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Laval’s Legion Branch 251 launches poppy campaign prior to Remembrance Day

The first poppy for RCL Branch 251’s 2024 Poppy Campaign was presented by branch president Dean McKay to Captain Nathan Kendall, Zone Training Officer (Laval), Regional Cadet Support Unit (Eastern).

Members and guests of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 251 met on Thursday evening last week for the official launch of the 2024 Poppy Campaign, leading up to Remembrance Day.

In accordance with a longstanding tradition, the first poppy was presented by RCL Branch 251’s president Dean McKay to an honored guest.

This year it was Captain Nathan Kendall, Zone Training Officer (Laval), Regional Cadet Support Unit (Eastern).

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 251 Chomedey proudly contributes to many of the local cadet corps and squadrons who participate in the annual Poppy Campaigns.

As such, cheques for a total amount of $4,000 were presented this year to cadet unit representatives by Barbara Vezina, Branch 251’s Poppy Campaign Chair.

Wear a poppy, show you care

Robert Michaud of RCL Branch 251 is among the branch members offering poppies at the Wal-Mart Supercentre at 2075 Chomedey Blvd. until Remembrance Day.

A reminder to all Laval residents that this year’s Poppy Campaign is now underway.

The best way to show support for Canada’s commitment to its veterans is to wear a poppy leading up to the Nov. 11 Remembrance Day.

If you can’t find a poppy, some Branch 251 reps will be stationed at the entrance/exit doors of Wal-Mart stores (including the Wal-Mart Supercentre at 2075 Chomedey Blvd.).

As well, you are invited to drop by Branch 251 (2000 Curé-Labelle Blvd.) between 2-8 pm daily where poppies are available.

Branch 251 also reminds you that RCL membership is open to any Canadian citizen, or citizen of an allied nation, who is 18 years of age or older.

Laval’s Remembrance Day ceremony

The City of Laval will be holding its Remembrance Day observances on Saturday Nov. 9.

RCL Branch 251 members, dignitaries and guests during the 2024 Poppy Campaign launch on Oct. 24.

The ceremony is being held exceptionally at 1333 Chomedey Blvd. (rather than on at the War Cenotaph on Souvenir Blvd.), as the cenotaph has been relocated at least temporarily due to construction.

Those planning to attend are advised to arrive at least 30 minutes before the 11 am moment of silence.

Place Bell ranked 2nd on list of filthiest stadiums in Canada

Based on 200,000 Google reviews, the City of Laval’s Place Bell recently won a second-place ranking of major event venues across Canada which were judged to be the filthiest.

“The home of the Laval Rocket seems to suffer, according to various visitors, especially when it comes to the toilets,” according to a post about the rankings published on The Grueling Truth, an online sports-themed website (https://thegruelingtruth.com/en/ontario/dirtiest-sports-venues-canada).

“People write ‘The toilets are dirty,’ and ‘The toilets have no papers at the start of the event,’ while another mentions ‘Bathrooms were dirty and unkept, no toilet paper or soap to wash hands.’

“But it’s not just the bathrooms that have received criticism. Some aren’t satisfied with the food either. One reviewer mentions ‘undercooked pizza,’ and another advises, ‘Eat before you go. The concession food is really, really disgusting. It’s a real joke.’

The Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa (the nation’s capital) earned the number one spot, while the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary was number three.

Olympic Stadium in Montreal was in fifth place, while Percival Molson Memorial Stadium in Montreal (home to the CFL’s Alouettes) finished eleventh.

Daylight Saving Time kicks in starting at 2 a.m. Sunday

Although most desktop computers, as well as laptops, tablets and smartphones now make the change automatically, there may still be some people who will wake up surprised Sunday to see their old analogue watch is an hour behind because Daylight Saving Time kicked in earlier that morning.

DST kicks in officially at 2 am Sunday.

At that time, the clock moves forward by 60 minutes.

It will remain so until next Nov. 3 when it will fall back once again to Eastern Standard Time.

For those who are early risers because they cherish the tranquility just before the beginning of the day, the sun won’t be above the horizon before 7:15 a.m. Sunday morning.

Sunset on Sunday evening will be at 6:54 p.m.

By mid-June, the sun will be up over Laval and Montreal as early as 5:07 a.m., setting at 8:47 p.m.

Important message concerning the newspaper distribution

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After 30 years, THE LAVAL NEWS has ended its door-to-door distribution.

The February 21st, 2024 edition of THE LAVAL NEWS was the last issue delivered door to door by PUBLIC SAC. Since our first edition in 1993, THE LAVAL NEWS entrusted PUBLIC SAC with the mandate to deliver our paper, your paper, to your door. On that note, we thank all the workers who were behind and in front of the scenes that made the distribution of your newspaper possible.

However, on March 4th, 2024, PUBLIC SAC ceased its door-to-door distributing service due to changes in municipal by-laws in Montreal and other cities in Quebec. It’s an effort to reduce, at the source, a significant amount of paper and plastic in circulation in cities across Quebec. This leaves us with no cost-effective way to distribute our newspaper.

Therefore, as of March 6th, you can pick up THE LAVAL NEWS throughout the city at many selected local distribution points, such as public buildings, grocery stores, pharmacies, bakeries, etc.

Below, you will find the list of distribution points. Thank you for your loyal readership. We will continue to keep you informed and entertained.

Points de distribution / Distribution points

H7A600 Montée du MoulinJean Coutu
H7A600 Montée du MoulinRONA
H7A8075 Blvd. Lévesque EUltra Depanneur
H7C4411 Blvd. de la Concorde EIGA
H7C4425 Blvd. de la Concorde EJean Coutu
H7E2900 Blvd. de la Concorde EGermaine-Guèvremont Library
H7E3200 Blvd. de la Concorde EMetro Plus
H7E3595 Blvd. de la Concorde EIntermarché Palumbo
H7E4975 Blvd. Robert-BourassaCanadian Tire
H7E5805 Blvd. Robert-BourassaIGA
H7E2495 Blvd. Saint-Martin EPatisserie St Martin
H7E3245 Blvd. Saint-Martin EVilla Val Des Arbres
H7G155 Blvd. de la Concorde EMetro Plus
H7G300 Blvd. de la Concorde EPolyclinique Médicale
H7G405 Blvd. des LaurentidesJean Coutu
H7G1610 Blvd. Saint-Martin EChartrand Ford Inc
H7K134 Blvd. Bellerose EEuro Marché
H7K5000 Blvd. des LaurentidesMetro Plus
H7K5680 Blvd. des LaurentidesIGA
H7L180 Blvd. Curé-LabelleJean Coutu
H7L380 Blvd. Curé-LabelleIGA
H7L1207 Blvd. Curé-LabelleMetro Plus
H7L173 Blvd. Sainte-RoseUniprix
H7M1640 A. Jean-Noël-Lavoie ESubaru de Laval
H7M1755 Blvd. René-LaennecCité-de-la-Santé Hospital
H7M1859 Blvd. René-LaennecJean Coutu
H7M1759 Blvd. des LaurentidesUniprix
H7M1904 Blvd. des LaurentidesSuper C
H7M255 Blvd. Saint-Martin EVimont Toyota Laval
H7M700 Blvd. Saint-Martin EHonda De Laval
H7N475 Blvd. de l’AvenirSalle André-Mathieu
H7N1100 Blvd. de l’AvenirMetro Plus Dépatie
H7N1455 Blvd. de l’AvenirRésidences Soleil Manoir
H7N279-B Blvd. Cartier OUniprix
H7N307 Blvd. Cartier OIGA
H7N430 Blvd. Cartier OProxim
H7N255 Blvd. de la Concorde OJean Coutu
H7N255 Blvd. de la Concorde OIntermarché Palumbo
H7N1295 Blvd. de la Concorde OJean Coutu
H7N1315 Blvd. de la Concorde OUniprix
H7N1395 Blvd. de la Concorde OMaison des arts de Laval
H7N1950 Rue Claude-GagnéPlace Bell
H7P3699 Autoroute 440 OColfax
H7P4355 Autoroute 440 OGuimond Sports Complex
H7P3095 A. Jean-Noël-LavoieCarrefour Multisports
H7P3131 A. Jean-Noël-Lavoie 440 OMercedes-Benz Laval
H7P2705 Blvd. Chomedey440 Lincoln Laval
H7P2800 Blvd. ChomedeyCadillac Laval
H7P2805 Blvd. ChomedeyCHSLD de Laval
H7P2911 Blvd. ChomedeyService de police de Laval
H7P3230 Blvd. Curé-LabelleAgoo
H7P3505 Blvd. Dagenais OGabrielle-Roy Library
H7P3270 Blvd. St-Elzear ORésidence Estia
H7R4515 Blvd. Arthur-SauvéJean Coutu
H7R6155 Blvd. Arthur-SauvéMetro Plus
H7R3875 Blvd. Sainte-RoseDepanneur Wilson
H7S1700 Blvd. le CorbusierDuclos Laval Chrysler
H7S2250 Av. Francis-HughesSTL
H7S1446 Blvd. Saint-Martin OSt. Martin Oasis
H7T3500 A. Jean-Noël-LavoieDesmeules Chrysler
H7T3670 A. Jean-Noël-Lavoie O440 Laval Chevrolet
H7T2150 Autoroute LaurentianCosmodôme
H7T3300 Blvd. le CarrefourGroupe Sélection
H7T1700 Blvd. ChomedeyLallier Kia de Laval
H7T2200 Blvd. ChomedeyMazda de Laval
H7T2385 Blvd. ChomedeyChomedey Toyota Laval
H7T2450 Blvd. ChomedeyBMW Laval
H7T2137 Blvd. Curé-LabelleIGA
H7T1794 Av. Pierre-PéladeauPresse Café
H7T3131 Blvd. Saint-Martin OVille De Laval
H7T3208 Blvd. Saint-Martin ODéjeuner Cosmopolitain
H7T3216 Blvd. Saint-Martin OMarchés Tau
H7T4363 Blvd. Saint-Martin OPharmacy Liounis
H7V3205 Place Alton-GoldbloomJewish Hospital
H7V1 Place de la Belle-Rive (#7)Le Domaine Bellerive
H7V5 Place de la Belle-RiveAppartements Bellerive 3
H7V505 Rue CardinalResidence Le Renoir
H7V800 Blvd. Chomedey (Tour B, 2nd Floor)CLSC Ruisseau-Papineau
H7V1333 Blvd. ChomedeyLaval Administration
H7V1400 Blvd. ChomedeyJardins de Renoir
H7V1535 Blvd. ChomedeyMulticulturelle Library
H7V435 Blvd. Curé-Labelle SAxion 50 plus
H7V610 Blvd. Curé-LabelleJean Coutu
H7V2999 Blvd. Notre DameCHSLD Résidence Riviera
H7V3055 Blvd. Notre Dame (#109)Boisé Notre-Dame
H7V1450 Pie X (Suite 214)CDC Laval
H7W1013 Autoroute 13Tennis 13 Fitness
H7W5400 Av. ClarendonDepanneur Bleue
H7W1665 Rue du CouventCLSC Ruisseau-Papineau
H7W25 Promenade des ÎlesVillagia De L’ile Paton
H7W4311 Blvd. Notre DameMarché Bamyan
H7W4325 Blvd. Notre DameTabagie Elite
H7W4331 Blvd. Notre DameLillies Bakery
H7W4349 Blvd. Notre DameUniprix
H7W4919 Blvd. Notre DameVie en vert Supermarket
H7W4594 Promenade PatonManoir des Îles
H7W755 Chemin du SablonCentre du Sablon
H7W4219 Blvd. SamsonDepanneur Samson
H7W4305 Blvd. SamsonSupermarché Atlantis
H7W4427 Blvd. SamsonRoyal Lepage
H7W4600 Blvd. SamsonSupermarché PA
H7W4657 Blvd. SamsonAmbrosia Bakery
H7W4691 Blvd. SamsonJean Coutu
H7W4725 Blvd. SamsonDepanneur Chomedey
H7W4136 Chemin du SouvenirSerano Bakery
H7W4232 Chemin du SouvenirDépanneur STO DEP
H7X550 Autoroute Chomedey OIGA
H7X3200 Autoroute Chomedey A13Chomedey Hyundai
H7X239 Blvd. Samson OAllô mon Coco
H7X245 Blvd. SamsonJean Coutu
H7X555 Blvd. SamsonMetro Marché Denigil

If you would like to add your store as a distribution point, please email us.

info@newsfirst.ca

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Laval’s electronic snow-removal signage is a non-starter in Chomedey

Expected to be up and running this winter, city continues with old ‘No-Parking’ signs

It’s been around a year since the City of Laval announced, with a degree of fanfare, that it would be expanding its use of illuminated electronic signage along residential streets, to better keep motorists and residents informed of parking restrictions whenever snow removal ops are about to begin following snowfalls.

During the January city council meeting in 2024, the council members awarded a contract to Pierre Brossard (1981) ltée to install electronic parking regulation signage on a range of streets in districts such as Chomedey in west end Laval.

New system not started yet

The signs, which are programmable remotely, allow municipal employees to inform motorists and residents in “real time,” rather than with the age-old, manually-set up cardboard signs, which have been in usage for decades and must be placed by hand one-at-a-time in snow banks on street curbs.

As seen in the left foreground, the City of Laval is still using manually-placed no-parking signboards alongside Chenard St. in Chomedey when snow removal is scheduled, even though permanent electronic signage (upper right) has been installed but is not yet functional.

When functioning, the new illuminated panels light up when needed to display specific times when snow removal (or street cleaning operations during the summer) are taking place. The city decided to opt for the system following tests with several pilot projects over the past few years on its territory.

Cardboard signs for now

That said, however, now comes word from a homeowner on Chenard St. in Chomedey that the city is continuing to use cardboard signs on his street. This is in spite of the fact that some of the new electronic signs have been installed on Chenard, but appear to have been serving no useful purpose up to now.

Widespread implementation of the system began during the summer of 2024, and it was expected to become functional in Chomedey over the current winter period. This was to be followed by the installation and activation of a similar electronic signage system in Pont-Viau and Laval-des-Rapides over the coming summer months.

In an interview with The Laval News, Jason Hope of Chenard St. said he wasn’t particularly put off that the city was still be using the old cardboard sign system, even though the new electronic signage has been in place (although inactive) for some time.

Residents want to know

He said he and a few of his neighbours were “just curious” about the city’s intentions. It’s worth noting that the City of Laval decided to adopt the new automated sign system as part of a package of amendments to its wintertime snow-removal strategy, which previously included a narrow and unpopular no parking policy following snowfalls.

The City of Laval acknowledges that its electronic snow removal signs haven’t yet been activated in an area of the city’s west end bounded by autoroutes 13, 15, 440 and the Rivière des Prairies.

“I had some discussion with my neighbours who were wondering, you know, why they [the city] are still putting out those signboards,” he said, adding that they’d gone online to the City of Laval’s website to see if there was any information, only to see there was none.

“Nothing came up with regard to when they [the new signs] are actually going to be getting used,” he continued. “It would be nice just to get a little guidance from the city – maybe just a little bit of communication as to when. Even though we didn’t get much snow this year, it would just be nice to know when the city will be putting this into use.”

Not yet up and running

The Laval News reached out to the City of Laval for some clarification as to when the new system will be functional.

Carolanne L. Gagnon, a spokesperson for the city’s public affairs and marketing division, said the system is still being installed within an area of Laval’s west end bounded by autoroutes 13, 15, 440 and the Rivière des Prairies.

However, there was no word from her on a precise or even approximate date when the system might be functional. “Before it becomes operational, an official notice will be sent to residents in the sectors which are affected to let them know the official date,” she said.

Until then, she added, the city’s existing methods of informing residents, as well as the portable cardboard no parking signs, will remain in use.

Pink in the City presents $317,000 to MUHC Foundation for breast cancer care

Love, compassion and action at work, says Pink president Denise Vourtzoumis

A check for $317,000 was presented recently by officials with Pink in the City to the MUHC Foundation, representing funds raised by Pink last year for holistic care provided to breast cancer cancer patients at the Montreal-based teaching hospital.

Denise Vourtzoumis, president of Pink in the City, took to the podium with heartfelt emotion.

‘A shared purpose’

“This achievement is a testament to what happens when a community comes together with a shared purpose,” she said. “Pink in the City was founded on the belief that love, compassion and action can make a tangible difference in the lives of breast cancer patients. I salute every survivor in the room, you are the reason we are here.”

Dr. Sarkis Meterissian, founder of the Breast Clinic Wellness Program at the MUHC, expressed his gratitude for the vital support that Pink in the City provides.

“This program was created to address the emotional, physical, and psychological well-being of breast cancer patients,” he said. “Thanks to Pink in the City, the MUHC Foundation and their incredible donors, we can continue to offer holistic care that truly meets the needs of our patients.”

Unwavering commitment

“Together, we are creating a future where every woman facing breast cancer feels supported and cared for,” said Marie-Hélène Laramée, president and CEO of the MUHC Foundation. “Pink in the City’s unwavering commitment to this cause inspires us all to dream bigger and strive harder to ensure no more women face a future where breast cancer takes a life.”

Pink in the City has become synonymous with breast cancer care at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). Since 2014, they have championed the MUHC’s Breast Clinic Wellness Program through the MUHC Foundation and events like Raise Craze and their annual gala.

$1.5 million raised to date

From breast cancer survivors to passionate high school students, Pink in the City never fails to unite their community in the fight against breast cancer. Pink in the City’s 2024 donation to the MUHC brought their total contributions to over $1.5 million.

The funds raised were the result of tireless efforts, which included an inspiring Pink in the Rink campaign last year led by the Concordia University Women’s Hockey Team.

“Pink in the Rink is so much more than a hockey game,” said Julie Chu, coach for the team. “For us, it’s about standing in solidarity with those affected by cancer and showing that even the smallest efforts can create ripples of change. We’re proud to contribute to such an important cause.”

SWLSB’s ‘Raise Craze’

One of the highlights of the year is always Raise Craze, a much-loved event where people shave or dye their hair pink in support of the cause. Students from the Sir Wilfred Laurier School Board raised an incredible $50,000, showing how young people are getting involved in philanthropy.

The Beat 92.5’s co-hosts Lee Haberkorn and Mark Bergman shaved their heads, while Claudia Marques and Kim Kieran dyed their hair pink during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, raising $98K for Raise Craze, which included a generous matching donation from La Vie en Rose.

Two Laval Liberal MPs throw their weight behind Mark Carney for party leader

Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis and Laval-les-Îles Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

El-Khoury, Koutrakis praise former bank governor, downplaying bilingualism issue

After several weeks of deliberation over the future of the Liberal Party of Canada following the resignation of Justin Trudeau as leader, two Laval-area MPs have announced their decision to support Mark Carney’s bid to win the party’s leadership.

In interviews last week with The Laval News, Laval-Les Îles Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury and Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis confirmed their decision to support the former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor, whose chief rival for the leadership is former Liberal finance minister Chrystia Freeland.

‘Good economic vision’

“He is a great economist,” El-Khoury said, explaining why he decided to support Carney. “He is the right man. He has a good economic vision for the country, which is exactly what we need right now. If you look at his CV, he is the only man in the world who managed two major central banks. Which is unique.”

El-Khoury noted that during the 2008 global financial crisis, Carney provided key advice to Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper. “So, he is very well known. He has made his mark,” he said.

Although there is a longstanding if unspoken tradition within the Liberal Party of Canada that the leadership should alternate between French- and English-speaking chiefs, some also believe the person who heads the party should always be bilingual.

(Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Carney’s bilingualism

El-Khoury said he was impressed with Carney’s fluency in both languages, while admitting that Carney (who was born in Canada’s Northwest Territories and raised in Alberta) isn’t perfectly adept in French. “Of course, he’s not Victor Hugo,” he said, alluding to the 19th century French author. “But he manages properly. I’ve heard him speak and it is very good.”

Regarding some of the other candidates, El-Khoury said he would have supported a leadership bid by former Pierrefonds-Dollard MP Frank Baylis, whom he described as a very close friend. “But as far as I know, after discussing with many colleagues, he has no chance,” said El-Khoury.

Regarding Chrystia Freeland, he said, “With all due respect, she is a good colleague. But my problem, based on my consultation with my constituents in Laval-Les-Îles and other places also, is that as minister of finance, she was related to all decisions taken by Trudeau and she cannot separate herself from that.”

Carney was praised by Harper

Koutrakis explained why she also decided to support Mark Carney. Like El-Khoury, she noted that Stephen Harper had praised Carney’s work at the Bank of Canada as having helped soften the impact on the country from the 2008-2009 recession. As well, she pointed out that Carney was the only non-British governor the Bank of England had since its founding in the late 17th century.

“Having met him [Carney] and having had extensive conversations with him, I think he is the right leader and the right prime minister for Canada as we go through this very turbulent time,” said Koutrakis.

Regarding Carney’s linguistic proficiency, Koutrakis said she agreed that since Canada is an officially bilingual country, “the prime minister of Canada, and any federal party leader for that matter, should be bilingual.” She said she had heard Carney speak in French.

Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Koutrakis for Carney

“Although it may not be perfect, he is quite proficient in the French language, and I know that he is continuing in that regard,” said Koutrakis. “Obviously, he is an Anglophone. But I have every confidence that Mr. Carney will be able to master the language even better than he already speaks it.”

She said she had “full respect for all the candidates who put their names out there to be the leader.” However, with the economic threats the country is facing from its main trading partner (the U.S.), “I really believe that given Mr. Carney’s overall demeanor, experience, educational background and reputation globally, he is the right person to be able to sit across the table from President Trump and his team to renegotiate and make sure that Canada’s economy remains robust and healthy,” said Koutrakis.

Winter was put on pause for city’s three-day ‘Laval en Blanc’

Families enjoyed a respite from the weather at the Centre de la Nature

The Rubino family from Laval’s Duvernay district were among the thousands of moms, dads and children who converged on the Centre de la Nature on the weekend of January 24-25-26 for the city’s Laval en Blanc winter carnival.

As it turned out, Sunday, the final day, was also the best, with bright sun and a moderate coolness just on the edge of warmth under the gentle mid-day sunlight.

The Rubino family from Laval’s Duvernay district enjoyed a mid-winter day in the sun at the Centre de la Nature during the city’s Laval en Blanc festival. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

“We try to get to different events throughout the year,” said the family’s father, adding that they find it pleasant and convenient to have access so close to home to a large green space like the Centre de la Nature, where they can get out and enjoy the fresh air while also getting some exercise.

Nothing hits the spot on a cold January weekend at the Centre de la Nature like maple taffy on snow. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Fun for everyone

There was snow sledding, ice skating, zip line riding, fireworks, obstacle course racing, snow sculpting, even some musical performances to be enjoyed by kids and their families in warmth inside a pavilion.

The Zip Line proved to be a popular with kids as ever during this year’s Laval en Blanc. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

For some, the idea of having fun outdoors during the winter, in temperatures hovering around zero degrees Celsius, is a novel concept and a discovery in itself – although it’s the very reason Laval en Blanc is organized each year by the City of Laval.

Mayor Boyer confirms he’s in for another term – despite health problem

Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer says he’ll be seeking a second term in the November 2 municipal elections, in spite of the fact he’s facing a health issue which is impacting the quality of his life.

Boyer, who became Laval’s youngest elected mayor in 2021 at the age of 33, made the announcement last week.

Spinal cord arthritis

The 37-year-old told journalists with several media that he was diagnosed more than a decade ago with ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis that affects the spinal cord.

Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer (seen here during the January 14 city council meeting) says his name will be on the ballot in the November 2 municipal elections for a second term, in spite of a health problem. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

The condition can make it difficult to stand or walk for long periods. It is characterized by long-term inflammation of the joints of the spine, typically where the spine joins the pelvis.

He said wanted to go public about it in case anyone began to notice the symptoms. According to Boyer, it took two years for him to obtain a diagnosis for a disease he said he will have for the rest of his life.

Campaigning started

In interviews with journalists since making the announcement, Boyer suggested that some of the issues he wants to put forward in a second term as mayor would include building another major hospital in Laval, as well as expanding higher education, and providing more assistance to the homeless.

He also expressed a desire to continue initiatives for better economic development, more housing, stronger public security, and more access in Laval to arts and culture. In addition, he said he wanted to take measures to improve overall efficiency in government.

Laval unveils action plan for juvenile delinquency and urban violence

During the January 14 Laval city council meeting, officials with the city announced the release of the new Action Plan for Security and Collective Well-Being for the years 2024-2026. It was developed in partnership with a number of institutions and community groups in the region.

The plan is a more detailed version of a strategic plan for security and well-being, which was adopted by city council last June. The plan provides a framework for the City of Laval to be able to take means to deal with juvenile delinquency and violence among youths aged between 12 and 35 years.

“This action plan is the end-result of a collective and coordinated effort, denoting the City of Laval’s and its partners’ willingness to act on the issues involving juvenile delinquency and security,” said Mayor Stéphane Boyer.

(Photo: Courtesy of City of Laval)

A collective effort

“By uniting our strengths while working together, we will be able to achieve concrete results that will make a significant impact in matters of prevention. I am proud of this action plan, which aims to make our neighborhoods safer, while allowing us to invest in the future of our youths and their families.”

The project, developed through the co-leadership of the City of Laval’s culture, leisure, sports and social development service and the Laval Police Dept. (SPL), outlines measures to be implemented by the city and its partners.

According to the city, the measures were developed following multiple meetings and workshops held with program partners in the community. The city relied on the partners’ expertise in working with youths over many years to identify what actions might be necessary to accomplish goals.

Measures to be taken

In all, 45 measures are decreed in the new plan, taking into account emerging issues. They include:

  • Acting preventively, by advising youths and their families beforehand on issues linked to cyberspace, like online harassment and intimidation.
  • Providing support for programs and initiatives working towards reducing polarization and radicalization.
  • Providing youths with opportunities to learn more about themselves through cultural and artistic workshops in things like hip-hop music, as well as literary projects.

In addition to investments by the City of Laval, the Quebec Ministry of Public Security invested $4.6 million in the plan. As well, the federal government and the government of Quebec also provided financial support through a mutual program whose purpose is to help build more secure communities.

Tariffs should get us thinking differently

Canada has been acting like a poor country for the last ten years. It’s not an accident that we have been led by a government that has wanted Canadians to think small.

Members of cabinet and would-be leaders are disciples, in fact, some are board members of the World Economic Forum. The WEF used to be an impartial international think tank but has veered extremely left. Today, some call it “the mafia elite of the super-rich.” Its credo is a world without borders. Picture the former Soviet Union. The purpose is not the creation of wealth but its redistribution. Canadian Armed Forces Lt-Col David Redman sounds the alarm when he says “Canada finds itself in a far worse situation across all areas of national security than we did in 2015, with the purpose of destroying and dissolving our Canadian identity.” The retired Redman says it’s not by accident that government has allowed China to infiltrate and influence our three governing levels.

There is no one to thank more for this catastrophic erosion in our pride and identity than this most divisive federal government. It was the newly elected prime minister who declared that Canada is not a sovereign country. It was a stunning statement to the New York Times in 2015, but in line with his beliefs and those of the World Economic Forum. He said, “there is no core identity, no mainstream in Canada. We are a post national state.” No premier, no other Canadian leader stood and spoke against this treasonous verbiage. Perhaps we were too enamoured and blinded by the young man with different hair styles every six months, flashing his family brand while fresh off a winning knockout punch in the boxing ring. Our judgment became clouded enough to not realize the 2015 election results were going to lead us to a social, political, and economical quagmire. We are now only individuals, living in different geographical regions, from Newfoundland to British Columbia. The east was told to hate Alberta, despite it being Canada’s biggest revenue generator. It is the ‘have province” that finances Québec’s social programs and sustains our medical system in Canada. It is the province that produces the largest percentage of Canada’s exports. Shouldn’t we be thankful and grateful that Alberta is part of our Confederation?

Despite our love and dedication, Canada means little or nothing to many of us anymore. We sing our National Anthem before hockey games with no emotion nor conviction. Yes, at least men remove their caps for the national anthem, but only because long time and revered Habs announcer Michel Lacroix says so. The only other time is when Ginette Reno leads us into belting out O Canada at The Bell. Otherwise, we may as well be lip-syncing. We allow our Canadian maple leaf flag, that we once saluted and honoured, to be burned and ripped apart on our streets by terrorists, while police stand by and never make an arrest. We glorify terrorists who destroy our flag! Canada’s kindness is no excuse to break our laws. We offer a beacon of hope to the world, but we have permitted and tolerated the importation of international conflicts to our streets.

Never have I come close to even dreaming of this happening in my country. For the last ten years Canadians have been told that we should be ashamed because of how bad and evil history has shown us to be. No one in that government at any time, has given Canadians any reason to feel proud of who we are. Yet we have so much to be thankful and proud of in wearing our maple leaf.

The federal Liberal government has allowed repeat criminals, who laugh at our justice system and smirk in triumph at police as they are released the day after being arrested. Not once, but it happens time after time after time. Canada’s crime rate is 14% higher than the United States (Fraser Institute).

Chronic repeat offenders have to be left in prison. As citizens of this country, we need to be protected from repeat offenders, knife wielding sidewalk terrorists, gun totting car jackers, home invaders, and gang warfare where innocent bystanders are shot or injured. This is what Canada has become.

We have allowed border free entry not only to illegal migrants but to banned guns and deadly drugs. More fatal drugs, especially fentanyl, are allowed into this country as never before. Over 49 thousand Canadians have died of opioid related deaths in the last ten years, according to Canada.ca. Let that sink in. While refusing to accept diversity of opinion, this government trumpets diversity as the strength of Canada. In fact, allowing diversity to flood this country has meant the importation of every worldly ethnic conflict, and the disappearance of our values.

So, who will lead us back to the country we once loved and cherished? Who will secure our borders not because an American president tells us to but because we are proud Canadians who want to protect our traditions, principles, and sovereignty? Who will insist on a code of conduct before becoming a resident of this country, making it illegal to disrespect and not abide by our values and customs? The possibility of deportation should be an inevitable consequence of unlawful behavior. Destroying or stomping on the Canadian flag should be a punishable offence. Who will stop Chinese, Russian, and Indian interference in our democratic system in municipal provincial and federal governments? Who will stand at the laboratory door and filter those who participate in our research and development?

Before we vote, Canadians must tolerate another demonstration of political arrogance, a leadership convention. Instead, an election should have been called on January 7th.

But for now, put aside the political bravado of a tariff war and fix our border. Tariffs should get us thinking differently.

We are so anxious and ready to elect true leadership when it is needed more than ever.

Liberals’ Duclos warns of steep cuts under a Poilièvre government

Maintains dental coverage and affordable housing are threatened by Conservatives

With the prospect of an early federal election more certain by the week, Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services in the outgoing Trudeau cabinet, is warning that a Conservative government under Pierre Poilièvre would almost certainly make deep cuts to programs introduced by the Liberals in the past nine years – including national dental care and access to affordable housing.

Federal cabinet minister Jean-Yves Duclos touched base with Newsfirst Multimedia on a range of pre-election issues, including national dental care, affordable housing and the Liberal government’s budget deficits. (Photo: Government of Canada via YouTube)

“Pierre Poilievre wants to take away dental coverage for millions of Canadians and leave you and your family without the health care you need and deserve,” Duclos said in an interview with Newsfirst Multimedia during a recent stop in Laval to attend a multicultural gathering.

Dental plan threatened, he says

The Liberal government’s Quebec Lieutenant said Poilièvre has gone on record several times trying to discredit the Canadian Dental Care Plan, which was adopted by the Liberals largely at the urging of the NDP minority opposition in Canada’s parliament.

“Any time someone has asked him why he is against, he has said it is because it doesn’t exist,” Duclos said, maintaining that Poilièvre, driven by right-wing ideology, has also been known to refer the dental plan as a “communist” policy.

“So, this is very strange obviously for any sensible person to understand that language,” said Duclos. “But then it’s part of the fake news argument: he pretends that people shouldn’t register because it doesn’t exist, and then because it doesn’t exist, he says we can do without it – which is obviously completely false.”

He said that, to date, more than 3.1 million dental program applications have been approved, with one million in Quebec alone. As well, he said more than 1.3 million Canadians have received dental care through the plan. “More than 95 per cent of all dentist here in Quebec have used the program,” said Duclos. “For now, it is seniors and people under the age of 18. But, in 2025, we are expected to open the program to everyone.”

Affordable housing

On affordable housing, Duclos, who was the minister responsible for the Liberal government’s first national housing strategy, maintained that since 2015 when the Trudeau government first came into office, the Liberals managed to build more than 50,000 units of affordable housing, paid for largely by the federal government.

He claimed that Pierre Poilièvre, as the cabinet minister responsible for housing in the former Harper Conservative government, “built six in total for his whole mandate across the entire country.”

On the Liberal leadership

Regarding the Liberal leadership race, Duclos declined to say whether at this point he is supporting any particular candidate.

However, an outline of his thinking on the matter, furnished to Newsfirst Multimedia by a Liberal administration staff member, noted that Duclos has “said time and time again that the next leader of the party needs to be bilingual and have the interest of all Quebecers at heart.”

Duclos acknowledged that by this definition, the field of suitably bilingual candidates becomes somewhat narrower. Of the two most prominent ones – Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland – he noted:

“They are not perfectly bilingual, just as I am not perfectly bilingual. Perfectly bilingual Canadians are rare. But what matters is whether you are able to engage with Canadians in whatever language they use. That is absolutely essential.”

Last Friday, Duclos confirmed through a letter to Mark Carney posted on Duclos’s ‘X’ social media account that he is supporting Carney’s leadership bid.

Impact of Trump presidency

Duclos said the Liberal government had long been preparing for the eventuality that Donald Trump would be re-elected as president of the U.S. “I would say that people want to be reassured,” he said.

He said the Liberal government “started in late winter, early spring 2024, since at that time there was a high probability that President Trump would be re -elected, so it was possible. And then it became probable that he would be re-elected. So given that, we had to reactivate our engagement work in the United States.”

Dismisses deficit worries

On the country’s growing annual operating deficit – which currently stands at more than $60 billion for 2023-24, compared to $35.3 billion in 2022–23 – Duclos, who has headed the economics faculty at Laval University and has a PhD from the London School of Economics – maintained that the government’s debt is nothing to become alarmed about.

“It isn’t only the debt that matters – it’s also the size of the economy,” he said, noting that Canada’s economy has been assessed by the International Monetary Fund to be the second-fastest growing economy in 2026-27 after the U.S.

Laval News Volume 33-03

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The current issue of the Laval News, volume 33-03, published on February 5th, 2025.
Covering Laval local news, politics, and sports.
(Click on the image to read the paper.)

King Charles III Coronation Medals presented in Laval

On behalf of Quebec Lieutenant Governor Manon Jeannotte, Brigadier-General Stéphane Tardif had the honour of presiding over a special ceremony on the afternoon of January 29 at the Palace Convention Centre in Laval, where 63 citizens from the Greater Montreal area, including several from Laval, received the King Charles III Coronation Medal.

According to a statement issued by the Lieutenant Governor’s office, the ceremony aimed to recognize the unsung heroes of the two regions, whose contributions have made a significant impact on their community, the province, and, in some cases, on a national and international scale.

The King Charles III Coronation Medal is a special commemorative distinction designed to honour Canadians who have made significant contributions to their communities or abroad. It celebrates their achievements, dedication, and commitment to the well-being of Canadian society.

The King Charles III Coronation Medal marks a historic occasion, as it is the first Canadian commemorative medal awarded for a coronation since that of Queen Elizabeth II.

  • The Government of Canada will award 30,000 medals across the country to recognize significant contributions made by citizens in various fields.
  • The presentation of the King Charles III Coronation Medal in Quebec is part of events celebrating those who contribute, often behind the scenes, to the advancement of Canada at the local, national, and international levels.

Details of the Medal

The medal features the effigy of His Majesty King Charles III and his royal monogram and is attached to a ribbon in dark blue, bright red, and white. This ribbon is identical to that used for the Coronation Medal in the United Kingdom. The design of the medal was created by the Canadian Heraldic Authority and approved by His Majesty.

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