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Laval has forgotten small businesses, says Notre Dame Blvd. children’s wear retailer

Martin C. Barry
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Laval has forgotten small businesses, says Notre Dame Blvd. children’s wear retailer

Repeated excavation of street is destroying us, says owner of Oneiro II boutique

Does the City of Laval care as much for the small store and business owners, who make up a significant portion of the tax base in the municipality, as it does for the big commercial players who do business in the city?

That’s a question Notre Dame Blvd. store owner Jane Moraitis is asking herself, after the city went and tore up her stretch of street several times in recent years, blocking customers’ access to the parking area of her children’s and baby wear boutique.

Failing small businesses

Moraitis is not alone in her assertion that by repeatedly disrupting traffic flow through long and protracted street repairs and upgrades, the city fails to live up to its responsibilities towards small businesses. The Laval News has found in its news files at least two similar instances.

Moraitis’s story goes like this. One recent morning, when the whole area west of 80th Ave. and Notre Dame was completely blocked off to local businesses, she says she saw a huge public works truck parked in front of her boutique blocking the entire parking.

Not again…

“They had dug up the sewers again,” she said, “which had already been repaired twice last year and, once more, no one had access to our business from any direction. Our customers being pregnant, with newborn, young children, or all of the above, had to walk to our boutique in order to pick up or place their orders for their baptisms or other events.”

After asking one of the workers politely if they could at least move their truck a bit, she says he started yelling that Notre-Dame was completely blocked, pointing towards the Val-Martin project. Either way, he said, no one could enter.

“The Val-Martin project being so far away from our business, I asked why the side streets were also blocked,” she said. “He then started getting aggravated, repeating that the whole area is blocked and started swearing in all the French words he could think of. To which, I objected strongly.”

‘Got out of hand’

Moraitis said that as nothing could stop the worker, he continued yelling obscenities, while saying she should leave him alone to do his job. “It got out of hand and, when I asked him why they are fixing the sewers here again, when it was already dug up twice in the last two years,” she said, adding that he yelled back that it was a 40-year-old problem under the street, as he continued to swear and curse.

“As the worker yelled and cursed at me, confirming that the whole area is blocked completely and customers will have no access to our businesses anyway,” she continued, “it didn’t help our frustration when, after a few minutes of seeing that we’re taking pictures, they moved their truck and finally freed 80th Ave., giving access to our customers.”

City’s ‘big projects’

Moraitis maintains that had it not been for the huge projects of Val-Martin and now the Récréathèque, “no one at the city would have given us the time of day,” she said.

“They went and blocked the whole area. They should have planned a bit better considering the businesses that are in the area. For example, they could have left open 80th Ave. and the side-streets, which would not affect their project at all. There’s no planning for us businesses. It’s like they don’t care about us.”

‘They should have planned a bit better considering the businesses that are in the area’

Moraitis’s story isn’t at all new. As reported by the Laval News in its June 28, 2017 issue, Christine Stergiou, who operates the Eggsquis breakfast restaurant on Daniel Johnson Blvd, had already been waiting at least two years for the City of Laval to complete road work along a stretch between Saint Martin and Souvenir boulevards.

Businesses forgotten, owners said

She and other merchants, including a number of restaurant owners, were waiting for the City of Laval to complete an extensive program of expansion and enhancements along their stretch of Daniel Johnson Blvd. between Saint Martin and Souvenir boulevards.

Several other Daniel Johnson Blvd. business owners came forth with similar complaints – including a 30 per cent drop in customer traffic that some blamed on the city’s slowness – as well as its seeming disregard for the well-being of Laval’s small and medium-size businesses.

Montreal Canadiens on the verge of winning the Stanley Cup

George Guzmas
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Montreal Canadiens on the verge of winning the Stanley Cup

Many Montréal Canadiens fans – including me – believe that what the team has experienced this year has a lot in common with the years of 1986 and 1993, when unexpectedly Montreal won the Stanley Cup to the surprise of many.  In both Stanley Cups, the Canadiens, other than their will to win the Cup, were able to depend on their goalie Patrick Roy. This would not have been the first time that the Montreal team won The Stanley Cup due to the acrobatics of their goalie.

DRYDEN: THE YOUNG GOALIE WITH 6 CUPS

I think most fans remember the cups won by the young goalkeeper Ken Dryden. on March20, 1971, Dryden replaced injured veteran goalie Rogie Vachon. He played so well that he clinched the spot from Vachon as Montreal’s starting goaltender for the playoffs.  That year the rookie Dryden astonished the fans, his coach, his teammates and his opponents with his stellar performance and amazing stops, helping the Habs to win the 1971 Stanley Cup. In addition to being the best goalie and most indispensable player on the team, Dryden added five other Stanley Cups to his career in 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979.

THE CUP OF 1986

May 24, 1986, 35 years ago, coached by Jean Perron, the Canadiens won their 23rd Stanley Cup.

However, during the 1985-1986 season nothing was hinting that Montreal had any chance to win the cup. To the surprise of all before the beginning of that season, Jacques Lemaire announced his resignation. He believed that his right-hand man, assistant coach Jean Perron, could succeed him. That trust was not felt by everyone; the sportswriters of the time, through their articles, questioned Perron’s ability to lead behind the bench.

At the same time the team’s veterans, like Bob Gainey and Larry Robinson, were slow to accept him, and some players even asked for his replacement – a few weeks before the playoffs began.

The Canadiens’ start to the season was disastrous and the very large number of rookies on the team, numbering eight, had difficulties.

Young and experienced players formed two camps. This was known throughout the group. Details of that season were mentioned occasionally in interviews by veteran player Mario Tremblay such as the frantic music the young players played in the locker room “breaking the nerves” of the rest of the players.

Fortunately, though, the team enjoyed the successes of forwards Mats Naslund, Kjell Dahlin and Bobby Smith who have were having a wonderful season.

However, around mid-March 1986, the group experienced its worst period.

There were six games left to end the regular season when rookie Claude Lemieux was called up from the minor team of the American Hockey League. “I was then given the opportunity to prove myself worthy,” the retired Lemieux said recently in a radio interview.

That same season, team goalie Steve Penney was injured. Then coach Jean Perron decided to give the net to 20-year-old rookie Patrick Roy as did his predecessor in 1971 trusting Ken Dryden in nets.

Even though many – especially the sportswriters – were against making Roy the starting goalie, Perron’s decision was wise. Suddenly the atmosphere changed drastically among players – veterans and the twelve youngsters. Bonding together and leaving their differences aside, they played the hardest to accumulate wins. With the net minding of rookie Roy, they managed to participate in the playoffs with only 87 points.

During the playoffs, chemistry developed, where veterans and young players left their differences to reach the top and win the playoffs.

Averaging in GA 1.93 in the 1986 playoffs, Roy fully deserved the Conn Smythe Trophy as the team’s most valuable player for his team, like his predecessor Ken Dryden in 1971. Patrick Roy also won the Stanley Cup, as well as Conn Smythe in 1993 with the Montreal team and in 1996 and 2001 with the Colorado team.

THE 1993 CUP: JUNE 9, 1993

In 1993, the Montreal Canadiens were again the last team the experts would see as Stanley Cup winners.

But then towards the end of that season things changed. They played very hard to participate once again in the playoffs. Still hockey writers believed that they would lose in the first round. To everyone’s surprise, they continued to fight hard, winning 11 consecutive games. They defeated the Quebec Nordiques, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders and Los Angeles Kings to win the cup on June 9, 1993.

Ten of the 11 victories included an unprecedented 10-win record wind in overtime – where Patrick Roy prevailed once again thanks to his perseverance, agility and amazing saves.

MANY SIMILARITIES THIS YEAR

They are many similarities this year with the years – 1986 and 1993 – when Montreal won the cup. Like 1986, team coach Dominique Ducharme was assistant to coach Claude Julien as Perron was Lemaire’s assistant. Lemaire resigned. Julien when the other one was fired on February 24, 2021. The Canadiens as then, managed to make it in the playoffs round. Again, the odds were against them and all believed they would be losing the first round facing a much stronger team; Toronto Maple Leafs. On the contrary they managed to beat Toronto three games in a row, while losing in the first four games three games to one. In the second round they annihilated the opposing Jets team with four straight wins to face in the third round – the semifinals, the Golden Knights of Las Vegas.

This year’s team is reminiscent of the’86 team where rookies played with experienced veterans, who had won many Stanley cups for their former teams. The young players want to prove they deserve the trust of their coach and management to play, and the veterans want to prove to their former teams that their experience and perseverance plays an important role in a team that believes in them to help them win the cup.

We witnessed that last Wednesday night 16/6 in Montreal’s 3-2 victory over Las Vegas, where the return of defensive player Jeff Petry played an important role even though he played with two broken fingers and both eyes inflamed! The harmony between the recruits and the veterans brought results. One such example was the pass given by veteran Petry to the young Caufield, who bluffed that he was going to shoot and instead passed the puck to veteran Tyler Toffoli who scored Montreal’s second goal. The other major similarity is that goalie Carey Price plays an important role, stopping opposing teams’ scorers in the first two rounds and now with Vegas. He plays with full conviction, like his predecessors who won the previous cups for Montreal’s Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy. There is a French saying, “Jamais deux sans trois”. Now if you add the jersey numbers of Dryden #29, Roy #33 and Price #31, your sum is … 93!

Ottawa and Quebec help revive Laval’s on again/off again Aquatics Complex project

Martin C. Barry
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Ottawa and Quebec help revive Laval’s on again/off again Aquatics Complex project

Federal and provincial governments donate $20 million for $61.1 million undertaking

The City of Laval’s on again/off again aquatics complex project, an initiative that was mothballed three years ago after cost bids came in too steep, was dramatically revived last week with the announcement that Ottawa and Quebec will be contributing a combined $20 million to get the $61.1 million project back on track.

Quebec Premier, François Legault and federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Catherine McKenna were among the high-ranking elected officials on hand to announce $20 million in financial assistance to help build the future project, located on a tract of land on Terry Fox Ave. in downtown Laval next to the Cosmodôme.

Ottawa/Quebec investment

Under terms of a Canada/Quebec agreement, the federal government is investing $10 million under its Community Cultural and Recreational Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, while Quebec is also investing $10 million under its Recreational and Sports Infrastructure Financial Assistance Program.

The City of Laval launched the architectural competition for the aquatic complex in 2016, after years of speculation on what Laval’s next big project would be after the construction of the Place Bell multipurpose arena. When finally announced in January 2017, the cost of the aquatic complex was pegged at $61.1 million and the city hoped to complete it by 2020.

Postponed after high bids

However, in 2018 the city’s executive-committee announced that a call for tenders for the construction of the superstructure, building envelope and other aspects of the building were cancelled because the lowest of three bids came in 46 per cent higher than the city budgeted.

At that time, measures were taken to protect the foundations which were already in place in view of the approaching winter season. Laval city council spent more than $710,000 to pay for the application of a waterproofing membrane on the concrete. The city said this waterproofing work would have been necessary anyway as part of the regular construction process.

Another delay last year

By February 2020 when it had long become apparent the aquatics complex project was still far from getting underway, the city announced yet another delay: the cancellation of the contract with the architectural firm that was mandated to produce the initial plans.

‘I am proud to participate in this project, which will improve accessibility to quality sports facilities for families in Laval,’ said Premier François Legault

According to the city, the contract with the architectural and design consortium was cancelled because of what the city referred to as “the impossibility of the consortium to respect its contractual obligations.”

Of course, that was then. With the city’s renewed vision, the new indoor aquatic complex will include three swimming pools, technical facilities, meeting spaces, utility areas (change rooms, washrooms, etc.), circulation spaces and other recreational areas (multipurpose rooms).

Legault all for sports

“I am proud to participate in this project, which will improve accessibility to quality sports facilities for families in Laval,” said Premier Legault. “Sport is good for your health and good for your morale. It is also a way for our young people to motivate themselves, to dream. We empower our youth and athletes to be active and play the sport they love.”

“Today’s announcement perfectly illustrates our vision for our community: modern, high-quality local services,” said Mayor Marc Demers. “The citizens and organizations of Laval have long demanded a quality infrastructure to bathe and train our athletes. I sincerely thank the governments of Justin Trudeau and François Legault for their invaluable support in carrying out this project dear to Laval residents.”

Time for recovery: McKenna

“The pandemic has made us realize how important recreational and sports facilities are to staying active and being in contact with one another,” said Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Catherine McKenna. “Since it is a time for recovery, this is an opportune moment to invest in infrastructure that encourages physical activity and makes us more resilient in the long term.”

“I am thrilled about this $20 million in federal-provincial funding, which will provide Laval residents with a high-tech sports facility, contribute to quality of life and enhance the city’s reputation,” said Annie Koutrakis, MP for Vimy. “Who knows how many future athletes will take their first dive or swim their first laps at the complex, to one day represent us proudly at the national or international level?”

Opposition reaction

The official opposition at Laval city hall, the Parti Laval, issued a statement last week about these latest developments in the saga of the aquatic complex.

The foundations for the future Laval Aquatics Complex have stood idle since the city postponed or cancelled development because of skyrocketing costs and other issues.

“We are always happy to know that the government is ready to invest in projects that are expected by the Laval population and that meet their needs,” said Parti Laval leader Michel Trottier. “Unfortunately, this is not the case here. The aquatic complex is a bottomless pit that has been stagnating for five years, it is not the government’s cheque that will change anything.

Comes too late, says Trottier

“The financial assistance from the Quebec and Canadian governments comes too late,” he continued. “If the Demers-Boyer administration had done its homework, we would have asked for this amount and obtained it more than 5 years ago.

“It is not when everything is going wrong, when the ship is sinking, that we should cry for help. Even worse, the Demers-Boyer team does not learn from its mistakes.

By putting all its eggs in one basket, it is once again depriving the Laval population of infrastructure projects that could have been built in the neighbourhoods.”

Laval News Volume 29-19

Costa Hovris
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Laval News Volume 29-19

The current issue of the Laval News volume 29-19 published June 23rd, 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/2021/06/TLN-29-19-WEB.pdfFront page of the Laval News, June 23rd, 2021 issue.

Jail time expected for man netted in LPD underage sex sting

Martin C. Barry
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Jail time expected for man netted in LPD underage sex sting

A man from Terrebonne north of Laval is expected to be sentenced at the Laval courthouse on Saint-Martin Blvd. on July 2 to a mandatory minimum six months in prison after a judge rejected his lawyer’s motion to stay proceedings following his conviction for trying to hire a minor for sexual relations.

In June 2018, officers from the Laval Police Department were conducting a sting operation in which undercover officers posed on the internet as people offering minors to be hired for sex.

Operation Défensif had begun in 2016 after teenagers began disappearing from a youth protection centre in Laval. By 2019, more than three dozen men had been arrested in the sting, including several who still have cases pending at the Laval courthouse.

Testifying in his defence, Vincent Alexandre Brodeur, 45, acknowledged he had been seeking to hire an escort – something he had done numerous times before – but said he was not looking to have sex with a minor in this particular instance.

Brodeur claimed he was instigated into committing the crime by the police. He said they did not have a reasonable motive to suspect he was engaged in criminal activity and that what they did was actually an offered opportunity to commit a crime.

He also argued that the online ads placed by the police didn’t mention the possibility of having sex with minors, even though the ads included photos of young escorts described as “jeunes débutantes.”

Regardless, Brodeur responded, called the number, and inquired about two of the girls being advertised. He was informed that the one he was most interested in was 16, the jury was told in witness testimony.

Urgences-Santé paramedics on strike since late last Sunday

Paramedics from Urgences-Santé, serving Laval as well as Montreal, have been on strike since midnight last Sunday. Members of the Syndicat du préhospitalier – CSN say they plan to be on strike indefinitely.

“For several months now, negotiations have been stagnant because the Treasury Board has not yet given Urgences-Santé the mandates it needs to finally begin negotiating monetary demands,” Syndicat du préhospitalier – CSN president Réjean Leclerc said in a statement.

“We have no choice but to increase the pressure to unlock these mandates. It’s a question of respect for paramedics.”

Is this an accident waiting to happen?

Martin C. Barry
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Is this an accident waiting to happen?

Tensions boil as school bus convoys roll on quiet street in l’Orée-des-Bois

Parents and residents living in homes on a stretch of 39th Avenue near Jean-Bart Street in the Laval district of l’Orée-des-Bois say it’s only a matter of time before a child is seriously injured by one of the many school buses that have been rolling in convoys through their neighbourhood each weekday morning since the bus route was changed more than a year ago.

According to 39th Ave. resident Angie Cardone, the presence of the school buses on her street is a relatively new phenomenon. She said they often roll in fast-moving convoys, from 8 am to at least 8:45 am weekdays, and that many of the buses are empty when they go by.

Danger at 39th and Jean-Bart

She said that as of this year, school buses have been seen by the dozen driving daily through the intersection of 39th and Jean-Bart, where there is also a nature park that is home to a good number of ducks, beavers and rabbits that thrive in an environment right next to the Rivière des Milles Îles. She fears the animals are in danger, as much as the children, from the excessive traffic.

A big problem in the area is that there are no sidewalks. As a result, many children can be seen regularly on bikes and rollerblades in close proximity to passing traffic – including the school buses. The neighbourhood is located a short distance from the Centre de services scolaire de Laval’s École de l’Orée-des-Bois on Séguin St.

Petitions in the works

“I have called to complain to 311,” said Cardone, referring to the City of Laval’s general-purpose contact and information line, while adding that she believes the school bus traffic increased with onset of the COVID-19 pandemic early last year, although the school also underwent a building expansion a few years back.

Moms and tots are often forced to share the street with passing traffic on 39th Ave. and Jean-Bart St. in l’Orée-des-Bois because there are no sidewalks.

“We are all ready to sign petitions about this situation on Jean-Bart because of how extreme this is every day of the week at that early hour,” she said, while noting large trucks rolling on 39th and Jean Bart have also become dangerous and problematic.

‘Accident ready to happen’

Cardone maintains that while she was out on 39th Ave. one recent morning after 8 am while watering her front lawn, she spotted a child around five years old on roller blades who was between two school buses. “This is an accident ready to happen,” she told the Laval News. “We don’t know what to do.”

While saying that adults and other older residents of the street have enough common sense to step off the road and onto the side of lawns when vehicle traffic needs to pass, Cardone doubted that children will respond the same, and are thus in far greater danger.

“A child will not know and have those instincts,” she said. “This is my fear. Honest to God, if a child is between two buses, even if she’s wearing a helmet, she’s not going to get too far, you what I’m saying?”

Buses moved from 37th to 39th

Annie Goyette, assistant director of communications at the Centre de services scolaire de Laval, confirmed to the Laval News that at least some of the school buses in question are providing service for the CSSDL’s École l’Orée-des-Bois.

‘Honest to God, if a child is between two buses, even if she’s wearing a helmet, she’s not going to get too far,’ says 39th Ave. resident Angie Cardone

“We made some verifications and certain buses which are transporting students from École l’Orée-des-Bois are effectively using Jean-Bart St.,” Goyette said. “The use of this route, rather than 37th Avenue, allows traffic to be limited near the school, and this in order to be able to offer to students who are walking a secure environment.

No extra buses, claims CSSDL

“This street is similar to other streets in the neighbourhood and is located in a residential area,” she continued. “Based on available information, the number of buses has not gone up since the beginning of the pandemic. After verifying, the number of buses from the Centre de services scolaire de Laval circulating in that sector is actually similar to what it was last year.”

Goyette maintained that as the CSSDL offers school bus transit to nearly 25,000 primary school and high-school students on Laval’s territory, a priority for the CSSDL is the security of the children who attend its schools. “The security of the students remains a priority for the organization and that is why we are open and aware of the issues involving traffic near schools,” she said.

STL selects partners to build new garage for expanding electric bus fleet

Martin C. Barry
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STL selects partners to build new garage for expanding electric bus fleet

Transit agency plans to buy only 100 per cent electric buses beginning in 2025

The Société de transport de Laval’s ongoing electrification strategy is gaining momentum and passed a significant milestone last week.

Following a call for tenders, the STL selected STGM and Sid Lee Architecture to design the plans for its future garage installations for the growing electric bus fleet. The two firms were tasked by the STL with devising the future expansion.

The STL says that during and after the expansion, it must have the means to deliver services that meet the quality commitment made to its users, while respecting the values it shares with its employees, and the two firms chosen will help meet those goals.

Groupe CT4, an engineering group constituted by Bouthillette Prizeau, SNC-Lavalin, SYSTRA and Équipe Laurence, will develop the construction plans and specifications for the future buildings.

“We joined the global electrification movement as early as 2012,” said Éric Morasse, president of the STL’s board. “The announcement of these new partnerships marks the beginning of a collaboration that, ultimately, will transform our company and ensure that we can charge and operate more electric buses starting in 2025.”

100% electric by 2040

As part of its ongoing transformation undertaken to continue the fight against climate change, the STL has set the goal of operating only fully electric buses by 2040. The transit agency is stepping up its purchase of electric buses to reach an acceptable level by 2025. In addition, the STL needs to take measures to contend with a projected increase in ridership by adding buses to its fleet.

The STL will increase its garage space by 50 per cent by adding another 19,000 square metres. One hundred and forty-five parking spaces are also planned to accommodate electric buses. Beginning in 2025, the STL plans to purchase only fully electric buses.

Founded in 2001, STGM is now one of the largest integrated design architecture firms with more than 150 architects and interdisciplinary professionals who leverage their expertise to manage and deliver complex and stimulating projects.

The partners with STL

The STGM says it is committed to understanding, designing and effectively delivering its projects, while having a positive impact on people’s lives. The expertise, ingenuity, responsibility and complementarity that define STGM lead to an architecture without limits, restrictions or reservations.

‘The announcement of these new partnerships marks the beginning of a collaboration that, ultimately, will transform our company,’ says STL president Éric Morasse

Sid Lee Architecture is a multidisciplinary firm recognized for its desire to make architecture a vehicle for positive impact on people’s living environments. More than 60 architecture and interior design professionals work to take actions that serve people’s needs, by creating inclusive environments that foster quality experiences. Architecture projects are viewed as the result of collective thinking to offer innovative solutions to complex problems.

Building engineering

Bouthillette Parizeau says it offers the best in building engineering for the institutional, commercial, multi-residential and industrial sectors. Driven by the belief that each project is unique, its innovative and experienced professionals are actively involved from design to commissioning.

The firm’s personalized approach and proven respect for its clientele have secured its place as a construction leader recognized across Canada since 1956 and contributed to it’s winning several awards for technical excellence. Very active on climate issues, it consistently integrates best practices to reduce the environmental footprint of its projects.

SNC-Lavalin Inc. is one of the leading engineering and construction groups in the world, a major player in ownership of infrastructure and operations and maintenance services.

Transit infrastructure

SYSTRA is one of the world’s leading engineering and consulting groups specialized in public transport and mobility solutions. For more than 60 years, the group has been involved with cities and regions in order to contribute to their development by creating, improving and modernizing their transport infrastructures and systems.

One of the first new electric buses the STL recently announced it is purchasing for its public transit fleet.

Équipe Laurence is recognized for its quality design. Construction projects obviously serve utilitarian purposes, but Équipe Laurence makes sure that they also stand out for their appearance. Particular attention is paid to integrating the final result into its surroundings. Employees stay informed on technological advances in civil engineering and use the most recent, entirely three-dimensional design tools.

City doubles the number of outdoor summer rest stops

Laval News Contributor
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City doubles the number of outdoor summer rest stops

Eight relaxing rest stops will be open in various locations

After a successful launch last year, the City of Laval has decided to maintain a small network of eight outdoor rest stops set up in strategic and scenic locations around the island.

The city had decided to open the rest areas last year in spite of the pandemic in order to provide Laval residents with outdoor places to get away from home for a while and relax in the open air.

“Being able to plan outings and vacations far from home is still a little unpredictable,” says Laval’s deputy-mayor Stéphane Boyer who is president of the executive-committee.

Intergenerational

“Setting up these eight sites allows all the generations in Laval to get away from their everyday situations, to explore their city, to visit the neighbourhoods and to get to know them. The city has so many good features that are nearby, so that everyone can enjoy summer, and these rest stops are the best way to start.”

Four rest stops that were opened last year are back again in 2021, with new features that include outdoor furniture, shaded areas and staging areas for performers. They are expected to open over the coming weeks. As well, the city says some of the stops will remain open throughout the coming autumn.

Where to find rest stops

The eight rest stops can be found at the following locations:

  • Parc Marcel-Gamache, in Sainte-Dorothée;
  • Émile-Nelligan Library, in Laval-des-Rapides;
  • Centre communautaire Saint-Louis-de-Montfort, in Pont-Viau;
  • Église Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, in Saint-Vincent-de-Paul;
  • Berge aux Quatre-Vents, in Laval-Ouest;
  • Outside Métro De la Concorde, in Laval-des-Rapides;
  • Berge des Écores, in Duvernay;
  • Site of the former Centre communautaire Saint-Noël-Chabanel, in Saint-François.

Special features

Over the summer, it will be possible to see, in each of the rest stops, a staging areas where works by performers of all kinds, some well-known, others less so, will be staged. Among the artists expected this summer are Luc Melanson and Katy Lemay.

Over the coming weeks, the City of Laval public libraries will be hosting a staging of the French-language work for children ‘Les hauts et les bas d’Amanda,’ through a story-trail to be created on the grounds at parc Marcel-Gamache, at the Émile-Nelligan library and and the berge des Écores.

Liberal government poised to launch ‘Canada Recovery Hiring Program’

Martin C. Barry
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Liberal government poised to launch ‘Canada Recovery Hiring Program’

New post-COVID economic rescue coming, say Laval’s four Liberal MPs

Despite ongoing debate in Ottawa between government and opposition forces over legislation to launch the nation’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery hiring strategy, Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis says she is confident the bill containing the measures will pass before Parliament’s summer break and the program will be implemented.

Economic Recovery Hiring

The Laval region’s four MPs announced last week that the new Economic Recovery Hiring Program will be available until November 21, and will be retroactive to June 6. Administered by the Canada Revenue Agency, the program’s purpose is to assist eligible employers who have suffered revenue losses since the pandemic and difficulties hiring new employees.

Specifically, the program will provide employers with an allowance of up to 50 per cent of the additional earnings paid to eligible employees during the program period. The government believes this support would provide local businesses with the sense of confidence that they can afford the additional costs necessary to rehire staff and resume growth in Canada’s post-COVID19 economy.

Weathering the storm

“Local businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic,” Laval MPs Annie Koutrakis (Vimy), Fayçal El-Khoury (Laval-Les Îles) Yves Robillard (Marc-Aurèle-Fortin) and Angelo Iacono (Alfred-Pellan) said in a statement.

“That’s why our federal government has put in place emergency measures to help them weather this storm. The Economic Recovery Hiring Program underlines our continued commitment to be there for Laval entrepreneurs and to provide them with the necessary tools they need to ensure the prosperity of our Laval community.”

As a member of the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Finance, Koutrakis has been in an especially advantageous position to hear from countless business owners in Laval and across Canada who were eager to reopen their doors to the public.

Bridging the gap, says Koutrakis

She said she is aware that Laval’s businesses have been heavily impacted by the pandemic, and as the economic recovery begins, it is important that they be able to hire the employees they need to restore their operations while supporting Laval’s economic activity.

“The Canada Recovery Hiring Program helps these businesses bridge the gap from essential support programs like the rent and wage subsidies as they return to normal operations,” said Koutrakis.

“By offsetting some of the costs associated with hiring staff, increasing wages or extending hours worked, we’re encouraging local employment while giving business owners the confidence they need to reopen and grow following the pandemic.”

Waiting to move forward

In the meantime, Bill C-30 (The Budget Implementation Act,’ which was tabled in the Commons on April 19) has reached third reading, but is being held back before going to the Senate by ongoing debate.

“Unfortunately, it’s silly time in Ottawa these days, and the opposition party – namely the Conservative Party – is blocking us from going forward, continuing the debate in the House before it goes to the Senate and receives royal assent,” Koutrakis said in an interview with the Laval News.

“So, right now it’s stuck in the legislative process. We’re just waiting for this to be complete before we can say it has become law under budget 2021 and the program can be rolled out.”

Will it pass before break?

The House of Commons rises for the summer break on June 23. Until then, according to Koutrakis, a lot of negotiations are taking place behind the scenes in Ottawa. As Bill C-30 is a budgetary piece of legislation, its failure to pass would be a vote of non-confidence against the Liberal government, potentially triggering an election.

“So, it’s very crucial that we see this bill go forward if we want to continue not only to roll out these measures that we’ve announced in budget 2021,” she said, “but also the extension of existing support programs that are already in place to support small businesses and all Canadians.”

Other programs extended

The Economic Recovery Hiring Program is available to eligible employers who have experienced qualifying revenue declines so they can hire more workers, increase workers’ hours, or increase wages.

In Ottawa, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Minister of Small Business Mary Ng recently also detailed the proposed extension of business support programs that have been serving as a lifeline to Canadian businesses through the pandemic.

This includes the proposed extension of the Wage Subsidy, Rent Subsidy, and Lockdown Support until September 25. These programs are currently set to expire in June. Both the Hiring Program and proposed extensions are part of Bill C-30.

Father’s Day 2021:

Renata Isopo
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Father’s Day 2021:

The blessing and curse of the Pandemic

Father’s Day means many things for different men, and can come with associated feelings of love, connection, and caring; and sometimes, grief, loss and regret.

While Father’s Day can seem to have a very commercial focus as other holidays, it remains a day of celebrating the most important relationships in men’s lives. Caring for the next generation is a key role for men and is often associated with images of being both provider and protector.

Among the many and varied descriptions of masculinity, the relationship that men have with their children is a very significant connection. Men rarely talk about it, perhaps because it doesn’t seem sufficiently “masculine”, is too intimate or private to discuss. Sometimes they don’t have the words.

Often it is not until their children have grown up, or even when approaching the end of their own lives that men express regret for spending too much time at work, and not enough with their family. Sadly, many men only start talking about the importance of their family relationships after a crisis like family separation or a loss of a child has occurred.

A revolution is underway

Canadian men are becoming more vocal about their role in fathering, and the value they place on connection with family, particularly their children. What is occurring is a quiet men’s revolution. While not as vocal as the women’s movement, it is noticeable in the way men talk about achieving a better work-life balance, and how men behave differently as they walk together with their children, proudly push the carriage, or access parental leave.

Things may have changed with Covid-19

Lockdown and work restrictions have enabled many dads to be around the home more than they might ever have been. Workplaces have suddenly been able to be flexible and unintentionally family-friendly. This has enabled men to participate more in their children’s lives and the household generally, and for many, this has been revolutionary in terms of what might be a better working arrangement going forward. They have been better able to be active and present in their fathering, and to experience that they are both wanted and needed by children and partners.

A recent Canadian study provided evidence that while average childcare hours for both parents increased during the pandemic for dual-income families, there has been a relative increase for average childcare hours for males compared to females. It indicates changes in the ways that fathers take a role in being present in their children’s lives today.

This year, Father’s Day will be unique in terms of the loosened restrictions it places on celebrations. For many separated dads, lockdown has meant difficulty seeing their children, and this may finally provide relief from their sadness and isolation.

Many men, regardless of whether they are in a family relationship or are separated, identify fathering as something which is a central part of their lives. It takes patience, thoughtfulness, and conscious work to navigate the different life stages, and how they affect the fathering role.

Dads’ time and attention is what children enjoy; watching a favourite show together, lingering over light conversation, playing board games will all be very meaningful because they are about time with their father. Contacting grandparents by Zoom and talking across the generations about being a kid and a dad, or how kids and parents have changed, is a super way to acknowledge generations of fathering.

Time to Celebrate Dad

Fathers matter in the lives of their children. During this time of COVID-19, however, dads of young children may find themselves dealing with totally unexpected, stressful, and uncertain circumstances, such as juggling changes in employment, concerns about getting essentials, and financial matters.

Both moms and dads had a lot to deal with, but stay-at-home orders also provided a welcome silver lining. There’s more family time as dads and moms may have the unexpected opportunity to spend more time at home. This June, as families celebrate Father’s Day, many babies, toddlers, and teens are spending more time with their dads, and dads may be experiencing the unexpected joys of more time with their children.

During this unprecedented time, dads and their wives/partners may be experiencing considerable stress and anxiety as they work to take care of their family in the midst of so much uncertainty.

However, it seems that in our culture, Father’s Day is celebrated far less than Mother’s Day. Statistics prove it. Gift buying for Father’s Day lags behind buying for Mother’s Day. According to the Greeting Card Industry, there are 40 million fewer cards sold for Father’s Day than Mother’s Day. Why is this? Don’t dads deserve the recognition moms do?

Our culture often portrays men as being less significant than women. Movies and books often depict men as incapable, uninvolved, disconnected, lazy, passive, and uncaring, but in 2021 Pandemic Perception … this is far from the truth.

If anyone would be so discriminating as to depict all women as being bossy, controlling, lazy and insensitive, we’d never hear the end of it.

Why does it seem acceptable in our culture for women to complain, gripe, and nag their husbands, yet men who also work hard and sacrifice many hours for their family are considered male chauvinists if they dare criticize women?

Fathers today face an incredible amount of stress and pressure not only from their jobs, but also because of unrealistic expectations.

What is the significance of Father’s Day? Why should fathers be appreciated? When God created fathers, He gave us a tangible view of our relationship with Him. God is our strong Protector and Provider. A StrongTower. This is the role He wanted fathers to demonstrate, the role he wanted fathers to fill. God is also gentle and nurturing like a mother. The combination of the strengths of the best father and the best mother gives a reflection of who God is.

Happy Father’s Day to all you courageous godly men who aren’t afraid to go against the culture and sacrificially lead your wives/ partners and children toward increasingly greater and more genuine happiness. You are significant.

Renata Isopo renata@newsfirst.ca

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