Mélissa Gélinas

Mélissa Gélinas LJI Reporter

It was on October 15 that Simon Jolin-Barrette, Minister of Justice, Attorney General of Quebec and parliamentary leader of the government, officially appointed Mathieu Lévesque, MNA for Chapleau and deputy parliamentary leader, as government assistant to the Minister of Justice.

By working in close collaboration with the Minister of Justice, his role will be defined by the modernization of the justice system. In this sense, he will have to support Jolin-Barrette on Quebec’s present constitutional issues with the Canadian federation, a role that proves crucial to carry out the necessary reforms to the current system.

According to Simon Jolin-Barrette, Lévesque’s professional experiences and his academic background will undoubtedly be a great asset for updating the justice system.

Originally from Gatineau, Mr. Lévesque obtained his first bachelor’s degree in social sciences at the University of Ottawa in 2008. He subsequently obtained his second bachelor’s degree in civil law/common law at McGill University, in 2011. In 2018, he continued his studies to obtain a master’s degree in management science at HEC Montréal.

Notably, in 2013, he obtained his title as an official member of the Quebec Bar; the same year that he worked as a lawyer at the firm BCF Business Lawyers. In 2018, he joined another firm, ZSA Legal Recruitment, where he held the position of legal recruiter.

Mathieu Lévesque says he is very honoured to have been chosen for this appointment. He is committed to defending the interests of Quebec and to promoting respect for the vision of the federation while working closely with the Minister of Justice Jolin-Barrette, as well as Kariane Bourassa, Member of Parliament for Charlevoix-Côte -de-Beaupré.

Photo caption: Mathieu Lévesque and Simon Jolin-Barrette during the appointment

Photo credit: Instagram

Mélissa Gélinas LJI Reporter

The entire population of Outaouais, including the municipality of Pontiac, is invited to submit nominations of volunteers and organizations that stand out for their dedication and commitment, for a chance to win the prestigious Volunteer Tribute Award-Québec 2025, awarded by the Government of Quebec.

Won for the first time in 1998, the Quebec Volunteer Tribute Award is designed to highlight and recognize the significant contribution of organizations and volunteers who give generously to their community through their support, commitment and dedication.

In Quebec, each volunteer devotes an average of over 189 hours to volunteering annually and, as a result, the total number of hours represents more than 533,100 full-time jobs.

The Quebec Volunteer Tribute Awards are divided into three categories: Volunteer, Organization and Young Volunteer – Claude Masson Award. The Volunteer category is for people aged 36 and over. The second category: Organization, is for non-profit organizations and the last category: Young Volunteer – Claude Masson Award is for young people aged 14 to 35.

A selection committee is also present to represent the Federation of Quebec Volunteer Action Centres, the Masson family, the Government of Quebec and the Quebec Volunteer Action Network.

Applications must be submitted before December 5, 2024. To complete the application form and for further information, please visit the following website: Québec.ca/prixbénévolat

The awards will be presented in the spring of 2025, during Volunteer Week.

Photo: Hommage bénévolat-Québec (MG) Photo: Facebook page of the Ministry of Employment and Social Solidarity

Mélissa Gélinas LJI Reporter

The Steampunk Capital Show was at the Galeries Aylmer on October 19 and 20 to present its second edition on the theme of 20,000 leagues by the waterways, a tribute to Jules Verne’s novel as well as to the Ottawa River.

To celebrate this festival, several people were there to present and display their creations, using kiosks and/or exhibits. Information sessions were also presented on the history of the 19th century in connection with the importance of the Ottawa River. Activities and contests were also offered, and it was the ideal time for participants to display their best costumes and interact with people in the community.

Inspired by science fiction of the Victorian era, Steampunk, first known in literary form, is now expressed in several ways, such as fashion, art and cinema. Much more than a means of expression, it is also a community and an international cultural movement advocating for diversity and inclusiveness.

Photo caption: Two participants during the festival: The Steampunk Capital Show at the Galeries Aylmer (October 19, 2024).

Photo credit: Facebook

Mélissa Gélinas LJI Reporter

In 1831, Charles Symmes, a native of Massachusetts, politician, founder of the village Symmes Landing (Aylmer) and nephew of the famous Philemon Wright, built his very first inn: L’Auberge Symmes on Front Street. According to a legend, his daughter Hannah Symmes, aged 12, is said to have left her soul in the attic on a very cold winter evening. From then and to this day, her spirit haunts the place.

The young girl was suffering from a mental illness that would complicate the course of her life. Considered very taboo at the time, her father often locked her in the attic to hide her from the eyes of others. She spent entire days there.

In 1858, Charles Symmes organized a festive evening at the inn, to mark a new alliance between Robert Conroy, John Egan, Harvey Parker and himself to inaugurate the new construction of a flour mill and a sawmill. These new businesses would constitute an important source of investment for Aylmer’s economy. Guests were warmly welcomed with excellent gourmet food accompanied by fine liquors. Meanwhile, Hannah Symmes was once again hidden in the attic, where she would die in a terrible way from the cold.

Legend or not, the story of Hannah Symmes continues to touch people. In recent years, several teams of paranormal investigators have gone to the scene to investigate the young girl’s story. Teams such as: Ghost Trackers, Bytown Paranormal, Outaouais Paranormal have been able to capture, for some of them, laughter, tears, singing, etc., coming from Hannah.

Furthermore, a medium who is part of the Bytown Paranormal team also got a surprising answer from Hannah. When asked if someone came to see her and take care of her, the young girl answered the name Elizabeth. According to sources, Elizabeth could either refer to her sister Elizabeth Symmes or her grandmother, known as Elizabeth Wright.

On the other hand, a student at Ottawa’s Heritage College named Julia claims to have seen the young girl during her visit to L’Auberge Symmes as part of one of her school projects. Her experience had a profound impact on her.

The tombstone of young Hannah Symmes rests in the Bellevue Cemetery in Aylmer, where the other members of her family are. As for her soul… that’s another story.

To keep the legend alive, a program of activities will take place in her honour at L’Auberge Symmes. For more details, visit the Facebook page of Tourisme Outaouais or the Musée de l’Auberge Symmes.

Photo caption: Old painting of L’Auberge Symmes

Photo credit: Library and Archives of Canada (Facebook)

Mélissa Gélinas LJI Reporter

At the end of the 2024 fall season, Oktoberfest was once again celebrated in large numbers in Aylmer, to entertain the community and encourage local businesses. Although popular in North America, as well as in several regions of the world, its history remains somewhat unknown.

A long-standing tradition of Bavarian origin, Oktoberfest, also known as “Beer Festival”, was celebrated for the very first time in 1810 in the city of Munich in Germany. Following the wedding of Prince Louis I and Princess Therese of Sassonie-Hildburghausen, nearly 40,000 citizens were invited to join the festivities organized by the families of the newlyweds. Result: several days of festivities passed where beers and food were served in abundance. The tradition of serving beer and food with Bavarian flavours therefore comes from this event, which occurred more than two centuries ago.

To return to Aylmer, the tradition was well and truly respected by the many restaurants, cafes, bistros, micro-breweries and bars that participated by offering beers and special menus.

La Tite Frette was very happy to participate, once again, in the event by introducing their German craft beers.“It was Yvon of La Tite Frette who made the Oktoberfest event possible and who made it a success!” mentioned Louise Rousseau, general director of APICA.

During the last weeks of September and the first weeks of October, Bistro L’Autre Œil also served beers and a special German-inspired menu. Their homemade pretzels were a hit with the customers.

As for the 5e Baron, their German craft beers were also very popular and appreciated by people.

Other restaurants, cafes, bistros and bars participated in the event as well, and there were several artists and shows, all of which helped make Oktoberfest, once again, a memorable experience in Aylmer.

Photo caption: Music group: Libby & Cal playing in the 5e Baron during Oktoberfest.

Photo credit: Facebook

Mélissa Gélinas LJI Reporter

Every spring and fall since 2022, Megan Driskell, a medium and Reiki teacher, invites people to participate in the Aylmer Psychic Fair, a spiritual event that she created.

Activities such as healing sessions, psychic readings and art workshops are among the many offered during the event. Everyone can participate in activities of all kinds allowing them, in turn, to discover people from the local spiritual community.

Megan began her career as a Reiki teacher and worked in this field for almost 10 years. Subsequently, she decided to work in mental health by becoming a coach to help people who had suffered from trauma. “I have always been very connected spiritually, but being able to heal from my own traumas gave me the opportunity to fully reconnect with my gifts,” Megan says.

With the Aylmer Psychic Fair, Megan aims to bring spirituality and healing to the community. “It helps connect people to love and healing,” she states. “It’s very motivating to see between 80 and 200 people present at each event.”

Megan knows the owners of Café Mulligan very well and the Aylmer Psychic Fair events have always taken place there. She is very connected with them, and she says they have always been there to support the vision of her project. “They are people with wonderful souls who are very concerned about everyone’s healing,” she states.

A group of women from the fields of arts and spirituality also work in collaboration with her during her events. “From the beginning, they have been an integral part of the Aylmer Psychic Fair,” she explains.

For more details on the events, visit the Facebook page Aylmer Spring Psychic Fair 2024 or contact Megan Driskell at the following email address:Mdriskell0824@outlook.com

Photo caption: Megan Driskell (left) with her team: Krystel Grenier, Jen Provost and Chantal Faucher (far right) at the Aylmer Psychic Fair event at Café Mulligan.(October 2024)

Photo credit: Megan Driskell