Grace Richards

Aylmer senior group hopes future mayor will stand by commitments

Grace Richards and Taylor Clark

LJI Reporters

Over 16 per cent of Gatineau’s population is above the age of 65. As the City continues developing, these citizens have felt a growing need for recreational activities in their sector.

In Aylmer, a petition by the Corporation de l’âge d’or d’Aylmer has been circulating to call on the future mayor to improve services and activities for seniors who feel neglected compared to those in other sectors.

“We have an imminent need for change in Aylmer. You are filling this area with elderly people by building huge and very expensive buildings for them, but you are not adapting to all the needs and structures that these people are multiplying in Aylmer,” read the petition.

Independent candidate Stéphane Bisson recognized the great importance of the needs and well- being of seniors in Aylmer and said the petition was a clear signal that effort needed to be stepped up in this area.

“I am committed to making seniors a priority of my mandate. Together, we can create a city where every senior feels respected, supported, and valued,” said Bisson.

To improve the situation in Aylmer, Bisson committed to organizing regular meetings to discuss needs and possible solutions, adapting public infrastructure as well as supporting volunteer initiatives that directly benefit seniors.

“Seniors are an essential component of our community, and it is crucial to meet their specific needs,” said Bisson.

Fellow independent candidate Olive Kamanyana said she had added her name among the signatories of the petition.

“I’ve talked for a long time about the identity of the sectors. At some point, the budget we vote on around the table will have to be a fair budget. A fair budget means that we take into account the specificities of each sector,” said Kamanyana.

While the sector’s pleas for change have fallen on deaf ears, Kamanyana said she was ready to push for the services and adapted infrastructure seniors in Aylmer long for.

“I spoke with the person in charge and it lasted a long time, but I listened to her. This is what I am going to do when I am elected as mayor – to sit at the table to determine for each sector what we can do in the short term, in the medium term, and in the long term,” she said.

Action Gatineau head Maude Marquis-Bissonnette said the petition’s recommendations were sensible and offered her support.

“One of the aspects there is the shuffleboard field which, I know, Caroline (Murray) is closely monitoring at the moment with the elected officials of the Aylmer sector,” said Marquis- Bissonnette.

The political party candidate said the sector has experienced rapid population growth, but its infrastructure has not kept up the same pace. To catch up, Marquis-Bissonnette proposed implementing development fees to ensure infrastructure arrives in neighbourhoods at the same time as new residents.

“It’s $50 million that we have left on the table for the City since 2021. That allows us to meet the needs of everyone, but especially seniors, to redo paving, to make sidewalks, to have supportive, recreational infrastructure and community centres,” said Marquis-Bissonnette.

The Corporation met with all seven candidates and had the impression that their concerns were heard.

“But that will not change the fact that there are at least 18 buildings that will be built in the

entre of Aylmer,” said the Corporation. “The big ones rise, and the small ones disappear. They are destroying the value of Aylmer.”

Photo caption: With the municipal by-election days away, the Corporation de l’âge d’or d’Aylmer hopes the future mayor will take into consideration the needs of seniors in Aylmer.

Photo credit: Corporation de l’âge d’or d’Aylmer Facebook

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Accessibility and soccer at the top of recreation priorities for female mayoral candidates

Grace Richards and Taylor Clark

LJI Reporter

Mayoral candidates Olive Kamanyana and Maude Marquis-Bissonnette have put forward their plans to improve Gatineau’s leisure and sports sector. Their press conferences came amid calls from citizens for more investment into recreation, from children to older adults. Gatineau’s master plan for recreational, sports and community infrastructures was passed by council in 2022, with a focus on developing these infrastructures throughout the city.

While the master plan addressed accessibility and needed improvement, independent candidate Olive Kamanyana said the plan equally needed to speak to adaptation.

“Adapt our equipment, adapt our infrastructure to all categories of people who make up our population,” said Kamanyana.

On the ground, the former Carrefour-de-l’Hôpital district councillor said she constantly faced the stark reality of individuals and families of older adults and people living with disabilities or motor deficits as they attempted to navigate the City’s leisure infrastructure.

“I have heard many comments from parents, young families, elderly people, families with children on the autism spectrum complaining and asking for things to be improved and it has yet to be done,” said Kamanyana.

To implement change, Kamanyana proposed the creation of a special committee made up of partners as well as the presidents of the Commission des aînés and the Commission Gatineau, ville en santé to develop a strategy that will allow inclusive accessibility to sports infrastructure and leisure activities.

As chair of the committee, Kamanyana planned to adapt existing municipal buildings to increase mobility, add outdoor exercise, furniture and lighting to parks, develop new strategies for recruiting and training instructors, prioritize snow clearing around seniors’ residences and include additional leisure and sports activities that promote supervised learning adjusted to the specificities of autistic children.

“All of these people that I have just mentioned have the right to leisure and sports infrastructure that meets their needs. In consultation with all these organizations, I will ensure that for us, leisure and sports are a priority and meet the needs of our people in Gatineau.”

Rather than focusing on access to infrastructure, the Action Gatineau head concentrated on the lack of it. Joined by members of Action Gatineau and representatives from Soccer Outaouais, Marquis-Bissonnette revealed her key commitments for soccer in Gatineau.

Among her promises was quickly concluding agreements to allow sports to return to the Fonderie this fall, rapidly starting the construction of a soccer dome at the Université du Québec en Outaouais, as well as supporting and ensuring the continuity of the synthetic surface project at Ernest-Gaboury Park.

“My priority is to ensure that everyone from Aylmer to Buckingham has access to sports infrastructure all year round,” said Marquis-Bissonnette. The candidate also emphasized investing in soccer infrastructure means investing in an activity that is readily accessible to many, thanks to the relatively low cost of equipment compared to other popular sports, and the ability for people with varying levels of mobility to play.

With a mounting number of players that was only expected to grow, Soccer Outaouais president Chérif Atallah said the association looked forward to a new administration giving attention and importance to the soccer needs in the region.

“Our players have suffered a lot due to the lack of infrastructure in recent years,” said Atallah. “It is the duty of all of us to offer them the support (the players) need in terms of infrastructure and the quality of safe outdoor terrain.”

The association’s general manager Richard Gravel thanked Marquis-Bissonnette for what he felt was a serious commitment from Action Gatineau after years of what he referred to as “slowness” from the City

“We are a growing city. The needs are increasing. And this is where I say that we must seize the opportunities. We must be able to build with sports associations to properly meet needs,” said Marquis-Bissonnette.

Photo caption: Independent mayoral candidate Olive Kamanyana and Action Gatineau head share their commitments to improving leisure and sports activities in Gatineau.

Photo credit: Taylor Clark

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International pilot school becomes beckon of economic growth

Grace Richards and Taylor Clark

LJI Reporters

A little more than a decade after its move to Gatineau, the International Pilot Academy has become a prominent contributor to the area’s economy.

Since opening its doors at the Carp Airport in 2011 and later moving to Gatineau in 2015, the pilot academy has attracted students from all over the country and has even caught the eye of international pilot students. Of its annual 260 students, 80% have travelled from other countries to attend the academy.

The International Piloting Academy stands out among the three aviation schools found at the Gatineau-Ottawa Executive Airport, thanks to its partnership with the Cégep Heritage College that ensures recognized training for students.

President and chief executive officer of the academy, Jules Selwan, shared with our newsroom how the academy’s variety of programs have attracted a diverse group of students, who moved to the Rivière-Blanche district of Gatineau to attend the esteemed school.

“We have every single program offered by Transport Canada except one, which is the recreational pilot permit. We don’t have it on our certificate, but it doesn’t mean we cannot offer it,” said Selwan.

Along with training to become a commercial or private pilot, the academy offers several other training courses allowing students to acquire a specific qualification or license. Selwan said most of the graduates go on to work for small or major airlines in Canada or internationally.

This was the beauty of the academy, said Lucerne district councillor Gilles Chagnon, who sits on the Corporation de l’aéroport exécutif de Gatineau-Ottawa, which has been responsible for the management, promotion and operation of the airport since 2004.

“They’re really on their own, this company, and that’s why there’s a lot of students coming from other countries because once they get the course, they go back to their home. They can fly Lufthansa; they can fly wherever they want,” said Chagnon.

Seen as an economic hub to the community, the Lucerne district councillor advocated for further investment into the airport which would further the aviation schools and help stimulate the regional and provincial economies.

With programs averaging a duration of 18 to 24 months, a third-party analysis by Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton projected the economic impact of the aviation students in Gatineau totaled $4.7 million. These benefits were mainly from wages, salaries, and other operating surpluses.

Services other than public were responsible for more than $4 million in economic benefits with real estate landlords and public transportation services reaping most of the benefits at $1.7 million and $350,000, respectively.

Spending by aviation students also supported direct or indirect jobs by 65% of the total number, demonstrating the extent of the effects the students have in the region.

With the Ville de Gatineau only contributing $335,000 to the airport annually, Chagnon would see an increase in investment.

“We’d like to see more because there are operational costs … There are discussions about how we can grow the airport. Our major focus right now is on the students.”

Photo caption: Aviation students with the International Pilot Academy contribute to $4.7 million brought in by students of the three aviation schools located at the Gatineau-Ottawa Executive Airport.

Photo credit: Taylor Clark

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CNL provides community update amidst mounting environmental concerns

Grace RichardsLocal Journalism Initiative

CHALK RIVER – Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) held its third annual community update webinar on March 20 to provide updates on environmental initiatives and ongoing projects; most notably CNL’s Near Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF), situated in Chalk River, which has sparked controversy over environmental concerns. The NSDF has faced a great deal of scrutiny since it was first proposed in 2016. In January 2024, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission approved CNL’s proposal.

Monica Steedman, vice president of Environmental Remediation Management, provided an update on the facility’s construction: “We’re moving forward with the construction of the NSDF and looking to, first of all, make sure we meet all our pre-construction commitments to Indigenous communities and organizations.”

Environmentalists have outspokenly disapproved of the project and the environmental threat it poses. Dr. Ole Hendrickson, an expert in ecology and researcher for Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County and Area, worries about the efficacy of CNL’s long-term nuclear waste management plan.

“The federal government should require that CNL take a precautionary approach; assume that much of its “legacy waste” at the Chalk River and Whiteshell research facilities contains difficult-to- measure, long-lived alpha emitters, and initiate a process to site and design a facility that can isolate its intermediate level radioactive waste for thousands of years.” 

“Instead, the federal government has allowed CNL to reclassify over 90% of its suspected intermediate level waste into the low-level category. The government’s nuclear regulator will allow this waste to be put in an above-ground facility that will last only several hundred years without proper analysis to determine if the waste contains large amounts of long-lived alpha emitters – which it almost certainly does,” he said,

Lou Riccoboni, vice-president of Corporate Affairs and Business Development, discussed the release of CNL’s first sustainability report, which included a gold certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council in 2022. The award was issued before CNL received a species-at-risk permit in March 2024, which allows the construction of the NSDF despite the presence of three endangered species at Chalk River Laboratories: the Blanding’s turtle, the little brown bat and the northern long-eared bat.

In their decision, Canadian Wildlife Services (CWS) stated CNL had taken proper precautions to ensure the preservation of habitats, including design modification, fencing, and oversight by an environmental specialist.

Despite CWS’ approval, environmentalists are still concerned for the safety of the endangered species. The Kebaowek First Nation and Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg released an independent assessment of the project, which raises concerns about several other endangered species in the area that the CWS didn’t include in their report, including wolves and bears.

CNL also detailed their environmental cleanup efforts, focusing on the Port Hope Area Initiative’s historic waste cleanup. The waste is stored near the clean-up site at a newly constructed waste management facility.

CNL also discussed the formation of their Hydrogen Safety Center, a platform for developing industry standards and sharing solutions related to hydrogen safety. Jan Preston, chair of CNL’s board of directors, stated its physical location will be in Chalk River, but emphasized CNL’s intention to make the center a national platform; “It’s intended to also be sort of a platform where it’s not just the physical asset, but also the ability to link capabilities with other laboratories. So, the intent is to be really a network of connections.”

The recorded community webinar can be found on the Canadian Nuclear Laboratory website.

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What does the first female Mayor of Gatineau’s resignation warn Quebec about its politics?

Grace Richards and Taylor Clark

LJI Reporters

Gatineau’s first female mayor France Bélisle made headlines when elected in 2021 and then reappeared in the media earlier this year when Bélisle announced her resignation with 20 months left in her mandate.

But Bélisle’s landmark ascent and consequent descent from power is not an atypical occurrence in the realm of Quebec politics, especially for women.

Since the last municipal election in Quebec, nearly 800 municipal officials of 8,000 Quebec politicians vacated their positions, culminating in an unprecedented crisis in the province’s political arena.

In the wake of Bélisle’s resignation, deputy mayor Isabelle N. Miron and mayoral candidates Maude Marquis-Bissonnette and Olive Kamanyana weigh in on how Gatineau can keep women in politics.

Miron never intended to be a politician. While completing her bachelor’s degree in Politics, she became fascinated by the lack of female candidates, and the compromises women who did enter politics were making.

“I came to Outaouais to work for a female MP on Parliament Hill. She was one of the first women in her party to be elected. So, she really had a different vision, I would say. She really believed that as a woman, you had to become one of the guys. I thought this couldn’t be true. It didn’t have to be this way. I really thought we needed to make changes.”

But have there been changes? The most recent report of elected officials’ concerns by the Fédération québécoise des municipalités continued to paint a dark picture for politicians following the release of its 2017 report, which illustrated the disparity women in politics face when compared to their male counterparts.

The data collected demonstrated the gap between men and women may have lessened since its 2017 report, but this could have been the result of men recognizing more difficulties rather than an advancement in the situation.

Maude Marquis-Bissonnette, the runner-up in the 2021 mayoral election and current Action-Gatineau candidate, believes the lack of female role figures in Quebec’s political past is partly to blame for the difficulties plaguing female politicians.

“There are still few female mayors and female politicians. We see women even less in places of power compared to men. This lack of role models certainly makes it more difficult for women, when they break the glass ceiling, to reach positions of power.”

The lack of female role models in Quebec’s political landscape was also recognized as an issue by councillor and independent mayoral candidate Olive Kamanyana. She discussed how creating a more diverse political environment starts with women running for office and giving women the tools to run for office.

“First of all, as a woman, you have to impose yourself, demonstrate that you have the capabilities, that you have the skills. You have to prove it. And as a racialized person or an Indigenous person, we have to demonstrate it even more, a lot more, a lot more than men, in fact, because in our political world, it is obvious that a man is going to present himself; he is not going to be questioned a lot,” said Kamanyana.

“It is a fact that women need to be supported to enter the job market fully. That is to say that they must not only be found in offices, in administrative tasks, they must also be found in governance … I am a woman, but also a black woman. So, it’s not nothing, it’s very important that I run for politics, that I run for the governance positions that I described earlier.”

In collaboration with AGIR Outaouais, the Groupe Femmes, Politique et Démocratie organized a reflection project on parity with 20 citizens, aspiring candidates, elected and former officials within Outaouais. According to the progress recorded over the four years, the organization predicted parity would only be achieved by 2050.

To see more women in municipal councils before 2050, the participants emphasized the importance of making the constitution of a joint municipal council compulsory. This could be achieved by reserving half of the councillor positions for women “which would send a powerful message that (women) have their place within the governance of their municipality.”

While the future of Quebec’s political landscape is uncertain, the need for ensuring women are part of that future is clear.

What does the first female Mayor of Gatineau’s resignation warn Quebec about its politics? Read More »

Teaching the Trades to Elementary Students

Grace Richards

LJI Reporter

Eardley Elementary School and the Western Quebec Career Centre have launched an innovative partnership that seeks to expose children to vocational trades. What started as a casual conversation between Eardley Principal Julia Horner and Director of the WQCC Damien Curley quickly transformed into a years-long partnership that has inspired both the children and the adults who have had the opportunity to participate. 

Students at Eardley have the opportunity to learn skills in drafting, automotive, and even welding with the support of WQCC staff and students. Automotive instructor Tim Miller shared, “There’s something so special about how excited the kids all are. It’s a kind of excitement you wish they could keep into adulthood. They really light up seeing all the cool machines and tools.” 

Miller is not alone in this sentiment, with Horner sharing, “When they first said they wanted the kids to weld, I thought surely they just meant to watch the vocational students weld. But no, my little elementary students were actually welding their own candleholders! They’re always surpassing our expectations each year with each new trade we introduce.”

Horner emphasized her and Curley’s shared belief that the trades are not merely a place for those who struggle academically, sharing: “We really want to challenge people’s preconceived ideas about vocational studies and empower students who learn by doing, who think creatively, who are strong in math, to explore career paths that traditionally haven’t been exposed to young children.” When selecting students, they prioritize exposing children who otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity and encourage young girls to consider the trades as a career option. 

Both Horner and Curley were amazed at the overwhelmingly positive impact the collaboration has had, not only on the children but also on the students and instructors of the WQCC. Curley shared, “We pair the WQCC students with children, and it’s really special to see how they learn from each other.” 

What started as one event has developed into a communal bond between Eardley Elementary and the WQCC, and Horner and Curley only see it growing more in the future as the communal ties the pair foster between the two school communities continue to grow. 

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Pontiac health system user’s committee re-established

Grace Richards
Local Journalism Initiative

SHAWVILLE – On November 7, the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSSO) held a meeting at the CLSC in Shawville to re-establish the Pontiac’s user committee. The user committee has been inactive since 2018 when the previous members quit in protest of the fusion of five hospitals creating the CISSSO, according to a CISSSO source. With the onset of the Covid pandemic, the committee remained dormant until now.

The committee provides users of the healthcare system with a platform to voice their concerns to CISSSO employees who can enact change.

The evening began with an introduction to the Pontiac’s resource person, Pierre Saint-Cyr, who is responsible for bridging the gap between available resources and users. Local director Nicole Boucher Larivière then explained the importance of the user committee: “We’re re-establishing the user committee because it’s my job to hear your concerns and advocate for you.” Larivière shared that as a longtime resident of the Pontiac, she’s uniquely qualified to tackle the issues plaguing Pontiac’s healthcare system.

Comité des usagers du centre intégré (CUCI) coordinator Caroline Ferreira explained her role in Pontiac’s healthcare system before the floor was opened to questions about changes coming to Pontiac’s health system.

Challenges plaguing the region’s healthcare system were a hot topic, namely the lack of healthcare professionals able to work in Shawville due to bilingualism requirements, higher salaries just across the provincial border, and a shortage of housing which have made it difficult for CISSSO to attract and retain nurses. The problem is worsened by the growing number of baby boomers retiring without replacements.

Photo: Pontiac Community Hospital’s new users’ committee: Pierre Saint-Cyr, Susan Richardson, Jennifer Larose, Sandra Bennett, Shelley Heaphy, Mona Durocher-Davis and Bruno Saint-Cyr.

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United by the Heart: Access Squad acquires EVAC chair

Carl Hager & Grace Richards
Local Journalism Initiative

SHAWVILLE – On November 15, the Access Squad, together with the Beacon Network, held their United by the Heart event at St-Paul’s Anglican Church. The Access Squad hopes to create positive change in the community, and proof of these positive changes can be found in glowing reviews given by members of the Squad. One member, John Petty stated, “We all go through tough times; many of you have been there. It’s very hard and desolate. What the Access Squad does is help you pull yourself out of it. The power of people, kind words, community.”

A very positive atmosphere of about 50 people at the church hall known as the “Hub” highlighted the Access Squad’s purchase of a special chair lift. The Access Squad, a group of volunteers spearheaded by the occupational therapist Olga Ouellette, has raised the necessary funds to make the chair a reality. She gave a moving presentation on the importance of community and the goals at the center of their work, saying, “We started this group wanting to do something positive for the community. We are always striving to promote accessibility to make communal spaces more inclusive. Kindness is the only rule of the Access Squad.”

The Beacon Network co-hosted the event, and they announced that they are continuing their partnership with the Access Squad this winter. And, a psychotherapist will be hosting a support group focused on coping with various forms of loss, such as job loss, divorce, or loss of mobility. The Anglican Church also announced it would be further improving the accessibility of the community hall thanks to grants provided by the MRC.

Many establishments in the Pontiac are not wheelchair friendly. The chair, called the EVAC Chair, allows people with mobility issues to enter premises that are not ordinarily accessible to them. It will be carried on a Transpor-Action Pontiac bus to be used as needed. The person using the chair sits in it and, guided by the driver, uses traction over the steps, allowing upward and downward movement over the stairs. Before the chair becomes operational further training will have to be taken by the drivers who will be working the chair.

The Access Squad has held several fundraising events including last winter’s radio play adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” featuring Carol and Rick Valin, and well-known Montreal actor Howard Rhyshpan. Artworks, including photos by popular photographer Harry Foster, have been sold by auction. The Shawville Lion’s Club donated $2,500, the Quyon Legion contributed $500, and the Clarendon Women’s Institute also offered a $500 donation, making the purchase of the new chair lift possible.

Other speakers included the Beacon Network’s Kim Laroche who spoke about the community tools needed for positive mental health and psychotherapist Ali-Jonn Chaudary, a specialist in sibling estrangement.

Photo: L/R: Steven Sutton, Terry Campbell, Paul Piché, Olga Ouellette, and John Petty with a cheque for $2500 presented by the Shawville Lion’s Club to the Access Squad towards the purchase of an Evac Chair.

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