences were sold in 2024 – the lowest for similar hunting conditions since 2008. Nevertheless, moose remain a very popular game among Quebec hunters, the ministry said. On a broader time scale, population monitoring indicators suggest that the moose herd in Quebec is relatively stable.

Black bears

The 2024 black bear hunt in Quebec was positive and above the average of past years, the ministry’s statistics showed. The 2024 harvest was second only to the record year of 2018. In addition, the number of hunting licences sold reached its highest level in nearly 30 years.

A total of 6,142 black bears were harvested in 2024: 86 per cent by hunting (5,298) and 14 per cent by trapping (844). This harvest is 12-per-cent higher than the five-year average for 2019-2023, and the increase is observed in both hunting and trapping.

The total number of hunters reached 20,023 in 2024, including 18,632 residents and 1,391 non-residents. This represents an 8-per-cent increase over the 2019-2023 average, and the highest level in nearly 30 years.

The ministry said it is continuing to closely monitor the black bear harvest in Quebec. Telemetric monitoring of bears ended in 2023. However, some bears are still marked with a red ear tag.

“Hunters and trappers must continue to report the harvesting of these individuals to enable mortality rates to be properly estimated,” the ministry memo stated. “The ministry, in collaboration with universities, is continuing to analyze the valuable data collected under this project, with a view to improving knowledge of the species and its management.”

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

A man who killed his parents in their Île Bizard home in 2022 by stabbing them more than 60 times will likely spend the rest of his life in a psychiatric institution, after a Quebec Court judge declared him not guilty of the killings by reason of insanity, but ordered him held indefinitely.

Wayne Arnott, 60, and his wife, Louise Boucher, 65, were a popular West Island couple best known for their community involvement and as owners of the Bluenose collectibles store in Pointe Claire Plaza.

Mitchell Arnott, 31, was arrested on the evening of Oct. 19, 2022, after officers from Montreal Police Station 3 went to the Arnott residence on Des Érables Street in Île Bizard and found the butchered bodies of the victims. Mitchell Arnott was arrested at a hospital after he arrived covered in blood and claiming to have been attacked by his father. He was charged with two counts of second-degree murder.

On Jan. 31, Quebec Court Judge Marc David ruled that Mitchell was not criminally responsible for the killings, but was still a high-risk offender before ordering that he be sent to the Philippe Pinel Institute in east-end Montreal for treatment.

While the verdict came as a relief for Arnott’s daughter, Teneille, who told the court that “this is a tragedy that years of interventions by the medical and judicial system weren’t able to prevent,” she added that the judiciary system must reassure the family that her brother will never be released into the public.

Mitchel Arnott spent years in and out of psychiatric institutions, diagnosed with schizophrenia. In 2016, he was ordered by the court to take medication and undergo permanent psychiatric treatment, which lasted only two years. According to court testimony, he was released only a few days before the murders. In January 2022, he was found not criminally responsible of attacking his spouse.

In the days leading up to the double murders, Mitchell Arnott posted on social media disturbing videos, accusing his father of having a secret relationship with his ex-wife and claiming that Wayne Arnott was a dangerous biker.

Despite the judge’s decision, more than a dozen members of the Arnott family appeared at Montreal’s Palais de Justice to testify that they feared Mitchell would re-offend if he was released. Arnott’s sister told the judge that she was fed up with pleading with the court to keep her brother locked up.

“The last time I did this, I was saying it to the psychiatrist who was treating Mitchell as an in-patient,” Teneille Arnott told the judge. “I pleaded (with the) doctor that he wasn’t ready to be released, but he did it anyway. Five days later, he killed both my parents.”

While the killings shocked friends and clients of the Arnotts, the future of Bluenose collectibles was unknown. However, Teneille Arnott announced last October that the store would continue to operate as a sports card and car modelling business, but with a new owner.

“My dad, Wayne, and grandpa, Ross, spent their lives building Bluenose, a collectibles store where kids and adults alike found their favourite collectibles, or brought in their own collection to sell, grow, or just talk about,” said Teneille Arnott in an exchange with The 1510 West. “After my grandpa and dad’s passing I had been searching for someone to take over their legacy and keep Bluenose alive. That person is Kevin Gallant, a specialist in collectibles, particularly video games and related items for over 10 years. His goal is to revive Bluenose as a community hub, not only to buy and sell collectibles, but where anyone can go and feel welcomed to share about their passion.”

Cutline:
Wayne Arnott and Louise Boucher were brutally murdered in their home in Îe Bizard in 2022.

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The 1510 West

A popular Pointe Claire fitness trainer and boxer is among 25 Canadians – and 11 West Islanders – facing serious criminal charges in the wake of a massive investigation by U.S. and Canadian law enforcement agencies into a gang of scammers who targeted elderly American citizens in Vermont and 44 other states and bilked them out of $21 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 Pointe Claire and Vaudreuil-Dorion. The arrests were made during RCMP raids last June at the call centres.

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 and the Greek community in the Greater Montreal region. The West Islanders arrested 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.

Among those arrested is Joy Kalafatidis, 31, who worked as a fitness instructor at the Mansfield Athletic Club in Pointe Claire, and currently runs a training centre called Joy Fitness, where she also teaches boxing and self-defence.

“I’m totally shocked,” said a friend who asked not to be identified. “She never was close to me, but I knew her as I took her training classes. I don’t consider her a bad person, per se. She’s always been kind to me, and she was a nice person. Overall, it’s definitely shocking to hear this.”

According to prosecutors, the conspirators placed phone calls from the two centres between the summer of 2021 and June 4, 2024, as part of the scheme. So far, 23 suspects have been rounded up, and two remain at large, Michael J. Krol, a special agent for Homeland Security Investigations in New England, said in a statement.

“The arrests are the result of domestic collaboration, as well as our critical international partnerships with our colleagues in Canada, the Sûreté du Québec and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police,” Krol said.

The call centres were managed by five Canadians who were charged with money laundering in addition to the conspiracy charge that all of those charged face, according to Krol, adding: “These individuals are accused of an elaborate scheme using fear to extort millions of dollars from victims who believed they were helping loved ones in trouble.”

The scammers also told the older adults that there was a “gag order” that prevented them from discussing their relative’s predicament with other family members, the U.S. attorney’s office said. The callers used a variety of tactics to obtain money from the older Americans, according to the investigation. The most common tactic was to pose as a young relative who had just been arrested after a car accident. After the victims turned over the money, the funds were transmitted to Canada.

All of the accused were arrested March 4, except for two — 38-year-old Gareth West, a.k.a. “Buddy” and “Muscles” of Burlington, Ont., and 35-year-old Jimmy Ylimaki, a.k.a. “Coop” of Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot — who remain at large.

List of 11 West Island suspects

• Andrew Tatto, 43, of Pierrefonds-Roxboro
• Stephan Moskwyn, 42, of Pierrefonds-Roxboro
• Michael Filion, 45, of Pierrefonds-Roxboro
• Nicolas Gonzalez, 27, of Kirkland
• Joy Kalafatidis, 31, of Pointe Claire
• David Arcobelli, 36, of Pierrefonds-Roxboro
• Jonathan Massouras, 35, of Dollard des Ormeaux
• Antonio Iannacci, 33, of Pierrefonds-Roxboro
• Sara Burns, 31, of Dollard des Ormeaux
• Michael Farella, 29, of Ste. Geneviève
• Sebastian Guenole, 30, of Pierrefonds-Roxboro

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The 1510 West

Three West Island municipalities – Pointe Claire, Dorval and Lachine – were among five areas in the Greater Montreal region hit by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in early-morning raids on Jan. 15 targeting alleged fraud and money-laundering activities related to illicit car sales.

RCMP spokesperson Martina Pillarova said armed RCMP officers and investigators with the Canada Revenue Agency swooped in on five locations shortly before 6 a.m. Jan. 15 as part of a series of raids launched simultaneously in the West Island, as well as in Anjou and Île Perrot, where two suspects were arrested.

According to Pillarova, the investigation is continuing as officers sort through the evidence. She said the RCMP-led investigation includes agents with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), an intelligence unit and anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing squad whose mandate is to facilitate the detection, prevention and deterrence of money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities, while ensuring the protection of personal information under its control.

Pillarova said the suspects targeted by the raids are allegedly involved in money laundering and sales tax fraud in the automotive sales sector. She said more arrests are likely as the investigation continues. She would not offer additional information about which locations in the West Island were targeted.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

A Montreal woman who was the mastermind of a violent attack and robbery of a man in the parking lot of a Pierrefonds marina in 2021 finally learned her sentence last week when she appeared before a Quebec Court judge at the Montreal courthouse.

Emmanuella Boateng-Kwaning, 22, was found guilty by Judge Flavia Longo of complicity to commit a robbery and assault in connection with the attack of a man on Dec. 24, 2021, she had met online who had answered her request to find a “sugar daddy.” The pair had agreed to meet in the parking lot, with the man agreeing to pay her $6,000 in cash. Instead, two men pulled up in a white SUV and beat the victim before robbing him of his money and fleeing with Boateng-Kwaning. The attack left the victim with severe facial injuries.

Boateng-Kwaning was 19 years old and working at a Tim Hortons at Pierre Trudeau Airport in Dorval when she placed a notice on her Instagram account in December 2021 looking for a sugar daddy. She and the victim communicated several times, and on Dec. 20 agreed to set up a time and place to meet, with Boateng-Kwaning telling the man to bring $6,000 in cash. The victim told the court that the cash was a Christmas gift from his brothers and sisters.

Judge Longo said police were able to find text messages in Boateng-Kwaning’s phone with one of the assailants which clearly showed a planned attack. The assailant was only identified as Boateng-Kwaning’s ex-boyfriend.

“Make sur (sic) that the door (of the car) is unlocked and that the money is in his pocket,” the ex-boyfriend wrote to Boateng-Kwaning on Dec. 24, 2021, Longo said in her judgment.

According to Longo, Boateng-Kwaning got into the victim’s car and the pair drove to a marina in Pierrefonds, where the man gave her $6,000 in cash. At that moment, a white SUV pulled up and two men got out. One assailant opened the driver’s door while the other man assaulted the victim with pepper spray and pulled him out of the car, before both attackers beat the victim.

Police said the trio fled in the SUV with the victim’s money, leaving the severely injured man lying on the ground next to his car. He was sent to hospital with a fractured jaw and facial lacerations.

Longo sentenced Boateng-Kwaning to 240 hours of community service and ordered her to pay back $2,000 to the victim. She will also be on probation for three years. Longo said she took note of Boateng-Kwaning’s remorse and that she is a single mother who is easily influenced due to her immaturity.

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The 1510 West

Describing the ongoing case of disgraced billionaire Robert Miller, founder of Pointe Claire-based Future Electronics, who faces multiple sexual assault charges as “slow justice,” retired West Island cop John Westlake says he hopes Miller “shows up” when his case returns to court Feb. 25 despite claims by the defence that Miller’s health is severely deteriorating.

The Miller saga is especially important to Lachine-born Westlake because his undercover work as a private investigator is what led to Miller, 81, being charged with sexually assaulting a total of 11 young women in the 1990s and early 2000s. Westlake, who worked with the Montreal police department’s major crimes and narcotics units, and also patrolled in the West Island during the 1980s and ’90s, teamed up with the CBC’s The Fifth Estate and Radio-Canada’s Enquête, which exposed the alleged crimes in early 2023. The reports led to Miller’s resignation from Future Electronics and a new police investigation launched.

In an interview with The 1510 West, Westlake said he is frustrated with how slowly the case is moving through the criminal justice system as he waits for the evidence – much of which he uncovered – is brought before a judge. Although retired, Westlake said his impatience comes from the fact that “police stills flows in my blood.”

Lawyers for Miller and his associate, Teresita Fuentes, who also lives with him, met with the Crown before a Quebec Court Judge at the Palais de Justice last month, at which time the case was scheduled to return to court in February. Fuentes is charged with being an accomplice to Miller.

Charged in early 2024 with 21 counts of sexual assault involving 10 victims, Miller faced three new charges in early December, alleging that he 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.

Miller, who sold the company based on Hymus Boulevard in Pointe Claire in 2023, is reportedly in poor health due to advanced Parkinson’s disease, and his defence team has attempted to delay proceedings, saying Miller is innocent of all charges.

Meanwhile, Miller is also the subject of several civil lawsuits, including a class action that has not yet been authorized but has about 50 participants, and three individual complaints that total nearly $30 million in requested damages.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

A GoFundMe campaign to help a Dorval man whose dog perished in a fire that destroyed his residence on Christmas morning has raised nearly $18,000, thanks to the generosity of Montrealers who have rallied to support the injured man in the wake of the tragedy.

Stephen Flood suffered second-degree burns to his legs, arms and head as he escaped the blaze that gutted his home on O’Connell Avenue at about 3 a.m. on Dec. 25. His two-year-old dog, Bella, sadly, was killed.

“The house was completely destroyed by the fire, and nothing is salvageable,” said Flood’s son, Matthew, who organized the GoFundMe with a goal to raise $20,000. “He lost absolutely everything. All of the things he’d been saving to pass down to his children, the gifts he’d bought his family for Christmas, his ID cards… on top of healing from the burns and trauma, he also now faces the challenge of restarting from nothing.”

According to Matthew Flood, the public response has been “overwhelming.”

His father said he was thankful for all of the support shown by friends and strangers. Stephen Flood recalls waking up at 3 a.m. and seeing flames destroying his living room, leaving him with barely enough time to run out of the burning building.

“I am devastated by this, but the thing that matters most by far was my dog,” he said. “I feel terrible that I didn’t save her and I have a lot of guilt. I’m doing better physically, but it’ll take some to heal all the other wounds.”

The cause of the blaze remains unknown.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Residents of Louis Riel Street in Dollard des Ormeaux were abruptly awakened by gunfire late Sunday night, as a house was once again the target of a criminal act – making it the second attack on this residence in the past month.

According to Montreal police, several 911 calls were made shortly after midnight on Monday to report shots fired at the front door of a residence on Louis Riel Street near Iberville Street. No injuries were reported, but police confirmed it is the latest violent incident in a series of attacks that have plagued the West Island in the past several months.

Montreal police spokesperson Caroline Chèvrefils said a lone suspect was seen by witnesses fleeing on foot after firing several bullets into the front entrance of the house. Officers responded and found several shell casings in the snow. A police K9 unit was also brought in to search for the suspect and officers went door to door to speak with neighbours and retrieve surveillance camera footage.

Louis Riel and Iberville streets were targeted three times last month by criminals, with three parked vehicles set on fire – two on the night of Dec. 1 and the third the next morning.

Dollard is not the only West Island municipality to be targeted. A citizen called 911 at about 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 to report a car on fire in the driveway of a residence on Pendennis Avenue, near Hilary Avenue in Pointe Claire. By the time firefighters reached the scene, the car was engulfed in flames. Damage to the residence was also reported. Investigators also discovered another vehicle parked nearby had been splashed with an accelerant, leading them to believe they were dealing with an arsonist.

Twenty-four hours earlier, police were called to investigate a car fire less than a kilometre away. At about 2:40 a.m. on Dec. 2, firefighters responded to a private residence on Hastings Avenue near Empress Avenue to extinguish a car fire. The vehicle was declared a total loss and the arson squad is investigating.

According to Montreal police, an investigation is continuing into a series of gunfire incidents aimed at various residences on Beaubois Street in Kirkland that have put residents on edge since the summer, with four drive-by shootings since July, as well as arson attacks.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

The first case of raccoon rabies in Quebec in 10 years has been reported in the Eastern Townships’ municipality of Saint-Armand, located about a kilometre from the town of Highgate, Vermont, where last month authorities identified a similar case.

Quebec’s Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs made the announcement on Jan. 13, advising the public that a raccoon infected with the rabies virus had been found dead in Saint-Armand on Dec. 17.

Quebec health officials are crediting the vigilance of local residents and the quick intervention by provincial wildlife specialists, who retrieved the dead animal for analysis.

“It should be noted that over the past year, several cases of raccoon rabies have been identified in northern Vermont,” a health ministry press release stated. “Tests conducted on the raccoon in January 2025 by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency laboratory confirmed that it indeed carried the raccoon variant.” 

Quebec government officials say they are keeping a close eye on the situation, while working closely with U.S. authorities to contain a widespread rabies outbreak.

Due to the presence of an outbreak of raccoon rabies in northern Vermont that has now spread to Quebec, the provincial Environment Ministry is asking residents of Saint-Armand and surrounding municipalities in the Haut-Richelieu and Brome-Missisquoi regions, particularly those in communities along the border, to actively participate in enhanced surveillance.

Residents or visitors of any of the following 17 municipalities are asked to be extra cautious and vigilant: Bedford, Dunham, Frelighsburg, Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge, Pike River, Saint-Armand, Sainte-Sabine, Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge, Stanbridge East, Stanbridge Station, Clarenceville, Henryville, Noyan, Saint-Alexandre, Sainte-Anne-de-Sabrevois, Saint-Sébastien and Venise-en-Québec. 

Rabies is a contagious fatal disease that can infect all mammals, so it can be transmitted from an infected animal to a human. In addition to raccoon rabies, other variants of rabies are present in Quebec, including among bats and foxes.

FREDERIC SERRE
The Advocate

Les Fermes Burnbrae, Quebec’s largest egg processing plant, has just received a major boost from the Quebec government to the tune of $2.8 million that will allow Burnbrae to modernize its facility in the village of Upton in Montérégie.

Quebec Agriculture Minister André Lamontagne made the announcement Nov. 22, saying the loan will allow Burnbrae, which employs 160 workers, to increase its competitiveness, as it will be able to make better use of its production capacity.

Quebec’s Ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie, through Investissement Québec, is providing a loan of just over $1.8 million, while the provincial Agriculture Ministry is contributing $1 million.

Renovations to the Burnbrae plant will include new technological units designed to recirculate water in a closed circuit at the Upton plant. Thanks to these units, effluent will gradually be freed of all pollutants to reach potable quality, thus promoting the reuse of water in the industrial process. As a result, consumption of potable water from outside the plant will be significantly reduced.

“This announcement kills two birds with one stone,” said Lamontagne. “It strengthens the plant’s competitiveness, while preserving the municipality of Upton’s drinking water supply. I’m very pleased with this financial support for Burnbrae Farms, which will enable it to improve its facilities.”

The Upton plant processes 702 million eggs a year into various pasteurized liquid products, making it the largest egg processing plant in Quebec. These egg products are sold to the retail trade, the hotel, restaurant and institutional foodservice network, and food processing companies. Thirty per cent of its products are sold in Quebec, 68 per cent elsewhere in Canada and 2 per cent are shipped to the United States.

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The Advocate

The Quebec government has set new production targets to help provincial maple syrup producers on public land to meet a growing global demand for the product, while boosting Quebec’s maple syrup industry on the world stage.

Officials with the provincial Natural Resources and Forestry Ministry held a bilateral meeting with a delegation from the Producteurs et productrices acéricoles du Québec on Nov. 15 to present a new preliminary proposal for maple syrup production targets for publicly held land.

According to the ministry, there is a need to promote optimal reconciliation of public land uses in order to meet a global demand for Quebec maple syrup and foster a dynamic, wealth-creating maple syrup industry.

“Maple syrup production is part of Quebec’s heritage and represents an important economic sector for certain regions,” said Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Maïté Blanchette Vézina. “The development of maple syrup production in public forests must be consistent across the province, while respecting all uses and maintaining conditions favorable to the exercise of the rights granted to the various users. This is a complex but important exercise, requiring the cooperation and openness of all stakeholders. I hope that we will continue our efforts to find the best possible compromises.”

According to Vézina, about 18 per cent of maple syrup production in Quebec takes place in public forests and nearly 68,000 hectares of public forest have already been allocated to maple syrup production, with more than 43,000 hectares covered by an intervention permit for the cultivation and operation for maple syrup production, and nearly 25,000 hectares having been identified as having the potential for maple syrup production.

Earlier this year, Quebec’s National Assembly proclaimed the third Sunday of October “Journée nationale de l’érable,” or National Maple Day. The first edition of this day was marked on Oct. 20.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

The Quebec government wants more young people to be interested in farming, and it’s injecting $1.5 million to boost a program that will see more than 7,200 kids from 36 elementary schools in seven regions of Quebec benefiting from a new initiative that fosters healthy eating.

Quebec Agriculture Minister André Lamontagne made the announcement on Nov. 28, saying the funding, through its AgrÉcoles workshops, will support nine additional schools while offering learning activities in areas like gardening, local agriculture and healthy eating.

“With this program, agriculture takes its place in Quebec’s classrooms,” said Lamontagne. “This additional support will enable a growing number of students across the province to develop their curiosity about agriculture and its trades, and to learn about the importance of healthy, local food.”

According to Education Minister Bernard Drainville, the school environment is ideal for integrating educational notions about food, and the program appeals to the intelligence of young people in a playful setting, to make them aware of the importance of healthy eating.

“By discovering the origins and pathways of the food they eat, students acquire notions that will enable them to make sensible choices throughout their lives,” he said, adding that since 2019, AgrÉcoles has received more than $4.3 million in funding from Quebec.

The nine new schools to be added to the program include: École Villa-de-la-Jeunesse in Saint-Élie-de-Caxton; École La Providence in Saint-Tite; École du Zénith in Shefford; École Saint-Vincent-Ferrier in Bromont; École du Christ-Roi in Saint-Camille; École Rinfret in Sainte-Ursule; École Belle-Vallée in Saint-Justin; École Lévesque in Saint-Donat and École Henri-Bourassa and Soleil-de-l’Aube in Repentigny.

FREDERIC SERRE

The 1019 Report

The Sûreté du Québec says icy road conditions are likely the cause of a tragic two-car crash last week in St. Clet that took the life of an 18-year-old woman.

Local residents, meanwhile, say careless driving and speeding have long plagued a stretch of Ste. Julie Road, where the accident happened.

The woman was behind the wheel of a Toyota Yaris, which reportedly hit a stretch of ice in a curve near Route 201 at about 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 10, causing the small car to lose control and smash into an oncoming vehicle. The victim, a resident of Ste. Justine de Newton, was pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital. The driver of the other car – a 36-year-old woman – suffered minor injuries.

In the wake of the fatal accident, local residents turned to social media to express their concerns about the crash and about the stretch of Ste. Julie Road, which they say has been dangerous for a long time.

Suzanne Lacroix says she lived exactly in that area before they enlarged the road. “Every winter, several drivers ended up in the ditch in front of my house as they were driving to Ste. Marthe or, in the other direction, towards St. Clet,” she said. “At the end of the curve, unfortunately there was always a lot of ice and wind, and lots of snow, and in the majority of cases, speeding was the cause.”

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

Hopes of finding 22-year-old Léo Dufour alive 19 days after being reported missing while hiking in the Adirondack mountains are fading, with the FBI, New York State Police and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announcing last weekend that their search for the Vaudreuil-Dorion man is now a recovery mission.

Dufour, a physical education teacher at École Saint-Thomas in Hudson, was reported missing to New York State Police by his family at about 11 p.m. on Nov. 30 as he hiked on Allen Mountain, 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.

“Snow is at least four feet deep up at the summit, making searching essentially impossible,” incident commander Jamison Martin said. “It snowed every day since Léo went missing,” he added on Dec. 9.

In all, 59 rangers spent nine days 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 believe is 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, Martin said.

While the search for Dufour is now a recovery effort, New York  State police issued a press release, asking for the public’s continued help in locating him.

“He is known to have gone hiking on the Allen Mount trailhead wearing a black Arc Teryx Coat, black shell pants, a tan winter hat, a black backpack and reflective sunglasses,” the release stated. “He is approximately 150 lbs, approximately 5’7”, and has brown hair, adding: “If anyone has information on Dufour’s location, contact State Police at 518-897-2000.”

“Although the outlook is not good, we hold out hope for him,” said Hudson councillor Reid Thompson during a public meeting Monday evening, adding that students at Saint-Thomas school are especially concerned for their much respected and admired teacher.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Montreal Police arson investigators are probing a suspicious fire early Sunday morning that caused considerable damage to an auto-repair garage in Île Bizard, as well as destroying a parked car.

Police and firefighters responded to a 911 call shortly before 3 a.m. about flames engulfing a car near the intersection of Paiement and Martel streets. By the time they arrived, the fire had spread to the garage building.

An incendiary object was found at the scene, “which indicates to us that it was a criminal fire,” said police spokesman Jean-Pierre Braban. “It’s for that reason that the investigation has been passed on to the arson squad.”

The fire is the ninth case of arson reported to police on the West Island in the past two weeks.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Police suspect the fire that gutted a popular Dollard des Ormeaux restaurant and severely damaged two neighbouring businesses early Dec. 6 was deliberately set, marking the second case of arson to strike the strip mall on Sunnybrooke Boulevard since 2021.

Police and firefighters received a 911 call at about 1:30 a.m. about a fire that was raging inside the Dawat restaurant, located in the commercial strip near Spring Garden Road. Witnesses told police that they saw two individuals throwing Molotov cocktails through the window of the restaurant before fleeing the scene on foot.

While no injuries were reported, damage to the strip mall was extensive, with a dentist’s office and a textile shop suffering heavy damage. The same strip mall was hit by arsonists on Sept. 8, 2021, when flames gutted a pizzeria, causing heavy damage. No arrests were made.

The owners of Indian restaurant took to social media on Sunday, vowing to reopen and urging anyone with information to contact police, adding: “We ask anyone with additional information to speak to them. Thankfully, nobody was injured. However, there is significant damage to the restaurant.”

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

As Christmas shopping goes into its final busy stretch this week, Montreal police are urging West Islanders to be extra vigilant when parking their cars in shopping centres, particularly Fairview Pointe Claire and surrounding malls.

The warning comes in the wake of an incident on the morning of Dec. 10, when an elderly woman had her purse stolen from her car after she was distracted by a woman asking for help in the parking lot of the Colonnades Pointe Claire shopping centre at St. Jean Boulevard, just north of Brunswick Boulevard.

“She had an eye appointment in the medical building,” said her daughter, Michèle Lesage. “After her appointment, she returned to her car, turned the engine on and was ready to leave when a woman (approached her car) and started shouting out to her.”

Lesage said her mother didn’t understand what the woman was saying, and “the woman kept insisting by tapping on her window as if wanting to show my mom something. My mom thought that the woman had seen someone scratch her car.”

According to Lesage, that’s when her mother got out of the car to talk to the woman, who lured her to her vehicle.

“She showed her some money on the ground,” Lesage said. “My mom told her it wasn’t hers and told the woman to keep it. When she got back into her car, she then realized that her purse was stolen. The woman distracted her while her partner stole the purse.”

Lesage says she is relieved that her mother was not physically hurt. She and her mother met with police to file a report. An investigation is currently under way.

The incident comes in the wake of a special report last month by the Journal de Montréal that revealed that the Fairview Pointe Claire parking lot is the most popular location for thieves on the island of Montreal, making it the car theft capital of Quebec, with data showing that 185 cars have been reported stolen from the parking in the last year, which means one car stolen every two days.

The vehicle thefts at Fairview are even higher than at Trudeau Airport in Dorval, where 126 thefts have been recorded in the last year.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Shortly before 8 p.m. on Oct. 26, 1985, residents of Malcolm Circle in Dorval call 911 to report that a crazed man armed with a rifle and a shotgun is lurking around their neighbouhood, ringing doorbells and shouting. Moments later, constables Jacinthe Fyfe and partner Denis Denman arrive on the scene. From their cruiser, Fyfe spots an armed man standing near a row of bushes near 285 Malcolm Circle. The suspect opens fire on the cruiser as Fyfe attempts to drive away. The cruiser hits a tree as gunfire smashes the rear window of the police car. While Denman escapes unscathed, Fyfe is hit in the neck and dies instantly.

The 25-year-old Roxboro resident with only five years’ policing experience becomes the first female police officer to die in the line of duty in Canada. The suspect, 21-year-old Réal Poirier, escapes, but hours later, surrenders to police.

Nearly 40 years later, Fyfe is still remembered as a feisty and brave police officer who, despite being barely above five feet tall, never backed down from responding to a call. Last month, she was among 21 Montreal police officers who have been killed in the line of duty to be honoured during a ceremony at Montreal police headquarters.

While Poirier was charged in Fyfe’s killing, the case became complicated due to Poirier’s mental illness. The St. Zotique native suffered from schizophrenia. On the night of the tragedy, police said Poirier took his sister’s car, a rifle and a shotgun, and drove towards Montreal. However, he stopped in Dorval when he ran out of gas. According to the investigation, Poirier was armed because he had planned to shoot Montreal boxer Alex Hilton, who had beaten him three days earlier during a drunken argument in a bar in Rivière Beaudette.

A psychiatrist told Poirier’s trial that the incident with Hilton drove Poirier over the edge, and that he suffered from temporary insanity. The court acquitted Poirier, but sent him to the Pinel Institute for the Criminally Insane, where he spent one year before being released. His current whereabouts are unknown.

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Jacinthe Fyfe was fatally shot while responding to a call on Malcolm Circle in Dorval in 1985. She was 25.   

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

The families of two West Island police officers gunned down in 1985 and 1996 were on hand as the Montreal Police Service unveiled a wall of honour at its downtown headquarters on Nov. 27 – a ceremony that recognized 21 police officers killed in the line of duty since the creation of the SPVM in 1973.

Relatives of constables Jacinthe Fyfe and André Lalonde, as well as politicians, dignitaries and senior police officers looked on as Montreal police director Fady Dagher officially unveiled the wall, dubbed “L’allée des braves,” located in the lobby of the headquarters on St. Urbain Street. While 21 officers appear on the wall, Dagher reminded attendees that 70 men and women in blue were killed in the line of duty on the island of Montreal since 1843.

The ceremony was held exactly 29 years after Const. Odette Pinard was murdered. Her daughter, Geneviève, was present for the event.

Flanked by a large crowd of relatives and friends of the fallen, Dagher also unveiled a new insignia, featuring the words, “Tombé(e)s mais jamais oublié(e)s (Fallen, but never forgotten),” which honours Montreal’s slain officers, adding that all 4,600 frontline personnel will be wearing it on their uniforms and the entire SPVM fleet will feature the new sticker.

“We’ve never forgotten our fallen police officers,” Dagher said. “But today, we continue to do it by wearing this insignia on our uniforms. We have to remember where we come from. We have a 181-year history with 70 men and women who gave their lives.”

The ceremony began with the presentation of memorial plaques to family members of the fallen officers. Among them was Patrick and Nathalie Lalonde, the children of Const. André Lalonde, a 32-year veteran who was shot and killed in April 1996 during a routine traffic stop on a quiet road in Senneville. Lalonde, who was assigned out of the former Station 11 in Kirkland, was shot several times in the chest by the driver, after he was pulled over for a noisy muffler. While homicide investigators at the time identified a potential suspect, there was never enough evidence to tie him to the killing. Lalonde’s murder remains unresolved.

“This is beautiful, I am totally impressed,” Patrick Lalonde told The 1510 West as he and his sons gathered at the wall to observe the presentation. “(The SPVM) has done a beautiful job to honour my father.”

In an interview, André Lalonde’s widow, Nicole, explained that she was unable to attend the ceremony because she was on a cruise. However, she praised the SPVM for honouring her husband, adding that she was delighted that her children could represent the family.

“I had a special place in my heart for that ceremony,” she said. “I am so proud of my kids for being present when I can’t be there. I am so proud of the people they have become, and I know that André would be proud, too. I am 78 years old now, and I will keep trying to attend these events for as long as I can.”

The Montreal Police Service had originally created the wall of honour in the summer of 1997, but it was tucked away on the ground floor behind the main entrance. According to SPVM spokesman David Shane, it was the families of fallen police officers who recommended that the wall be moved into the lobby so that members of the public could easily see it.

“They spoke, and we listened,” Shane said.

The only two female police officers killed in the line of duty were also recognized. They included Const. Pinard, shot to death on Nov. 27, 1995, while sitting at the reception desk of a neighbourhood police station in Cartierville by an unknown gunman, as well as Jacinthe Fyfe, who was shot dead in Dorval on Oct. 26, 1985. While repeat offender Réal Poirier was charged with Fyfe’s murder, Pinard’s killer remains at large. The SPVM says her killing is still under investigation.

 Cutline:
Montreal police director Fady Dagher (left) stands with Const. André Lalonde’s daughter, Nathalie, his son, Patrick (right), and Patrick’s sons.

Credit:
Frederic Serre, The 1510 West

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Police and firefighters were busy dealing with five criminally-set car fires last week in Pointe Claire and Dollard des Ormeaux – a type of arson that is on the rise on the island of Montreal, police say.

A citizen called 911 at about 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 to report a car on fire in the driveway of a residence on Pendennis Avenue, near Hilary Avenue in Pointe Claire. By the time firefighters reached the scene, the car was engulfed in flames. Damage to the residence was also reported. Investigators also discovered another vehicle parked nearby had been splashed with an accelerant, leading them to believe they were dealing with an arsonist.

Véronique Dubuc of the Montreal Police Service said no injuries were reported and no suspects have been arrested, adding that the incident is now being investigated by the arson squad.

Dubuc said police were also busy 24 hours earlier investigating a car fire less than a kilometre away. At about 2:40 a.m. on Dec. 2, firefighters were called to a private residence on Hastings Avenue near Empress Avenue to extinguish a car fire. The vehicle was declared a total loss. Again, the arson squad is investigating.

A day earlier a similar scenario unfolded, this time in Dollard, where firefighters and police responded to a vehicle on fire in front of a residence on Louis Riel Street near Iberville Street. The call came in shortly before 4 a.m. The car was a total loss.

“The circumstances surrounding this (Dec. 1) fire are unknown and suspicious,” said Dubuc. “The investigation is in the hands of the SPVM.”

Dubuc said two other vehicles had been set ablaze on Louis Riel Street at 8 p.m. the previous day.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

The Sûreté du Québec is looking for a St. Lazare man in connection with the brutal killing of a 25-year-old cryptocurrency influencer believed to have been murdered in Les Cèdres earlier this year.

The provincial police say 36-year-old Guillaume Nobert of St. Lazare is the prime suspect in the killing. Investigators, however, believe he may be hiding in Mexico.

This is the latest development in the evolving case of the murder of Kevin Mirshahi, whose body was found in October by city workers in a busy Montreal park.

Mirshahi was enjoying a night of bar hopping on June 21 when he and three friends, two women and a man, were attacked and abducted by a group of hooded suspects in the parking lot of a condominium building in Old Montreal. Police believe the victims were taken to a residence on Rolland St. in Les Cèdres. The next morning three of the four abductees were released unharmed and were found in Montreal’s west end. Mirshahi, however, was still missing.

After being found in a Montreal park in mid-October, Mirshahi’s body was finally identified by a coroner on Oct. 30.

Last month, the first arrest was made in the case when Joanie Lepage, 32, of Les Cèdres was charged in connection with the murder. Police allege Mirshahi was killed inside her residence. She is expected to make another court appearance today in Valleyfield.

Meanwhile, police have made two more arrests in the case. Darius Perry, 27, of Châteauguay, and Nackeal Hickey, 26, of Montreal both appeared at the Valleyfield courthouse Nov. 19 to face charges of complicity to commit murder and kidnapping in connection with the slaying.

Hickey made headlines earlier this summer when he allegedly tried to steal a vehicle in Dollard des Ormeaux in the West Island and became involved in a shout-out with police.

In that incident on Aug. 4, a father and his son were unloading their vehicle at the corner of Davignon St. and De Salaberry Blvd. in Dollard when Hickey allegedly shot both men, prompting bystanders to call 911. According to police, about 30 police officers responded immediately, with more than 40 shots fired in the gun battle with the suspect. The father, son, and Hickey were seriously injured and taken to hospital.

Hickey has been in custody since recovering from his injuries. He faces a multitude of charges related to the shooting, including at least one count of attempted murder as well as violating a court order prohibiting him from possessing weapons and with violating parole conditions. Police would not say how he was linked to Mirshahi’s murder.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

A Gatineau mill specializing in pulp and paper products has received a grant from the Quebec government worth $5 million to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The announcement was made last month by Mathieu Lévesque, MNA for Chapleau and Deputy House Leader, on behalf of Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks and Minister responsible for the Laurentians region.

The financing, announced Sept. 20, will enable Resolute Forest Products to switch the movable grate on its biomass-fired boiler, thus replacing totally or partially, fossil fuels.

The renovation project will reduce natural gas consumption by more than 7.3 million square metres per year. This will result in an annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of just more than 13,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, or approximately the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions of 3,800 cars, said Resolute spokesman Richard Tremblay.

“Thanks to better-adapted equipment, we will reduce our use of natural gas and eliminate 13,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. This project is part of our commitment to analyze and reduce our GHG emissions on a group-wide scale,” Tremblay said.

Charette said his government “has equipped itself with the necessary means to support local businesses so that they can contribute fully to Quebec’s climate and energy transition.”

“It’s with projects like the Gatineau plant that we are transforming our economy in a sustainable way and getting closer to our climate objectives more quickly,” he added.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

Young farmers hoping to establish themselves in Quebec got some good news recently, as the province announced $5 million in support to help them start new farms or take over existing ones.

“Supporting Quebec’s young agricultural entrepreneurs is a priority for this government,” said Quebec Agriculture Minister André Lamontagne. “I’m delighted with this financial support and the changes … that will enable us to support a greater number of young farmers.”

The Quebec government said the eligibility criteria for its Young Farmers and Entrepreneurship initiative have been broadened to allow for a greater number of projects, between 200 and 250, and for the eligibility period to increase from five to 10 years.

The government is teaming up with the Fédération de la relève agricole du Québec to carry out the initiative, a move that Fédération president David Beauvais says will better serve the growing needs of Quebec’s young farmers.

According to Beauvais, the average age of all farm operators has risen from 52.9 in 2016 to 54 in 2021, and the proportion of young farmers under 40 has dropped from 18 per cent in 2016 to 16 per cent in 2021.

The project submission period began on Nov. 4, and applicants will have until Jan. 31 to submit a project, or until the budget envelope is exhausted.

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

A Quebec research scientist and a researcher who has collaborated with McGill University are among the four 2024 inductees into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame, which held its ceremony in Toronto earlier this month to honour individuals who have dedicated their lives to advance Canadian agriculture.

“We are so proud to shine a bright spotlight on the achievements these individuals have made throughout their careers – advancing forage crops, canola, cattle genetics and entomology – for the benefit of Canadian agriculture,” said Phil Boyd, chair of the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame.

The 2024 inductees honoured Nov. 2 are Dr. Charles Vincent, Dr. Bruce Coulman, Dr. Michael Eskin and Paul Larmer. The 2024 inductees will join the more than 250 individuals who are currently in the hall of fame.

Vincent, who lives in St. Lambert, Que., is an internationally respected leader in agricultural entomology. A research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and accomplished science communicator, Vincent has spent 40 years studying the economic impact of insects on Canadian food production, guided by a vision for developing sustainable agricultural systems that are commercially viable with the lowest environmental impact possible. His work, including the development of the first viral insecticide registered for use in Canada, provides practical tools that have considerably reduced the quantity of insecticides used in commercial production, including apples, grapes and blueberries.

Coulman is an award-winning forage crop researcher who developed 24 novel forage crop varieties throughout his more than four decades of work. As a researcher at McGill, Coulman’s forage breeding work shaped the future for the profitable production of forage seed and forage crops for cattle feed. Coulman worked as a professor and department head at the University of Saskatchewan, and then at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Saskatoon Research Centre. Many of his forage varieties were industry firsts, including bloat-reduced alfalfa, hybrid bromegrass and smooth-awned forage barley.

Eskin is a trailblazing canola researcher whose work made groundbreaking contributions to the early development and refinement of canola oil. A distinguished professor at the University of Manitoba, Eskin’s work helped transform the quality and stability of canola oil, expanding the market for this quintessential Canadian crop on an international scale. 

Larmer has dedicated his professional life to improving cattle genetics and establishing Canada as a global leader. From his early days as a dairy cattle sire analyst, to overseeing the formation of the Semex Alliance and 17 years at the helm as CEO, Larmer’s lifetime leadership and vision have made a profound impact on the success of the Canadian farmer-owned companies in the global cattle breeding improvement industry. 

Founded in 1960, the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame aims to celebrate individual Canadians

for their contributions to the agriculture and food industry. A framed portrait of each new inductee, along with biographical information, is added to the hall of fame’s gallery at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto. The aim is to honour and celebrate the men and women who have influenced all facets of agriculture across the country.

Cutline:

Cutline:

Dr. Bruce Coulman, who was at one time a researcher at McGill University, is one of the four new members inducted into the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame this year.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

A quiet afternoon on Portway Avenue in Pointe Claire’s north end was shattered last Sunday when the driver of a stolen SUV deliberately drove into a police cruiser near the intersection of Hermitage Avenue, resulting in a dramatic foot chase that quickly ended when a K9 unit arrived on the scene and nabbed the 18-year-old male suspect.

According to Montreal police spokesperson Caroline Chèvrefils, officers at the scene credited police dog Phoenix with apprehending the suspect.

According to Chèvrefils, officers were responding to a call of a suspicious looking man at the wheel of a vehicle suspected of having been stolen. As the officers got out of their patrol car, on Portway Avenue, the suspect accelerated in an attempt to injure the constables. The SUV collided head on with the cruiser, at which time the suspect fled on foot.

Within minutes, a K9 unit arrived on the scene and Phoenix the dog was released. He quickly located the suspect, who was hiding near a residence. Police said the man surrendered when Phoenix pounced on him.

The suspect was scheduled to appear in court Monday to face a litany of charges, including possession of a stolen vehicle and attempt to injure a police officer, Chèvrefils said.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1015 West

A Montreal police investigation into the kidnapping and murder of a 25-year-old cryptocurrency influencer has resulted in the arrest of three individuals, including a man who was involved in a dramatic shootout with police in Dollard des Ormeaux in August, which resulted in serious injuries to two innocent bystanders.

The bound and gagged decomposing body of Kevin Mirshahi, believed to have been assassinated in Les Cèdres after being kidnapped last June was positively identified by a coroner on Oct. 30, two weeks after being found in a busy north-end Montreal park by city workers. An intensive investigation by the Montreal police homicide squad led to three arrests – Darius Perry, 27, of Châteauguay, and Nackeal Hickey, 26, of Montreal, and Joanie Lepage, 32 of Les Cèdres. Perry and Hickey face charges of complicity to commit murder and kidnapping, while Lepage has been charged with murder and abduction.

The SQ is still seeking a prime suspect identified as 36-year-old Guillaume Nobert of St. Lazare. Investigators believe he may be hiding in Mexico.

Hickey made headlines Aug. 4 when he allegedly tried to steal a car from a father and son who were unloading their vehicle at the corner of Davignon St. and De Salaberry Blvd. Hickey allegedly shot both men, prompting bystanders to call 911. According to police, about 30 police officers responded, with more than 40 shots fired in the gun battle with the suspect. The father, son and Hickey were seriously injured.

Hickey, who has been in custody since August, faces a multitude of charges related to the shooting, including at least one count of attempted murder as well as violating a court order prohibiting him from possessing weapons and violating parole conditions.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

Three months after a female trucker was beaten unconscious during a shocking road rage incident on the Île aux Tourtes Bridge, the victim finally came face to face with her alleged attacker last Friday at the Valleyfield courthouse, where he was formally charged with one count of assault causing bodily harm.

Trucker Kirwin Labissiere, 47, of Terrebonne pleaded not guilty.

The victim in the road rage incident, trucker Stephanie Ross, was also in court to watch the proceeding. She had mixed feelings as she sat 20 feet away from her alleged assailant outside the courtroom as she and her husband and lawyer waited for her case to be heard.

“I never recognized him, nothing was triggered in my brain,” Ross said in an interview with The 1019 Report. “He changed his appearance and was walking around with a mask on his face. He just kept his head down. He definitely seemed surprised that I was there.”

Ross is still recovering from the concussion she suffered Aug. 21 during the fender-bender incident, which forced the closure of the bridge in both directions for several hours as paramedics and SQ officers did their best to reach the scene. According to the SQ, the road rage incident was sparked by a dispute as both trucks were stuck in heavy traffic in the westbound lane on the span at about 3:30 p.m.

A shocking video of the brazen attack, obtained by The 1019 Report and other media, showed Ross, a resident of Morin Heights, being punched in the head and knocked unconscious by a male trucker. The video also showed two Transport Quebec employees trying to reason with Ross’s attacker, as he hovered over her as she was lying unconscious on the pavement. She was transported to hospital for treatment.

“With what I went through and with all the memory gaps that I have right now… I still can’t remember,” Ross said. “I still don’t have that recollection of the events.”

Labissiere, who does not have a criminal record and is out on bail, will return to court on Jan. 31.

FREDERIC SERRE

The 1019 Report

The Sûreté du Québec yesterday afternoon arrested two men in connection with the kidnapping and murder of 25-year-old Kevin Mirshahi, a cryptocurrency influencer believed to have been killed in Les Cèdres after being kidnapped last June. His bound and gagged decomposing body was positively identified by a coroner on Oct. 30, two weeks after being found in a busy Montreal park by city workers.

The SQ yesterday identified the two suspects as Darius Perry, 27, of Châteauguay, and Nackeal Hickey, 26, of Montreal. Both appeared at the Valleyfield courthouse yesterday afternoon to face charges of complicity to commit murder and kidnapping Mirshahi and three other persons. The SQ did not provide details about how and where the two men were arrested. A third person has been charged with Mirshahi’s killing and abduction. She has been identified as Joanie Lepage, 32, of Les Cèdres. Police allege Mirshahi was killed inside her residence.

Montreal city workers stumbled upon Mirshahi’s body at Île de la Visitation Nature Park in Ahuntsic. Police say Mirshahi’s hands and feed were bound and his body showed signs of violence.

Mirshahi disappeared on June 21, after enjoying a night of bar hopping, when he and three friends, two women and a man, were attacked and abducted by a group of hooded suspects from the parking lot of a condominium building in Old Montreal. Police believe the victims were taken to a residence on Rolland Street in Les Cèdres. The next morning three abductees were released unharmed and were found in Montreal’s west end. Mirshahi, however, remained missing.

Lepage’s next court appearance is Dec. 4.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

A 62-year-old West Island woman who miraculously survived a horrific two-car hit-and-run crash on the Trans-Canada Highway service road in Pointe Claire two weeks ago that destroyed her vehicle says she is lucky to be alive.

“I’m certainly very grateful to be alive,” the woman, a Pointe Claire resident who asked not to be identified, told The 1510 West. “I’m in a lot of pain but that just reminds me that I’m alive. Apparently both my shoulders are fractured. It still could have been much, much worse and I’m so grateful for God’s mercy on me!”

The drama began around 9 p.m. on Oct. 29 as the woman was driving along the eastbound service road between the St. Jean and Sources exits when a speeding car slammed into the rear of her vehicle, causing it to roll over at least four times, witnesses told police. Both cars were heavily damaged, and while the woman was trapped inside the wreckage, a male suspect crawled out of his vehicle and, instead of rendering help to the woman, fled on foot.

Montreal police have launched an investigation into the crash, obtaining footage from nearby cameras, as well as examining both cars, including the suspect’s vehicle. According to police, the owner of the car turned himself in, claiming that his car had been stolen.

While investigators try to sort out the mess, the woman who has been released from hospital and is now recovering at home, suffered a broken collarbone, a broken rib, and two fractured shoulders. In an interview, she had a few choice words for the driver who slammed into her car.

“What a coward! He didn’t even check to see if I was alive!” she said. “I was crushed inside the car and I couldn’t move. Thankfully some witnesses were able to get me out and away from the car, since it reeked of gasoline.”

And if dealing with her injuries wasn’t enough, the woman says she is now having to face her insurance company, adding: “They told me if the police can’t (arrest) the guy, they won’t pay me a dime! I’ll have to pay for the towing, the impound and another car. It looks like I won’t be able to work for a while either.”

The woman said she is encouraged by how seriously police are treating her case.

“The police have been building a criminal case,” she said. “They already sent photographers to my home to document my injuries. They had these special lights that show bruising that doesn’t even appear yet! They are coming again (today) to take my recorded statement.

“Speeding is bad enough but the fact that he just ran away, like a coward, without knowing if I was dead or alive and without even calling to get me help makes me feel like he’s (going to get) what he deserves!”

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Employees at a Pointe Claire steel distribution company watched in horror as one of their colleagues was killed after being crushed by several steel rolls last Thursday. The tragedy occurred at about 2:30 p.m. on the site of the Diversified Ulbrich factory on Hymus Blvd.

The victim, Marwan Matar – a father of two young children, ages 3 and 5 – was killed instantly when several steel rolls fell on him. According to police, the beams weighed more than 2,000 pounds. Matar was 36 years old. Police said he was declared dead at the scene. It took firefighters several hours to remove the rolls and extricate the victim.

The Montreal police have turned its investigation over to the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST).

A friend of the family has set up a Gofundme page to raise money to help Matar’s wife and daughters. As of yesterday, $21,500 has been pledged toward the $30,000 target requested.

Drive-by shootings, arsons have residents on edge

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Four drive-by shootings since July. A bullet-riddled garage door. Arson attacks. A parked car, set ablaze. Residents terrified. Increased police patrols. Neighbours installing security cameras.

This is not a crime-riddled inner-city district. This is peaceful, residential Kirkland – more specifically, Beaubois Street, near Timberlea Trail, an area better known for family barbecues and parents walking their kids to school.

Since July, however, Beaubois Street has attracted intense attention from police, most recently on Oct. 28, when a gunman fired at a house for a second time in just a few months.

According to Montreal police, since late July, there have been four attacks on three homes on Beaubois, a quiet U-shaped street in Kirkland’s northern Timberlea area. No injuries have been reported, police said.

“We are living in hell,” said one resident who asked not to be identified. “Several neighbours here are scared of stray bullets. That’s what we’re all worried about.”

The bullets that ripped through the garage door of one house shortly before midnight on Oct. 28 is the same residence where an incendiary device was thrown against the garage door on Aug. 10, said Montreal police spokeswoman Véronique Dubuc. In the most recent attack, Dubuc said, witnesses saw a vehicle slow down as someone inside the vehicle opened fire on the residence, before they fled along Timberlea Trail.

According to police, the couple who lives there reported they never received any threats and are as puzzled as investigators about why anyone would want to harm them.

To add to the mystery, a car parked in the driveway of a nearby residence was set ablaze on the night of July 28. Sixteen days later, on Aug. 13, someone fired shots into the garage door of another residence.

Officers from Montreal police Station 1 have increased patrols in the area, and during a community meeting last summer, residents were told the incidents might be related, but authorities urged calm, saying police are doing what they can to solve the crisis.

According to Lise Labrosse, a spokesperson for the Town of Kirkland, a meeting was held recently by Station 1 officials, the mayor and general manager, as well as residents of Beaubois Street to discuss the growing number of incidents. According to Labrosse, the town has installed brighter street lights to increase visibility.

One resident, who also asked to remain anonymous, said that despite the tension in the area, “we don’t want to worry about it too much, but what the owners of the (targeted residence) must be living is horrible and difficult – but we’re trying our best to continue living our lives.”

Frederic Serre
The Advocate

A tragic accident at a family farm in the Montérégie village of Ste. Christine earlier this month resulted in the deaths of a man in his 40s and his wife, also in her 40s. The Sûreté du Québec and Quebec’s Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) are investigating the Oct. 4 incident at the farm on Highway 116, near Acton Vale.

According to Camille Savoie of the SQ, officers and local firefighters were called to the Robidoux Jutras veal and grain farm at about 6:30 p.m. after receiving a report of a severely injured man found unconscious in a manure pit. Savoie said the victim’s spouse attempted to rescue him, but she, too, was also seriously injured. The couple was pulled out of the pit by firefighters.

Éric Jutras was pronounced dead at the scene while his wife, Caroline Robidoux, was rushed to hospital. She died nine days later, on Oct. 13.

Investigators believe the accident happened as Jutras was working near the pit. He fell into the pit after possibly suffering a medical emergency due to the toxic gas emanated from it. The SQ said Jutras called out to his wife, who rushed to his aid, but she also succumbed to the fumes and fell into the pit.

A Gofundme campaign has been launched by the family of the couple, with already more than $19,500 raised to support their three children.

The tragedy this month is 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. 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.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Montreal police say they have “strong reasons” to believe that a 41-year-old Montreal man arrested last July and charged with 18 counts of sexual crimes involving children may have had victims in the West Island, and are urging them to come forward.

Michaël Michaud, who police say was offering babysitting and mentoring services to young children, allegedly sexually assaulted several young boys over the last 10 years. As the investigation proceeds, police – both Montreal police and the Sûreté du Québec – believe he has made other victims. Police say more victims have stepped forward since Michaud’s arrest last July 3.

Michaud faces charges of sexual assault, sexual contact with a minor, possession and production of child porn, and voyeurism. He appeared in court in Montreal last Thursday.

According to the charges, Michaud allegedly assaulted five victims under the age of 16 and filmed a sex act with a sixth victim whose age has not been made public.

Police allege that Michaud’s crimes occurred between 2011 and 2024 in various municipalities in the Greater Montreal region, including Montreal, Laval, Ste. Agathe des Monts, Île Perrot, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, St. Clet and St. Polycarpe.

In a statement released last Friday, Montreal police alleged 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.”

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 week, police released several photos of Michaud, going back to 2002.

Police are urging possible victims to call 514-280-8502 or 911 to report a complaint. Anyone wishing to provide information anonymously and confidentially can do so by contacting Info-Crime Montréal at 514-393-1133 or by filling out a form at: infocrimemontreal.ca

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

West Islanders took to social media last Friday, teaming up with animal rescue teams and wildlife officials to save a wayward deer that had found its way onto the elevated tracks of the REM line near St. Charles Blvd. in Kirkland.

The drama began shortly after noon when a motorist posted a video and photo on a social media page page of a frightened young deer running along the track, prompting an immediate response from other motorists and concerned citizens. Thankfully, no trains are yet running on the West Island section of the REM line and the tracks are not yet electrified. The concern, however, was that the deer was trapped on a portion that is 24 metres above street level.

Thanks to the response spurred by social media, REM officials contacted animal rescue units and Quebec’s Environment Ministry, which sent wildlife agents to the scene, who then tranquilized the animal, before transporting it back to a forested area near Ste. Anne de Bellevue. REM officials said the deer entered the tracks through a part of the fence that had been damaged by a fallen tree, adding that the fence has since been repaired.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

A 42-year-old St. Zotique man was slapped with a $1,376 fine for driving nearly 170 kilometres per hour in a 100-kilometre zone in Valleyfield last week.

Sûreté du Québec officers conducting radar checks on Highway 530 shortly after noon on Oct. 6 clocked a car travelling at 168 kilometres per hour and immediately ordered the driver to pull over. Along with the fine, the motorist had his driver’s licence suspended for seven days and was issued 14 demerit points.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

An arrest warrant has been issued by the Sûreté du Québec against the truck driver caught on camera knocking a female trucker unconscious during a shocking road rage incident last August on the Île aux Tourtes Bridge.

While he is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 15 to face criminal charges in connection with the incident, he was ordered by the SQ to report to the Vaudreuil-Dorion detachment on Oct. 7 to be photographed and fingerprinted, but failed to appear. The suspect has not been publicly identified. He has been charged with aggravated assault and dangerous driving.

The Aug. 21 incident forced the closure of the bridge in both directions for several hours as paramedics and SQ officers did their best to reach the scene of the incident as quickly as possible. According to the SQ, the road rage incident was sparked by a dispute as both trucks were stuck in heavy traffic in the westbound lane of the span at about 3:30 p.m.

A shocking video of the brazen attack, obtained by The 1019 Report and other media, showed trucker Stephanie Ross of Morin Heights being punched in the head and knocked unconscious by a male trucker. The video also showed two Transport Quebec employees trying to reason with Ross’s attacker, as he hovered over her as she was lying unconscious on the pavement. She was transported to hospital for treatment.

Ross denounced the lack of response by other motorists, truckers and even the pair of Transport Quebec workers who had initially stepped in, but then went back to work instead of calling 911. According to Ross, it was the woman who had filmed the attack who got out of her car and tended to her, urging the Transport Quebec workers to call 911 while the suspect was still walking around the fallen Ross.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

Karyne Légaré, the Coteau du Lac mother accused of murdering her 5-year-old son, was back in court last Friday, where the Crown announced that it had additional evidence, and requested that it be given more time before proceeding.

Quebec Court judge Mylène Grégoire granted the request and set Légaré’s next appearance for Nov. 22.

Légaré, 29, appeared before the judge at the Valleyfield courthouse via videoconference from the Leclerc Penitentiary in Laval, where she has been held since Sept. 18, the day she was arrested by Sûreté du Québec officers at her home on Chemin du Fleuve. Police had received a frantic 911 call made from the Légaré’s residence. On the scene, police discovered the lifeless body of the boy. Both Légaré and another person were taken to hospital. Police said previously that Légaré had attempted to take her own life.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

A 77-year-old retired private school teacher living in Dollard des Ormeaux had hoped to spend a two-year sentence at his residence with his wife for sexually assaulting two male students more than 25 years ago. Instead, a Quebec Court judge sent Robert Charpentier to a federal jail last Thursday, despite the defence’s pleas and support from his local church, as well as former colleagues and even one student – and despite Charpentier’s claim that he did nothing wrong.

Judge Guylaine Rivest dismissed Charpentier’s lawyer’s argument that media coverage of his client’s court case had caused him great harm and that his age should be taken into consideration for allowing the former English, religion and morality teacher to serve his sentence at home.

The 2022 trial heard evidence that in the late 1980s, Charpentier, a teacher at a private school in the West Island, invited one boy to his home, where they played a game of “truth or dare” in the basement and the teacher then sexually assaulted his young victim. The second victim was assaulted a decade later while walking with Charpentier at the school during the lunch hour. Charpentier was found guilty of gross indecency for abusing the first child and inciting the second victim to touch himself in a sexual manner.

Charpentier received support from friends and former colleagues, as well as from a former student who told the court that Charpentier was a man blessed with “high morals” and who had “enriched society.” But that didn’t convince Rivest, who slapped the retired teacher with a 24-month sentence, followed by three years’ probation. He will also be added to a sexual offenders’ list for 10 years.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Nearly two weeks have passed since Pointe Claire resident Samantha Singh was arrested during a province-wide anti-trafficking sweep by more than 100 police officers that resulted in the seizure of illegal weapons and drugs, but her colleagues at Concordia University say they are still reeling in shock, with one employee stunned that “she had a double life.”

“I’ve had drinks with her, I’ve worked with her, we’re all in shock,” said the colleague, who asked not to be identified. “Her salary must have been between $80,000 and $90,000.”

Singh, 39, worked as a graduate program coordinator with the university’s Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering for the past decade. Today, she sits in a jail cell, awaiting her next court appearance, which will be in November. She and the other individuals arrested appeared by video conference before a Quebec Court judge on the day of their arrest.

Singh was among 13 individuals arrested Sept. 26, when early-morning raids by the Sûreté du Québec and other police services in 16 locations, including in Longueuil, Boucherville, St. Hubert and towns around Quebec City, led to the seizure of 50 illegal guns, about 4 million methamphetamine tablets, 34 kilograms of crystal meth, 18 kilograms of cocaine and $190,000 in Canadian currency. Police allege the people arrested supplied guns and drugs from the United States to criminal organizations operating in the province. The SQ also said other suspects are still being sought.

Police raided Singh’s residence and charged her with weapons trafficking and possession for the purpose of weapons trafficking. According to the charge sheet, Singh allegedly committed her crimes for several months, leading up to the evening before her arrest. Several weapons and ammunition were seized at her residence. The SQ said she had been on their radar since October 2023.

The SQ investigation, dubbed Project CENTAURE, is ongoing and the aim is to keep the pressure on organized crime and reduce gun violence in Quebec, the SQ said in a statement.

Concordia officials declined to comment on the case.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

A massive joint police operation involving the RCMP and Sûreté du Québec in the region two weeks ago that featured helicopters, drones, all-terrain vehicles and trucks aimed at destroying illegal marijuana fields produced mixed results, leaving red-faced investigators to admit that they had the wrong intel in at least one of the raids, which left the owner of the property furious with police.

The first raid took place early Sept. 19, as more than a dozen RCMP and SQ vehicles descended on a residence on Montée St. Robert in St. Lazare. Officers arrived with a warrant to carry out a site inspection and destroy a suspected cannabis plantation. Guided by a helicopter, the team of specialists left the site empty-handed, as no cannabis plants were found. As officers left the property, RCMP officials admitted that they had received erroneous information.

The convoy then drove to a site on Highway 340 in St. Polycarpe, where, for several hours, they seized and destroyed more than 800 illegal marijuana plants. No arrests were announced by the RCMP, while SQ spokesman Louis-Philippe Ruel said that the investigation is continuing.

Ruel said the raids were part of a campaign launched last June by the RCMP and the SQ throughout the province that has resulted in the seizure of several thousands of illegal cannabis plants.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

Quebec Court judge Bertrand St. Arnaud has lifted a publication ban in the case of Coteau du Lac mother Karyne Légaré, who is charged with the murder of her 5-year-old son at her home last month. Légaré, 29, will return to court Oct. 11, after her lawyer requested a delay to review new evidence presented by the Crown at the Valleyfield courthouse.

On Sept. 18, police responded to a frantic 911 call made from Légaré’s residence on Chemin du Fleuve at 3 a.m., where they found the lifeless body of the child., along with his mother and two other persons. Both Légaré and another person were taken to hospital. Police said Légaré had attempted to take her life. She is being held at the Leclerc penitentiary in Laval.

During Légaré’s court appearance by videoconferencing on Sept. 20, where she was formally charged with first-degree murder, Arnaud ordered the ban to protect the young victim’s identity. Last week, the ban was lifted, allowing media to identify him as Tommy Pilon.

According to police, the child’s body showed many injuries that had first-responders shaken when they arrived on the scene. Police, however, have not revealed how the child died.

Friends of Légaré said she had been battling mental illness, but appeared to have it under control.

Police confirmed that they had had run-ins with Légaré in the past, and had been called several times to her residence for wellness checks. She did not have a criminal record.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

A Pointe Claire mother is urging residents to keep a close eye on their children after an incident at Seigniory Park last weekend left her two daughters – ages 12 and 3 – rattled when a man approached them and asked for their names and phone numbers. The eldest child told the man that she was going to call 911 if he did not stop bothering them, prompting him to take off. He left the scene driving a black SUV.

The parents immediately contacted Montreal police and filed an official report, providing a full description of the suspect based on the description provided by their daughter.

The incident happened Sunday afternoon when the woman’s daughters went for a walk at Seigniory Park, located off Sedgefield and Whitley avenues. The park offers a fenced-in area and a gated section for toddlers.

The woman said her daughter told her a man stepped out of his vehicle, which was parked in a nearby lane, and walked over to the children, identifying himself as “Ted.” He wore blue jeans, an orange T-shirt and a black sweater around his waist.

“He wanted my 12-year-old’s name and phone number and to ‘see her again,’ ” the woman said in an exchange with The 1510 West. “When she said she would phone the police if he did not leave them alone, he ran off to his car and sped away.”

The woman said the incident has disturbed her greatly, adding that the park is usually a safe place for kids.

“To members of the community and especially those in Pointe Claire: Be careful around Seigniory Park! Guard your kids is the message I wanted to send as I wait for the anxiety to fade away.”

Contacted yesterday for comment, Montreal police did not respond.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Organizers of the prestigious Presidents Cup golf tournament being held this week in Île Bizard were left scrambling in preparation of the event, after more than $25,000 worth of tournament merchandise, including clothing worn by the golfers, was stolen last the weekend from the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal under the eyes of striking hotel security staff. Montreal police have launched an investigation into the daring theft.

The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) is hosting the international tournament at the Royal Montreal Golf Club, which began yesterday and runs until Saturday. The PGA announced that it has launched its own investigation to find out why anyone would want to steal a suitcase full of tournament items.

According to police, a man entered the hotel on René Lévesque Blvd. last Friday evening and walked out with a suitcase containing shirts, pants and jackets that were to be worn by the event’s golfers. The next morning, the same suspect reportedly returned to the hotel dressed in a PGA outfit and stole more merchandise, including polo shirts, caps, jackets and shoes. Police say the theft happened as the hotel’s security guards were picketing outside the main entrance of the building.

The stolen clothing and promotional items are worth more than $25,000, police said.

Representatives from the hotel, which is partnering with the PGA for the event, declined to comment about the incident. The PGA also said they would not issue a comment, adding that replacement clothing was immediately ordered to accommodate the golfers.

An estimate 30,000 spectators a day are expected to attend the golfing event, the largest tournament staged by the PGA.

The size of the event has raised concerns about traffic in Île Bizard, which has only one road to access the island, and the construction of its new bridge is not yet complete. Only residents, who have all been given special vignettes for their vehicles will be allowed to access the island by car. Spectators will be able to access the venue by shuttles.

FREDERIC SERRE

The 1019 Report

Mathieu Miljours, a popular Vaudreuil-Soulanges lawyer and former director-general of the regional chamber of commerce, was killed early last Thursday in a motorcycle accident in Les Cèdres in what police are describing as a tragic accident after he lost control while trying to navigate a speed bump.

The crash happened shortly after midnight on Du Fleuve Rd. Miljours’ motorcycle struck the speed bump, causing him to lose control and fall off his bike, said Sûreté du Québec spokesman Louis-Philippe Ruel. The severely injured Miljours was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Miljours was a lawyer with 17 years of experience and an active community member. In 2020, he was named director-general of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Chamber of Commerce after serving as president and treasurer. Last month, however, Miljours suddenly resigned from his position, citing potential conflicts of interest involving new projects.

Miljours’ tragic death comes less than four months after he was found guilty of negligence by the Quebec bar’s disciplinary council for offences committed between 2018 and 2024. Last May 28, Miljours was slapped with a four-month ban from practicing law for violating terms of the bar’s professional code of conduct.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report

An extremely violent blaze destroyed a home in St. Lazare last week – a fire that that took more than six hours to extinguish.

Authorities say that while the two-storey residence is a total loss, no injuries were reported. Damage is set at more than $700,000.

Firefighters from six regional detachments were called to battle the flames that broke out inside the house at 2751 Salerne St., a small street east of Côte St. Charles, at about noon last Wednesday. The work by firefighters is being credited for preventing flames from damaging neighbouring homes.

According to the Sûreté du Québec, the flames were finally extinguished at about 6:15 p.m.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West

Four months after an intense investigation by a special unit comprised of more than 50 Montreal police officers, 19 motorists have been reunited with their stolen vehicles and six suspects of a car theft ring have been arrested. Most of the vehicles had been reported stolen at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport in Dorval.

The Montreal Police Service made the announcement last week, saying the suspects – men all in their early 20s – were arrested during raids in Montreal, Brossard and Longueuil, and face a total of 176 charges.

Montreal police began their investigation last May after noticing a sharp rise in vehicle thefts at the airport. While the criminal network targeted the airport, they were also active in other areas of the region. According to police, the gang was specialized in the theft and exportation of stolen vehicles, which included Toyotas, Lexus and Jeeps. In all, about 30 vehicles were reported stolen since May. Police did not identify where the 19 motorists who recovered their vehicles live.

The six suspects appeared before a Quebec Court judge last Thursday and were charged with a long list of accusations, including breaches of court-ordered conditions, theft of a motor vehicle, driving without a licence, careless driving, conspiracy, trafficking of stolen property, possession of burglary tools, engaging in proceeds of crime and possession of a master key.