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Action Laval chooses Sophie Trottier as mayoralty candidate and new leader

Martin C. Barry
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Action Laval chooses Sophie Trottier as mayoralty candidate and new leader

‘I like working proactively and not reactively,’ says career Quebec civil-servant and OQLF employee

Following word that Sonia Baudelot is no longer leading Action Laval towards the Nov. 7 municipal election, the party has announced that Sophie Trottier, a long-time Quebec civil servant and current employee of the Office québécois de la langue française, is the party’s new leader and mayoralty candidate.

A resident of Laval’s Saint-Vincent-de-Paul district, Trottier has worked in various capacities for the provincial government’s Ministry of Employment and Social Solidarity as well as Services Québec for almost 25 years.

At OQLF since last year

Fluent in French and English, she’s been employed with the OQLF since last November as a liaison and facilitator helping small businesses conform with the province’s regulations that sometimes require the application of French verbally or in writing.

With her background in social work and communications, Action Laval is hoping Sophie Trottier can fill the gap left by the departure of Sonia Baudelot. Among other things, Trottier is expected to provide viable solutions to help improve the City of Laval’s finances and overall management.

Pro-active approach

“I like working proactively and not reactively,” Trottier said in a statement issued by her party. “As in any administration, there are always problems. It’s not just a question of fixing them, they must be prevented.

“I would like to see Laval become a model city internationally that other municipalities around the world will be watching and from which they will want to draw inspiration. I have been working with businesses in Laval for several years now and I know their potential. I’d like the people of Laval to be proud of their city.”

According to Action Laval, Trottier is already out campaigning. Her familiarity with social issues is said to put her on a good footing to deal with problems in Laval involving businesses and employment. The party says that under Trottier’s leadership, the City of Laval’s services would be overhauled to focus more closely on their targeted delivery in the districts.

Trottier at the Hellenic Summer Festival last weekend.

A ‘red flag’ issue

For English-speaking voters in Laval, Trottier’s employment with the OQLF stands out perhaps more than anything else as a red flag. In an interview with the Laval News, she was asked what she would do to win the support of Laval’s English-speaking voters.

Trottier said she draws a line between what she does for a living and the elected office she hopes to win in November. “Supposing I was a nurse,” she said. “The day that I become mayor I am no longer a nurse. And, you know, when you work for a government, we have rules to respect and we do what needs to be done.

“But I’m not worried at all,” she continued. “Because I’ve had many anglophones as my clients and they’ve always been happy to get my services. But all this has nothing to do with my becoming the mayor. It’s two different things.

Likes helping people

“When I’m on the ground talking to people, I’m the mayoral candidate,” she added. “And what I’m always telling people who want to know about my background is that I was always helping people who were looking for work, who were receiving welfare or unemployment benefits and I was there helping them.”

For English-speaking voters in Laval, Trottier’s employment with the OQLF stands out perhaps more than anything else as a red flag

While Action Laval’s previous mayoral candidate had a substantial track record of involvement in politics in Laval, as a federal Conservative candidate at one point and as the leader and mayoralty candidate of her own Avenir Laval municipal party, Sonia Baudelot was a relative newcomer to Action Laval and was not a long-time member.

A long-time AL supporter

Sophie Trottier, on the other hand, maintains she’s been a grassroots supporter and frequent volunteer at Action Laval-sponsored events for years – even though she wasn’t necessarily a card-carrying member during that period.

“I always voted for Action Laval. Its values for me are very important,” she said, insisting she never voted for Mayor Marc Demers’s Mouvement lavallois, although she admitted that she was initially hopeful he would bring change to Laval after the outgoing mayor was first elected in 2013.

Hundreds attend a scaled-down Laval Hellenic Summer Festival

Martin C. Barry
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Hundreds attend a scaled-down Laval Hellenic Summer Festival

Partyers hold a muted post-Covid celebration of Greek roots and heritage

While the crowd count was a lot lower than usual and there was no Canada Day cake, hundreds of people with Greek cultural roots did at least get out for three days last weekend to attend the annual Hellenic Summer Festival at Holy Cross Church in Chomedey, after a one-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And although there were no Greek folk dancers or singers flown in from Greece this year because of some ongoing sanitary restrictions, there was still lots of charcoal-broiled souvlaki and Hellenic music piped in from Greece on a live web connection.

Covid rules followed

As well, many of Laval’s elected officials, election candidates and other dignitaries turned up for a special event on Saturday evening – bearing in mind perhaps that 2021 is an election year for municipal politicians.

From the left, Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal president Andy Crilis, Nick Katalifos and Chomedey MNA Guy Ouellette are seen here with the National Assembly Medal presented by Ouellette to Katalifos at the Laval Hellenic Summer Festival. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

“This year we said let’s try having the festival, even though some people are still concerned about the Covid. So, we followed all the public safety rules,” said Denis Marinos, president of the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal’s Laval regional council.

Usually big crowds

The Laval Hellenic Summer Festival is normally one of the biggest Greek cultural events in Quebec each year. People arrive from many areas of eastern Canada, eager to meet and greet old friends and members of their extended families.

In Laval there are an estimated 40,000 Greek residents. Arrangements were made to receive up to 700 people over three days at this year’s festival – a far cry from the thousands who normally attend the Hellenic Summer Festival.

No dancing this year

“We’re not allowed to dance,” said Marinos, noting that particular rule. “But do have music live from Greece and people can enjoy it while sitting at the tables enjoying their food. And hopefully by next year this place will be rocking when things are back to normal again.”

‘Hopefully by next year this place will be rocking when things are back to normal again,’ said Denis Marinos, president of the HCGM’s Laval council

Among the dignitaries were Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis, l’Abord-à-Plouffe councillor Vassilios Karidogiannis, Quebec MNA for Chomedey Guy Ouellette, Laval-Les Îles MP Fayçal El-Khoury, Vimy MP Annie Koutrakis, Senator Leo Housakos, Action Laval mayoralty candidate Sophie Trottier, Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal president Andy Crilis, Montreal city councillor for Parc Extension Mary Deros and English Montreal School Board director-general Nicholas Katalifos.

A medal for Katalifos

A highlight Saturday evening was the presentation of the National Assembly Medal to Katalifos by Ouellette. While Katalifos has been an educator and administrator at the EMSB for decades, he is also known for his leadership and support in the Montreal region’s autism spectrum community, including the presidency of the Giant Steps School.

Ouellette pointed out that in receiving the National Assembly Medal, it was the second time Katalifos had been presented with a medal symbolizing the recognition of a constituted government assembly. Around three years ago, he was awarded the Senate 150th Anniversary Medal by Senator Leo Housakos.

‘For the team’

“I’m accepting this, but not just on my behalf, but also on behalf of the entire community that I’ve been working with,” Katalifos said after accepting the medal, emphasizing a major project now underway at Giant Steps to build a new autism centre and school campus in east-end Montreal.

“It’s an enormous group of people working on this – fifty, sixty strong,” he said. “And that’s why it’s shaping up into such a success. Because everybody’s working together.”

MPs share their thoughts

The dignitaries were invited by festival organizers to step up to the microphone to share some of their thoughts, including El-Khoury and Koutrakis.

A large number of elected officials from the Laval area as well as other dignitaries turned out last Saturday evening at Holy Cross Church on Souvenir Rd. for day two of the Hellenic Summer Festival. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

“The Greek community is great and contributes to our diversity, to our progress, to our prosperity and you’re doing a great job,” El-Khoury said.

“I’m very proud to be here today,” said Koutrakis, who served briefly as the HCGM’s first woman president just before she was elected MP for Vimy in 2019.

“I hope you feel that as parliamentarians, we are here by your side and ready to serve.”

City confirms its commitment towards its young residents

Martin C. Barry
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City confirms its commitment towards its young residents

The City of Laval has a new five-year plan for youth issues, say city officials, based on the premise that all children and teens in Laval should have the same chances to develop to their full potential in a safe, secure and inclusive environment.

For the first time, the plan brings together two earlier municipal projects affecting youths ranging from 0 – 17 years of age: the Municipalité amie des enfants (MAE) program, and the Fonds Place-du-Souvenir (FPS). The city says that unifying the two programs will streamline efforts and help improve both.

Demographic planning

The plan was developed in conjunction with a consultative committee for the FPS and a partners committee for the MAE, which include members from the Centre de services scolaire (CSS) de Laval, the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS) de Laval and some local organizations.

Its development was based, among other things, on data coming from demographic information on the health of youths aged 0 – 17 years that was gathered together in Laval in 2020. The data was compiled in conjunction with the CISSS de Laval and made public last March.

City open to youth

“The action plan supports the commitment made by Laval towards being a welcoming and attractive city for youths,” said Laval city councillor for Saint-Martin Aline Dib, who is an associated member of the executive-committee responsible for family and youth issues.

“By recognizing the great diversity of youth in Laval, we are helping each of these young persons to develop personally, socially and professionally. By giving them, in conjunction with our partners, the necessary tools to develop, we can be sure we are building the future of Laval with citizens who a better chance of fully reaching their goals on an equal basis.”

Helping the underprivileged

According to the city, the plan revolves around five major strategic orientations upheld by precise goals, as well as 67 actions to be taken to bring about change. Among these are an intention to develop awareness-raising initiatives geared towards ethnocultural diversity, improving conditions for economic access by youths to cultural, sports and leisure activities, as well as making available educational materials for youths from underprivileged backgrounds.

The city says the plan is structured into age sub-groups in order to take into account the particularities of groups in their stages of development. The plan has also been made with respect to male and female needs and differences, taking into account the different realities lived by youths.

Executive-committee input

The City of Laval’s executive-committee is expected to make recommendations to the plan, including the attribution of funds to the largest number of organizations, which are expected to apply for support through programs made possible by the plan.

According to the city, 20 per cent of the population currently is less than 18 years of age. More than half the youths in this category (56.2 per cent) are from immigrant communities (either first or second generation).

The average size of families in Laval is growing (it currently stands at four persons per household). And around 11. 7 per cent of families in Laval with children or teens are low-income households.

AIPDP launches journal dedicated to improving global education

Martin C. Barry
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AIPDP launches journal dedicated to improving global education

El-Khoury and Guertin praise Africa-focused movement for its efforts

Although the central African nation of Bénin is more than 4,000 miles from Canada on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, the two countries were brought closer together by communications technology last week for the launch of a new educational studies journal, which has the support of a current and a former elected official from Laval.

The Canadian branch of the Association for Educational Innovation and Professional Development (AIPDP) held a Zoom web press conference on June 29 to launch the new journal, Passer des approaches d’enseignement d’hier à celles d’aujourd’hui et de demain.

Côte d’Ivoire and Bénin

Among the guests taking part virtually were Laval-Les Îles MP Fayçal El-Khoury, former City of Laval executive-committee member Jocelyne Guertin, government representatives from the Republic of Bénin and the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, and a representative of Marc-Aurèle-Fortin MP Yves Robillard. Guertin is an active member of Montreal-based AIPDP Canada as a general councillor and advisor.

The AIPDP is made up of Quebec, Canadian, African and European professionals from the educational and related fields. The association says it offers an innovative development approach that allows today’s and tomorrow’s generations to be creative and to respond to the different realities that undermine the development of societies in general, although Africa in particular.

Professional members

The AIPDP has followers in Canada, in several African countries (Cameroon, Benin, Ivory Coast and Togo, among others) and on other continents. Because of the support it receives from professionals, the AIPDP says it has expertise in the analysis and restructuring of education systems in African countries, according to the standards of the competency-based approach (PCA).

“This gathering today marks an important step forward in the history of the association with the launch of its pedagogical journal,” said Guertin, while adding that the COVID-19 pandemic has drawn attention to the need for improvements in the primary and secondary levels of education.

COVID impact on schooling

She said the pandemic is depriving hundreds of millions of children around the world of formal schooling, and that the AIPDP has a role to play in solving this dilemma. At the same time, she noted that many problems involving gender equality in education remain unresolved and are an area the association might also explore for solutions.

El-Khoury, who has received political advice from Jocelyne Guertin during his election campaigns in Laval-Les Îles, praised Guertin for her skills in public relations and political strategy, while saying the AIPDP stands to greatly benefit from her presence in their organization.

Useful tool, El-Khoury said

“I have no doubt that through this important project, educators will have in their hands a useful tool to support them throughout their pedagogical mission,” he said regarding the new journal.

‘This journal aims essentially to activate, improve and enrich the teaching and learning practices through in-depth research and studies,’ El-Khoury said

“This journal aims essentially to activate, improve and enrich the teaching and learning practices through in-depth research and studies in order to build bridges while uniting and unifying teaching and learning methods all over the world.

“I would also like to add that this journal’s goal is to promote the presence of women in decision-making positions,” El-Khoury continued, “and to encourage them to insist on their rights while making a difference in their respective communities.

Role of women

“And there is something else I would also like to mention: I am proud to be a member of the federal Parliament, where women have a rightful place. We have a cabinet with parity where women have 50 per cent of the seats and a very important number of them had their beginnings in the House of Commons.

“And before closing, I would like with your permission to draw your attention to the fact that women, through your journal, are playing an important role in the fight against climate change and how to better protect our environment. With all that said, I wish that all of you can get all the benefits from this educational project. Let us with and hope that this project will become exemplary – an example to follow.”

Agape sees light at the end of the tunnel, after a challenging year

Martin C. Barry
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Agape sees light at the end of the tunnel, after a challenging year

Chomedey social services provider plans expansion to Duvernay-Laval

“It’s been a tough year or two, to say the least,” Agape executive-director Kevin McLeod said at the beginning of the Chomedey-based social services organization’s annual general meeting on June 29, as he emphasized the challenges they’ve faced since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic around 17 months ago.

Rainbow in view

“The good news is that we can see the rainbow at the end of the tunnel – it’s looking good,” he added. According to Agape’s 2020-2021 report, the COVID 19 pandemic made community support stronger, given the emergency funding that was provided by numerous sources at different governmental levels.

However, there was a slight decrease in demand for food and other material assistance seeing that Agape was closed (except for its food bank) from March to July 2020, and potentially new resources started providing food assistance.

Christmas requests cut

Agape said it had to scale back requests for Christmas baskets in December 2020. All the same, some 400 were prepared. Those who did not qualify for Agape’s services were asked to register at the Centre de Bénévolat and Moisson Laval. McLeod said that surplus food donations have helped and will sustain Agape’s food bank for the remainder of 2021.

Since August 2020, 28 new individual and family client files were opened at Agape for assistance, of which 20 were retained. This represents 32 adults and 21 children. Among these, a total of five were single-parent families who were responsible for 5 children in total.

Fewer refugees as clients

Although Agape did not have as many refugees for clients as in recent years, they still served six new sponsored refugee families as well as one refugee-claimant family. As in the past, a large portion of families served represent those who were recent immigrants.

Seven countries were represented among the files that were opened during the 2020-2021 time period. Agape still served clients who opened files for assistance in previous years and the average ranged from 15-20 food orders per month, including basic non-perishable food items and frozen bread and pastries. Some families requested help 2-3 times per month.

Psychotherapy not being used

In an outline of some of Agape’s other activities, the annual report noted that a psychotherapy service offered within a mental health project conducted in conjunction with the CISSS de Laval “continues but has seen a slight decrease and continued decline in clients mainly because of a need for more promotion and reminding partners about the availability of this service. The counsellor was seeing about 2-3 clients in a given month throughout the year.”

According to the annual report, Agape agreed initially with its health partners that Agape would phase this part of the project out once the Quebec government implemented a public psychotherapy program that was announced in 2017, although “this project is not yet activated,” says Agape.

No PQPTM yet in Laval

With regards to planning for the same program in 2021-2022 (which is scheduled to end on March 31 in 2023), the annual report says, “The therapist is still available seeing that the public Psychotherapy program (PQPTM) is still not fully implemented, and is gradually being phased in, in different regions, but not yet in Laval.”

(On a Quebec health ministry website, the Québec Program for Mental Disorders: from Self-Care to Psychotherapy (PQPTM) is described as relying on “a range of services, including self-care, groups, professional support interventions or psychotherapy.” Once it has been deployed, the PQPTM will be available free of charge to all Quebec residents covered by the province’s public health insurance plan.)

Eastern satellite office

As previously announced in the Laval News, Agape will be hiring an additional project coordinator who will focus on community development in the eastern part of Laval. Through the secretariat for relations with Quebec English-speakers, Agape was offered funding for a three-year project that will mainly consist of continuing to represent the needs and priorities of Laval English-speakers.

Agape is contemplating opening its new satellite office somewhere near the Centre Duvernay shopping centre on de la Concorde Blvd. East

The project will also see Agape opening a satellite office in eastern Laval which will be used as a resource, activity and donation centre, although this might not be for several years. McLeod said the organization was contemplating opening the location somewhere near the Centre Duvernay shopping centre on de la Concorde Blvd. East, where the presence of several English-language schools indicates there is a significant English-speaking population.

Positive financials

Despite the enormous challenges presented by the pandemic over the past year-and-a-half, Agape’s financial picture for 2020-2021 is positive.

The organization’s total reported revenues for the period were $776,074, while expenses amounted to $751,245, leaving a surplus of $24,829. Provincial grants provided 37 per cent of revenue, while federal grants accounted for 43 per cent.

Twenty per cent of Agape’s revenues came from donations, self-financing, sales, rent revenues and other sources.

Laval News Volume 29-21

Costa Hovris
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Laval News Volume 29-21

The current issue of the Laval News volume 29-21 published July 7th, 2021.
Covering Laval local news, politics, sports and our new section Mature Life.
(Click on the image to read the paper.)

Front page of the Laval News.
https://lavalnews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TLN-29-21-WEB.pdfFront page of the Laval News, July 7th, 2021 issue.

Crash on Industriel Blvd. sends two to hospital

Martin C. Barry
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Crash on Industriel Blvd. sends two to hospital

The Laval Police have opened an investigation into a car crash early last week that sent two people, both in their early 20s, to hospital after their vehicle violently struck the side of a building on Industriel Blvd in central Laval.

According to the LPD, the two sustained severe but non-life-threatening injuries in the crash. Their SUV had been travelling southward on Industriel Blvd. For reasons not yet understood, the vehicle suddenly jumped the median, crossed into the oncoming lane and crashed into the side of a building.

Although the vehicle caught fire following the collision, police say it was extinguished by firefighters who came to the scene, while the building itself sustained light damage. While the police say excessive speed was probably a factor leading to the collision, they have ruled out drugs or alcohol use as causes.

LPD seeks two suspects after Chomedey firearms incident

The Laval Police say they are seeking two suspects following a gunfire incident which took place in Chomedey on June 3.

The LPD is looking for Leslie Fosu, 19, and Jeremy Kahilu, 21, who are alleged to have fired shots from handguns at a vehicle in a restaurant parking lot.

Fosu is 5’11” tall and weighs 177 pounds, while Kahilu is 5’11” tall and weighs 155 pounds. Arrest warrants were issued for both of them. They face charges of possession of a prohibited weapon and pointing and firing a firearm.

In a press release, the LPD says Fosu and Kahilu pointed a handgun and fired more than one shot towards the other vehicle in which there were passengers at the time, although no one was injured.

The LPD has issued a warning that Fosu and Kahilu are considered dangerous as they are armed and only police officers should intervene.

Anyone who thinks they have information on the pair is asked to call the LPD’s special Info-Line at 450-662-INFO (4636) or 911. The file number is LVL 210603075.

As an aside, the LPD notes that it recently launched Projet Paradoxe following a noted increase in violence in Laval involving firearms. As a result, the force says residents can expect to see more police presence in places throughout Laval, such as parks and areas where there are businesses.

Laval election candidate rescues distressed plane pilot

A former Laval mayoralty candidate and current candidate for a city council seat had a key role recently in the rescue of an aircraft pilot whose light plane crashed following a failed takeoff from the Rivière des Prairies.

After seeing the plane fail in an attempt to take off from the river’s waters just off Sainte-Dorothée last week, Lydia Aboulian jumped on her personal watercraft and headed out towards the distressed aircraft.

Before heading out, Aboulian could see that the pilot didn’t seem to be getting out as the plane was sinking in the powerful current.

As she approached, she spotted the 73-year-old pilot, identified as Bernard Cardinald, partly submerged in the water.

After confirming that there was no one else aboard the sinking plane, she helped him out of the water and took him ashore. A Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigation has been launched into the accident.

QCGN highly critical of CAQ government’s Bill 96

Martin C. Barry
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0
QCGN highly critical of CAQ government’s Bill 96

Panelists suggest Trudeau’s support is motivated by ‘political calculation’

After more than a half-century of rising and falling tensions between Quebecers over the use of English and French, concerns are rising among stakeholders that some rights and protections Quebec anglophones fought for since the introduction of Bill 101 more than 40 years ago are threatened by Quebec’s proposed Bill 96 and changes to Ottawa’s Official Languages Act.

‘Our Place in Quebec’

On the evening of June 21 and the morning of June 22, the Quebec Community Groups Network hosted a policy webconference entitled ‘Our Place in Quebec and Canada.’ It brought together English-speaking Quebecers to discuss the rights of Canada’s official language minority communities as well as overall human rights.

The speakers and moderators included Minister of Official Languages and Economic Development Mélanie Joly, Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete, former Ahuntsic MP Eleni Bakopanos, former Liberal political advisor Warren Kinsella, and human rights lawyer and McGill University professor Pearl Eliadis.

‘Charter-free,’ says Jennings

“Bill 96 effectively creates a Charter-free zone with respect to a wide range of interactions between individuals and the state in Quebec,” QCGN president Marlene Jennings said in introductory remarks, referring to the Canadian and Quebec charters of rights.

She maintained that Bill 96, which some are now referring to as the new Bill 101, will make a major impact on areas of everyday life such as commerce, employment, education, access to public services, free expression and the operation of the province’s legal system.

Undermining the courts

“Where rights that would otherwise be protected are infringed, the courts under Bill 96 will not be able to review and remedy the conduct under either the Canadian or the Quebec Charters,” she said. “Further, this bill positions the Quebec Nation as holding collective rights, although these rights are not defined. And the bill places the National Assembly, not our courts, as the arbiter between these collective rights and individual human rights.”

Warren Kinsella suggested that both the provincial and federal governments were motivated by political expediencies to propose Bill 96 and changes to the Official Languages Act respectively at this particular time.

“[Premier François Legault] was aided and abetted in that regard by Prime Minister Trudeau, who in my opinion is seeking seats in the province of Quebec at the expense of not just the federation, but also the anglophone minority in the province of Quebec and to hell with the consequences,” Kinsella said, alluding to a possible snap election being called by the Trudeau government this fall.

Courting Quebec’s votes

Pearl Eliadis agreed. “I completely agree that Prime Minister Trudeau is courting Quebec votes. And given the timing, his initial response of, you know, ‘there’s not much to see here folks, let’s move on,’ I think is a political calculation,” she said.

Kinsella pointed out that at 100 pages in length, Bill 96 contains “some extraordinary provisions,” just one of which would be the ability of Quebec’s language police to enter business premises and “demand that you hand over your cell phone in order to determine whether an insufficient amount of French has been communicated on it. You know, accessing private messages with individuals and personal information. It’s just extraordinary. It is, in my view, completely unconstitutional.”

Right of seizure in Bill 96

Eliadis said that up to 1982 in Canada, federal police authorities could be conferred with extraordinary power through a Writ of Assistance, which allowed them to enter homes and businesses and seize whatever they wished without any prior judicial authorization such as a warrant.

‘Where rights that would otherwise be protected are infringed, the courts under Bill 96 will not be able to review and remedy the conduct under either the Canadian or the Quebec Charters,’ said QCGN president Marlene Jennings

While noting that the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms came into force in 1982 and put an end to this when it declared Canadians have a right to be free of unreasonable search and seizure, Eliadis said Bill 96 “does not require any prior judicial authorization for any form of search and seizures. I mean, that is only one of the many measures.”

Who is a Quebecer?

On day two of the conference, federal Official Languages Minister Mélanie Joly and Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete who is responsible for English-language community relations in the CAQ government, vigorously defended the proposed language reforms, without declaring much more than what they’d previously said.

While Skeete maintained he had no time to answer questions as he had to be at another engagement, Bakopanos asked him to define who is included in the Quebec Nation.

“I hear that question a lot – we’re all Quebecers,” he replied without further elaboration. “I don’t think a lot of the members of the English-speaking community feel that way,” Bakopanos responded.

Anglo ‘Task Force’ ready to tackle Bill 96, Bill C-32 language issues

Martin C. Barry
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Anglo ‘Task Force’ ready to tackle Bill 96, Bill C-32 language issues

They maintain Bill C-32 will establish ‘asymmetrical bilingualism’

In the wake of the Quebec government’s planned language law reform, a group of English-speaking Quebecers who say they are “from all walks of life” has emerged “to defend individual and language rights and cease attacks on the freedoms of all Quebecers and their institutions,” says the group.

“The ‘White Paper’ and Bill C-32, Bill 96 and the proposed Constitutional amendment, taken as a whole, are a fundamental restructuring of the Canadian constitution, language policy and our basic human rights and freedoms,” says Colin Standish of Cowansville, founder of Language Equality/Égalité linguistique, while adding they “will fervently oppose Bill 96’s excesses.”

Over 200 amendments

Like other critics of the CAQ government’s proposed language law reform, the Task Force maintains that Bill 96 contains over 200 amendments, including vast search and seizure measures, restrictions on who is entitled to receive government services in the language of their choice, a cap on English CEGEP enrolment, and a false definition of who qualifies as a member of Quebec’s English-speaking community.

They say Bill 96 also seeks to eliminate the bilingualism of more than 50 of the 89 bilingual-status municipalities across Quebec, and effectively “deinstitutionalizes the English language and its speakers in Quebec.” They say the Task Force was formed when members recognized that they were being abandoned by the major political parties in Quebec’s legislature and in the federal Parliament.

‘Asymmetrical bilingualism’

The group maintains that the Trudeau government’s Bill C-32 proposes changes to the Official Languages Act that will establish asymmetrical bilingualism – a unilingual French Quebec and a bilingual rest of Canada – by placing the status of the French language ahead of the promotion of bilingualism, the protection of linguistic minorities and access to public services and justice.

They claim Bill C-32 will also extend French-preferential laws to federally regulated businesses across Canada and entrench flawed provincial language laws in federal legislation nationwide.

An unconstitutional rewrite

“Bill 96 intends to unilaterally and unconstitutionally rewrite the Canadian constitution,” says the Task Force. “It declares that Quebecers form a nation, with French the common and only official language of Quebec, and boldly proclaims the ‘Quebec nation.’

“This would reshape and distort the Canadian Constitution. The proposed amendment cannot be passed unilaterally by Quebec. Furthermore, Bill 96 is shielded by the notwithstanding clauses of the Canadian and Quebec Charters to prevent judicial scrutiny.”

The Task Force says it believes that the only truly threatened languages and cultures throughout Quebec and Canada are those of Indigenous peoples. They are appealing to more community leaders from across Quebec, from all backgrounds, to join the Task Force.

EP’s Henderson on board

A number of former and newly-awakened Quebec anglophone rights activists have waded into the growing language controversy and have stated their support for the Task Force.

“The Canadian Constitution is the bedrock of our civil liberties and national unity,” says former Equality Party leader Keith Henderson. “We cannot allow it to be adulterated by the excesses of a Quebec government hellbent on violating our unity and freedoms.”

“The unconstitutional aspects of the Bill are flagrant, and extend far beyond the amendment,” says Brent Tyler, a constitutional lawyer and veteran of numerous court challenges involving Bill 101. “The Quebec government is seizing jurisdiction over federally regulated trademarks and workplaces. That’s not allowed, period.”

‘We are all Quebecers’

“We are all Quebecers,” says Andrew Caddell, a former Canadian diplomat and journalist. “We must be treated equally before the law. There are no groups more important than others. Rights and freedoms are not negotiable. We can fight back, but we need people of good faith to pitch in.”

“If Bill 96 and C-32 are adopted there is no guarantee that parents of students in English schools will receive information and services in English,” says Marcus Tabachnick, former chairman of the Lester B. Pearson School Board.

Sonia Baudelot drops out of City of Laval’s mayoralty race

Martin C. Barry
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Sonia Baudelot drops out of City of Laval’s mayoralty race

Action Laval set to announce new contender four months from election date

With four months to go before voters in Laval head to the polls for a municipal election, the Action Laval opposition party dropped a bombshell late last week with the announcement that their mayoralty candidate, Sonia Baudelot, has decided to pull out of the race.

Action Laval president Archie Cifelli said the party’s executive-committee met with Baudelot and that both sides had reached a mutual agreement she should withdraw.

A statement by the party suggested that Baudelot felt it had become impossible for her to live up to her family responsibilities and run for mayor simultaneously.

New candidate TBA

“We wish her success in her other endeavours,” said Cifelli. “Our candidates are out there on the terrain meeting with the citizens.”

Sonia Baudelot, who was leading Action Laval towards the November 2021 municipal elections as its mayoralty candidate, has decided to drop out of the race. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

This week, Action Laval announced that Sophie Trottier, a provincial government civil servant who worked at the Office québécois de la langue française, is now Action Laval’s mayoralty candidate.

In Chomedey, where city councillor Aglaia Revelakis regularly wins the district for Action Laval with overwhelming voter support, Revelakis said in an interview that she remains determined to see that Action Laval become Laval’s next administration on election day.

“I just want all our supporters to know that Action Laval is very much still here and we’re running in the upcoming election,” she said.

Boyer tables report for city’s post-COVID recovery

Laval deputy-mayor and executive-committee vice-president Stéphane Boyer recently tabled the third of a series of reports on public consultations for the city’s post-COVID economic recovery. The latest report focuses on social solidarity.

During the consultation, Boyer, who was mandated by Mayor Marc Demers to oversee the consultation, met representatives of more than 50 community organizations, leading to recommendations based on their feedback.

“What struck me the most during these meetings was the extraordinary resilience shown by the volunteers and employees at these organizations who provide help to our most vulnerable fellow-citizens,” said Boyer.

The report focuses on four areas: improving accessibility to services, contributing to the development of the community, improving the expertise of organizations in Laval, and expanding community infrastructures.

The report contains 15 recommendations, some of which can be implemented in the short term, others in the medium and longer terms.

Among the recommendations is that the city should create a comprehensive platform for leisure activities registration, that it should provide financial assistance to low-income families for their children to take part in sports, and that the city should provide financial help to organizations to train volunteers.

Setting off fireworks in Laval is illegal

In as much as fireworks are openly available and can be purchased at many stores in Laval, the city is issuing a warning on the eve of Canada Day that setting off fireworks anywhere within the municipality’s limits is strictly forbidden, unless you have a permit from the Laval Fire Department.

The city maintains that using fireworks carries major risks, including injuries, for users as well as for spectators, while at the same time raising risks of setting buildings and other property on fire when fireworks are misused.

Additional information on legitimate fireworks use and on how to obtain a license can be found on the city’s website (www.laval.ca). The Laval Fire Department can also be reached by phone for emergencies by calling 9-1-1, or at 450 662-4450 for information on fire prevention.

City tightens security at Berge aux Quatre-Vents

The city is reminding residents who may sometimes be dropping by the Berge aux Quatre-Vents park and beach in Laval-Ouest that it is located in a quiet residential area and that certain rules should be followed out of respect for those who live nearby.

According to the city, this comes following a recent surge in the number of people spending time at the green space since the beginning of the summer. As a result, city officials say that security will be tighter than usual.

Here are some points (as set out in city by-law L-4510) concerning order, security and hours of operation in public parks:

  • Swimming (as defined in art. 6.09);
  • Drinking of alcoholic beverages (as defined in art. 6.05);
  • Use of loudspeakers for playing music (as defined in art. 6.15);
  • Lighting of campfires (as defined in art. 6.13).

The city notes that the use of marijuana remains illegal in all of Laval’s parks, and that the Berge aux Quatre-Vents is open only from 7 am to 10 pm as are all other public parks in Laval.

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