Municipal politics

Besombes and six candidates to run as a team in Ormstown election

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

An Ormstown mayoral candidate, Philippe Besombes, has assembled a full slate of six to run with him as a team during the November municipal elections.

Calling themselves the “United for our Community” team, the group features several sitting councillors running for re-election including Valérie Taillefer, Jacques Guilbault, and Michel Emond. The candidates for the remaining three seats are Jane Fairhurst-Aiken, René Gauthier, and Robert Greig.

“Forming an election team is new in Ormstown, but given the current challenges, it has become evident for many of us that we need cohesion, collaboration, dialogue, and teamwork,” said Besombes. “This collaboration will foster constructive exchanges and allow us to address the needs of all citizens,” he added, noting the candidates present a diverse representation of the Ormstown population.

Besombes has worked as a manager and director in regional health facilities for over 20 years. He is currently a lecturer at the Université de Montréal and president of the Association des Gens d’Affaires d’Ormstown et des Environs (AGAO+). He is also the vice-president of the Barrie Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Fairhurst-Aiken has moved from managing the Ormstown recreation centre and pool in her youth to her current work as a guidance counselor at the Chateauguay Valley Career Education Centre. Taillefer is involved in environmental issues, social and affordable housing, and mental health as the executive director of the non-profit Ancre et Ailes. Both women hope to address current challenges while building a sustainable future so that Ormstown continues to feel like home.

Greig is the president of the Barrie Memorial Hospital Foundation, and he comes from a family deeply rooted in Ormstown. Gauthier owns the BMR hardware store and is very active within the community, as is former bus driver and recent retiree Guilbault, who enjoys participating in projects that benefit locals. Emond is also a familiar name within the community, and his background in computer science and water treatment are an asset. All four men say they strongly believe in listening to the community before making decisions.

The team will base their campaign on several priorities, including infrastructure and water management, responsible budget management, transparency, and citizen participation. “The way our team sees it, a municipality is a continuum. You have to build on what is already there and ensure continuity,” said Besombes, who, if elected, would continue on with actions taken by the current administration. “Priorities may change, details may change, but fundamentally, we are not going to turn everything upside down,” he explained.

The municipality’s longstanding water issues will continue to be a top priority, said Besombes, suggesting that while some things have been achieved, there is an urgent need to go further. “There is a lot of planning to be done,” he acknowledged, saying work must move forward in terms of financing major infrastructure projects.

Besombes said his team also recognizes the need to ensure that municipal infrastructure can absorb any new developments. New housing would influence not only water and sewage systems, but also the local schools, health institutions, and the municipality’s ecological balance and cultural heritage. “We can set our conditions and achieve something that is fair and balanced,” he explained, suggesting the candidates would value public consultations and create committees to encourage citizen participation.

Besombes and six candidates to run as a team in Ormstown election Read More »

Louise Lebrun retires from municipal politics 

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

After 16 years as mayor of the municipality of Sainte-Barbe, Louise Lebrun is stepping back from municipal politics.

First elected in 2009, Lebrun said she is retiring with a sense of accomplishment and pride. In a post to social media, the mayor listed several key projects and initiatives that took place during her term. She noted the construction of sewer and water systems, the construction of a new fire station and the addition of fire and rescue vehicles, the expansion of both the Centre Barberivain and the town hall, and new developments in the municipal park as well as the creation of a waterfront park.

There are several projects scheduled for the near future, including the opening of an intermunicipal ecocentre this fall, the expansion of the Centre Barnerivain and the town hall, the construction of a 44-space daycare centre expected to open in 2026, and new residential developments that will see the municipality’s population expand from 1,400 to 2,000 residents.

Along with the municipal council, Lebrun has steered the municipality through several strategic planning initiatives in urban and economic development as well as communications, while introducing family- and salary-related policies as well as better working conditions for municipal employees.

“I am leaving knowing that I have fulfilled the mission I set for myself: to give every citizen a sense of belonging to the community,” she wrote. “I am leaving behind a municipality that is financially sound, well equipped, and rich in human resources,” she added, before noting she hopes the newly elected council will continue this momentum “because in the municipal world, it never slows down.”

Councillor Daniel Pinsonneault thanked Lebrun for her devotion to the municipality before announcing he was ready to take on the charge. First elected to council in 2021, Pinsonneault launched his campaign on August 16.

“These years of commitment have allowed me to better understand the issues that concern us all and to build strong ties within our community,” said Pinsonneault, who hopes to continue working as a team with those elected to council in November. 

Louise Lebrun retires from municipal politics  Read More »

Municipal commission takes the reins in Saint-Chrysostome

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Commission Municipale du Quebec has seized control in Saint-Chrysostome after four municipal councillors quit the council, leaving the municipality without enough members to make decisions.

During a special council meeting on July 24, councillors Marc Roy, Jean-Luc Payant, Richard Beaudin, and Martin Lafond resigned one after the other, citing an unhealthy climate within the council, a lack of leadership on the part of mayor Steve Laberge, and uncertainty that things would improve before the November elections.

In an exceptional measure, Sylvie Piérard and Richard Brisson, who are both members of the Commission Municipale, have been appointed to temporarily administer the municipality, pass necessary resolutions, and maintain services for citizens until a new council is elected and quorum is restored.

The sudden resignations were submitted in the wake of a harassment complaint filed earlier this year by one employee against another, and the publication of a report by the Direction des Enquêtes et des Poursuites en Intégrité Municipale (DEPIM) alleging mismanagement by the municipal council.

The report follows an investigation by the commission’s municipal integrity investigation and prosecution branch that found that the municipal council was negligent in its failure to properly address the harassment complaint, which demonstrated “a significant lack of understanding of the roles and responsibilities of municipal elected officials.”

An earlier investigation by an independent firm concluded that a municipal employee had been psychologically and sexually harassed by another employee. The report recommended the situation be dealt with quickly; however, certain council members resisted the seriousness report’s conclusions.

The DEPIM report notes that disciplinary measures were eventually adopted during a council meeting on May 12, but alleges this was done in response to the commission’s investigation. The employee in question was suspended for four weeks, though the decision was not unanimous among council members.

The DEPIM concluded that the council’s inaction impacted the work environment at the municipality, where several employees have been on leave or resigned since the start of the year including the person who filed the harassment complaint. The report states that the municipality is now in a precarious situation, with few employees and difficulties recruiting new staff.

The DEPIM states that Laberge suggested the council’s inaction can be explained by the lack of senior management, as the director general at the time was on leave from early January. The mayor was also unable to intervene or make decisions regarding the situation due to a conflict of interest.

The report recommends that the municipality review its policy preventing workplace harassment and violence to ensure it complies with current legislation, adopt measures to ensure a workplace free of harassment, and provide municipal employees and incoming council members with training on harassment. The report also recommends the adoption of a bylaw that delegates human resource management to senior administrators within the municipality.

The DEPIM notes that an assessment of the work climate in Saint-Chrysostome was mandated by the municipality following the findings of its investigation. The report, which also includes several recommendations, was presented to the council on June 2.

Municipal commission takes the reins in Saint-Chrysostome Read More »

Huntingdon wants control of in-town section of Route 202

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Huntingdon wants control over the section of Route 202 that runs through the town, which is known locally as François-Cleyn Street.

The busy road is currently maintained by the Ministère du Transport (MTQ), but the town alleges the provincial transport authority is slowing development along the road and refusing the installation of sidewalks.

Huntingdon mayor André Brunette says the town has been in talks with the MTQ for the past several months to acquire the right to manage the one-kilometre strip of highway running from Chateauguay Street to Ridge Road. During the October 7 regular municipal meeting, the council unanimously passed a resolution formally requesting authority over François-Cleyn Street.

Brunette says that along with holding back permits or permissions for future businesses to access the road, the transport ministry has also refused to allow the municipality to add safety features for pedestrians.

“Since 2021, the Ministry of Transport has not accepted out requests to build a sidewalk,” explains Brunette, who suggests other municipalities have faced similar issues when it comes to collaborating with the provincial government. He says in some cases, the MTQ has agreed to relinquish control over sections of numbered highways.

There is a sidewalk along one side of François-Cleyn Street off of Chateauguay Street, but it ends about halfway up the road. Significant commercial and residential buildings have now been built along this stretch, and the absence of a sidewalk is becoming a safety concern.

“We know that the medical centre is very important. We’re happy that it went up. We’re happy about the daycare, but we must have a sidewalk that goes there,” says Brunette, who insists the town is prepared to manage the roadway.

“This will enable us to proceed faster with giving out permits to future businesses that are going to establish on François-Cleyn Street. It will also give us the right to build a sidewalk that will go all the way to the Tim Horton’s,” says the mayor.

“It’s the best way to go, if we want to continue advancing what we have and what we want for the town.”

Brunette says he is hoping to receive a response from the MTQ in the next 60 days. 

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Province allows small municipalities to reduce council seats

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Quebec government has decided to allow municipalities with fewer than 2,000 residents to reduce the number of seats on municipal councils.

The province cites difficulties in recruiting willing candidates during elections as motivation behind the decision, which will allow less-populated municipalities to run councils with as few as four elected members.

Municipalities are currently required to have six representatives on council.

The change was introduced as part of Bill 57, a wide-reaching law aimed at protecting elected municipal officials while promoting the unimpeded exercise of their functions. The bill also amends various legislative provisions respecting municipal affairs. The bill, which was adopted in the National Assembly on June 6, will allow municipalities to reduce the composition of their council as of the next general election, scheduled for November 2, 2025.

Radio-Canada reports that the municipal affairs minister, Andrée Laforest, spoke with several people closely involved with municipal politics before enacting this law, including mayors and prefects as well as representatives of the Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM) and the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ).

According to 2023 population estimates by the Institut de la statistique du Québec, eligible Valley municipalities include Dundee, Elgin, Franklin, Godmanchester, Havelock, Howick, Sainte-Barbe, Très-Saint-Sacrement, and Hemmingford Village.

Municipalities that are considering making this change must act fast to adopt a bylaw before the end of this year, and there is a process that must be followed.

According to the law, a draft bylaw must be presented to the population during a public consultation meeting chaired by the mayor and attended by a majority of council members, as well as the clerk or clerk-treasurer. A bylaw, which would make permanent changes to the composition of the municipal council, may then be adopted at a meeting following the consultation.

Dundee mayor Linda Gagnon says she intends to bring this up with members of the municipal council during a work session in October. “If we want to move in this direction, we have to move fast,” she acknowledges, while noting there are some pros and cons, and she does not want to rush things. 

Gagnon says the municipality is not having trouble recruiting councillors. “Reducing the council to four members might help with the budget, but democracy wants the opinion of as many people as possible to be heard,” she explains. “Going in this direction just to cut expenses requires careful consideration.” 

If a bylaw is passed, the elected officials currently in office would be able to complete their mandate. The four councillor positions and that of the mayor will then be opened to candidates during the 2025 general election period.

Province allows small municipalities to reduce council seats Read More »

Ormstown council welcomes new Generations’ Chair

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The council room at the town hall in Ormstown has a new chair.

Three students from Ormstown Elementary School presented members of the municipal council with a colourful and highly symbolic Generations’ Chair during the regular meeting on July 8.

The chair, which was designed by Cassandra Bryson, Abby Sauvé, and Livia Banning, with help from teacher David Rosenbaum, will now permanently sit in the council room as a reminder to municipal leaders that decisions made today will impact future generations.

“We wanted this chair to capture the many parts of our community and share our vision for a better future,” explain the students, in a note addressed to council members that details the different elements of their design.

The chair features a rainbow to represent the LGBTQIA2S+ members of the community, while the addition of flowers and butterflies serves to remind leaders of their relationship with nature and their responsibility to make choices with this in mind. A nesting pair of hands was included to represent intergenerational links within families and the community, while the orange uprights recall that “Every Child Matters” and speak to the importance of recognition and reconciliation with First Nation neighbours. Lastly, the chair introduces the notion of “people over profits,” which promotes an interest in a culture of communal care and reciprocity over individualism.

Ormstown mayor Christine McAleer initiated the project after learning of the Generations’ Chair movement while watching an interview with Quebec City mayor Bruno Marchand, whose team came up with the concept in 2021. The idea was to symbolically add a place around the executive committee table to represent the expectations of future generations.

The project has since been promoted by the Mothers Step In movement, or Mères au front, that unites mothers and grandmothers across Canada to demand concrete government action to protect children from the impacts of climate change. Over 90 municipalities, mainly across Quebec, have been gifted Generations’ Chairs by children within their communities.

McAleer says the chair and all it symbolizes is in line with many of the council’s priorities. “When the council meets, they keep in mind that they are working for future generations, especially when decisions concern the environment,” she says.

“We have tried, especially when we redid all of our urban planning bylaws, to keep the environment in mind and to promote it in the future development of the town,” McAleer explains, noting the council aims to make changes in a rational way while keeping the environment and the quality of life for both current and future residents at the forefront.

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Dundee names municipal park after founder

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

John Davidson immigrated from Dundee, Scotland to Lower Canada in 1818, where he settled on the east bank of the Salmon River. A year later he built a loading dock, and opened a storefront from his cabin which became the centre of activity in the burgeoning village he named after his birthplace. His general store was the first post office in what would become the Township of Dundee.

Now, 205 years later, the council of Dundee Township officially commemorated Davidson’s role in founding the municipality by naming the community park in his honour.

It took Mayor Linda Gagnon and the Dundee Historical Committee president, Marie Myre, a few seconds to unveil the name during a brief ceremony at the park located next to the town hall and post office on July 1. But the process to find the right name for the park took time.

“Nothing is simple. And above all, it’s very slow,” said Gagnon during a short speech before the new sign at the entrance to the park was revealed. Municipal officials began tossing around the idea of naming the municipal park soon after it was inaugurated in 2022.

The council was on board immediately, but then things grew complicated. “It took several hours of discussion,” said Gagnon, who admitted there was a lot of back-and-forth in terms of the different names under consideration. So, they brought the Dundee Historical Committee into the conversation.

Once the name was chosen and a descriptive text was produced, the committee settled on a concept for the double-sided sign that incorporates John Davidson’s actual signature into the design.

Along with the sign, the municipality has continued to add new features to the municipal park, including surfaces for different recreational activities and landscaping. A new sandbox will soon be added for younger children as well.

Gagnon said that in naming the John Davidson Park, the council and all those involved wanted to spark some additional municipal pride for residents. Immediately following the ceremony, those in attendance were invited to stay for a light lunch in celebration of the municipality’s annual Citizen’s Day.

Dundee names municipal park after founder Read More »

Sainte-Barbe launches new municipal website

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Callan Forrester – LJI reporter

At the end of May, the municipality of Sainte-Barbe launched its new website: ste-barbe.com, with the goal of improving communication with residents, visitors, and partners. It has also made it more user-friendly, with a streamlined design, so that users have easier access to information like news, activities, bylaws, recreational facilities, and more.

At the website’s launch, the mayor of the town, Louise Lebrun, shared that “We’re proud to launch this new communications tool, which is in line with our 2023-2030 strategic plan and inspired by our new, streamlined, avant-garde brand image. Our old website had reached the end of its useful life. With this new tool, we are affirming our desire to modernize our services, while confirming our commitment to the community.”

One of the main updates involves permit applications to the Service de l’urbanisme, de l’environnement et du développement: these can now be done online. 

“Many hours of work went into the creation of this new website, with its intuitive structure and enriched content. In addition to buttons leading to the most frequently consulted pages, a powerful search engine makes it easy to get straight to the point. We are convinced that this new site will quickly become an indispensable resource for all those who deal with Sainte-Barbe,” said the municipal councilor responsible for communications, Johanne Béliveau.

The municipality also encourages residents to subscribe to its online newsletter to make sure they aren’t missing important details about the town. This will help to reduce paper consumption, as the news is usually printed in the municipal newsletter, Le Barberivain.

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Havelock mayor resigns over toxic work environment

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

For the second time in less than three years, the mayor of the municipality of Havelock has resigned.

Havelock’s director general, Mylène Vincent, tabled Gerald Beaudoin’s official resignation at the start of the May 6 regular council meeting, along with the resignation of councillor number six, Christopher Sherrington. Both positions were subsequently declared vacant.

Beaudoin was elected to the position of mayor during the byelection on November 20, 2022, following the sudden resignation of Stephane Gingras who had won the 2021 municipal election a year earlier.

Beaudoin had previously served as mayor between 1987 and 1992 and he was approached to run again by community members. There were rumblings of some problems at the council table, and he says he thought he could be of some help.

“Last September, I flagged a problem, and suggested several ways to solve this, and unfortunately no progress was made,” says Beaudoin. “I decided skills other than mine were required to rectify the situation,” he adds.

The former mayor admits he was reluctant to resign at this point because he knew it would trigger an election. “At my age, I don’t need to be working in a toxic environment,” he says, referring to the reported atmosphere around the council table. “I thought the sooner we get on with this, the better.”

Beaudoin says he was privileged to have worked with Vincent at the municipality, and he thanks the members of the community for their support during his time as mayor. “I hope there are better days ahead for Havelock,” he concludes.

A byelection for both the position of mayor and councillor seat number six will take place simultaneously in the coming weeks; however, an official date has not been announced. Vincent says the date will be confirmed as early as possible, either during the regular council meeting scheduled to take place on June 3 or during a special meeting later in the month.

In the meantime, the role of acting mayor has been filled by councillor number one, Hélène Lavallée, who was appointed to the position of deputy mayor by resolution during a special meeting on December 19, 2023.

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Franklin audit recommends improving access to information  

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The final report on an audit of the municipality of Franklin, which was requested by the Commission municipale du Québec (CMQ) following an investigation, was tabled during the May 6 regular municipal council meeting.

The original investigation expressed concerns about the budgetary process undertaken by the municipality. The final version of the audit report on Franklin’s financial reporting, which focused on activities from 2021 to 2023, was published on April 23.

The audit concluded that “The municipality’s financial reporting does not provide citizens with all of the information they need to fully understand the municipality’s finances.” The audit also found that while the council had access to numerous documents during the budget preparation and adoption process, these documents did not contain all the information required to make informed decisions.

The report, which was produced by the Vice-présidence à la verification, recommended the municipality ensure all the information required for citizens to understand the municipality’s finances are produced and made available in a timely manner. The report also recommended the municipality review and improve the documents presented to the council during the preparation and adoption of the budget, including information on the status of debt and accumulated operating surpluses, and information to help the council understand the choices made and variations in budget forecasts.

The commission has asked the municipality to create an action plan to address the recommendations within three months and will follow up on the recommendations after three years.

In a response included with the final report, the municipality stated that several changes have already been made and that the necessary measures to communicate the municipality’s financial information adequately and effectively will be put in place.

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Godmanchester council passes non-confidence motion against mayor

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Godmanchester mayor Pierre Poirier has lost the support of his municipal council.

During the regular council meeting on February 5, the six members of the municipality’s council formally requested a confidence vote take place against the mayor.

The motion was brought forward by councillor Jean-Maurice Daoust, citing several reasons for which the council has lost confidence in their elected leader. The members passed the motion unanimously after expressing concerns over transparency and the mayor’s handling of municipal affairs.

The motion states that the council lost confidence in the mayor’s ability to ensure the faithful application of municipal bylaws and resolutions, and in his capacity to ensure that municipal revenues are collected and spent as intended. It also notes that councillors are no longer confident in Poirier’s ability to exercise his powers of supervision, investigation, and control over the administration and work carried out by municipal employees. Finally, the motion asserts that councillors have serious doubts as to whether all pertinent information or recommendations are being communicated to the council by the mayor.

As an expression of opinion on the part of the council, the motion is symbolic but does not remove the mayor from office as Quebec law does not provide a framework for non-confidence votes at the municipal level. According to sources, a formal request for the mayor to step down has not been issued.

Poirier had previously announced that he does not intend to run again in the 2025 municipal election. He has served as the mayor of Godmanchester since 1999.

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