The current issue of the Laval News volume 28-15 published August 12th, 2020.
Covering Laval local news, politics, sports and our new section Mature Life.
(Click on the image to read the paper.)
Laval News Volume 28-15
Laval man nailed on the 401 after driving ‘excessively slow’
For those familiar with the long and sometimes tedious drive from Montreal to Toronto along Ontario Highway 401, Lennox and Addington County is a particularly notorious stretch where you are more likely to get ticketed for exceeding 100 km/h than almost anywhere else.
What you don’t hear about anywhere nearly as often is somebody getting nailed in that area for driving too slow.
But that’s just what happened last Saturday when an Ontario Provincial Police officer stationed in Lennox and Addington stopped Cedrick Lamer, a 22-year-old Laval resident, when he was seen driving slower than the posted 50 km/h minimum near Belleville on the eastbound 401.
According to the Kingston Whig Standard, the OPP officer who spotted him said Lamer appeared to be driving erratically and “excessively slow.”
After stopping him, the officer suspected Lamer was intoxicated. As a result, Lamer now faces a charge of driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit.
He was released on a promise to appear in court in Belleville on Sept. 3. His license was also suspended for 90 days and his vehicle was impounded.
Update: Outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to red onions imported from the United States
In a statement issued Friday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) says there is no evidence to suggest that onions grown in Canada are associated with a salmonella outbreak currently underway, and that onions imported from the United States are under investigation.
Advice from the CFIA: Do not eat, use, sell or serve any red, white, yellow, and sweet yellow onions from Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, USA, or any products made with these onions. This advice applies to all individuals across Canada, as well as retailers, distributors, manufacturers and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and nursing homes.
If you are not sure where a red, yellow, white, or sweet yellow onion was grown, do not eat it. This notice contains more advice on how to avoid getting sick.
The outbreak investigation is ongoing as illnesses continue to be reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Since August 2, there have been 119 additional illnesses reported in the ongoing Canadian investigation. There are now 239 confirmed cases in Canada.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued food recall warnings for related products that came to Canada. Some of these products were possibly distributed nationally. Additional food recall warnings in Canada are possible. More information on recalled products is available on CFIA’s website.
Why should you take note
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is collaborating with federal and provincial public health partners, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to investigate the outbreak of Salmonella infections occurring in seven provinces.
In Canada, based on the investigation findings to date, exposure to red onions imported from the USA has been identified as a likely source of the outbreak. Many of the ill individuals under investigation reported having eaten red onions before getting sick.
Through a collaborative investigation between public health and food safety partners in Canada and the U.S., traceback information has identified that the contaminated red onions are coming from Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, USA.
The CFIA has issued food recall warnings for related products that came to Canada. Some of these products were possibly distributed nationally. Additional food recall warnings in Canada are possible. More information is needed to determine the cause of contamination in red onions imported from Thomson International Inc. The outbreak is ongoing, as recent illnesses continue to be reported to the PHAC.
Given this information, and until more is known about the outbreak, do not eat, use, sell or serve any red, yellow, white, and sweet yellow onions grown by Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, USA, or any products made with these onions. This advice applies to all individuals across Canada, as well as retailers, distributors, manufacturers and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and nursing homes.
Onions grown in Canada are not affected by this advice.
As the investigation is ongoing, it is possible that additional sources could be identified, and additional food recall warnings related to this outbreak may be issued. This public health notice will be updated as the investigation evolves.
Investigation summary
As of August 7, 2020, there have been 239 confirmed cases of Salmonella Newport illness linked to this outbreak in the following provinces: British Columbia (67), Alberta (149), Saskatchewan (5), Manitoba (13), Ontario (3), Quebec (1) and Prince Edward Island (1).
Individuals became sick between mid-June and late July 2020. Twenty-nine individuals have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Individuals who became ill are between 0 and 100 years of age. The majority of cases (54%) are female.
Individuals who became ill reported eating red onions at home, in menu items ordered at restaurants and in residential care settings.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is conducting a food safety investigation and has issued related food recall warnings. Additional food recall warnings in Canada are possible. More information on recalled products is available on CFIA’s website.
The U.S. CDC is also investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Newport illnesses that have a similar genetic fingerprint to illnesses reported in this outbreak. Investigators in Canada and the U.S. continue to collaborate to exchange information and identify commonalities in the outbreak information that may identify additional sources of illness or help to identify the cause of contamination in the red onions.
It is possible that more recent illnesses may be reported in the outbreak because there is a period of time between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported to public health officials. For this outbreak, the illness reporting period is between two and four weeks.
Who is most at risk
Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection, but children aged 5 years and under, older adults, pregnant women or people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for contracting serious illness.
Most people who become ill from a Salmonella infection will recover fully after a few days. It is possible for some people to be infected with the bacteria and to not get sick or show any symptoms, but to still be able to spread the infection to others.
What should you do to protect your health
Do not eat, use, sell or serve any red, white, yellow, and sweet yellow onions from Thomson International Inc., of Bakersfield, California, USA, or any products made with these onions. This advice applies to all individuals across Canada, as well as retailers, distributors, manufacturers and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and nursing homes.
Advice to consumers
Individuals are asked to check their homes for red, white, yellow, and sweet varieties, including whole, sliced, or chopped onions, and any prepared foods that contain onions as an ingredient, such as premade salads, sandwiches, wraps, salsas, dips or guacamole.
- If you have onions at home:
- Look for a label showing where the onion was grown. It may be printed on the package or on a sticker.
- If the packaging or sticker shows that it is from Thomson International Inc., don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
- If it isn’t labeled, don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
- If you don’t know whether the onion found in a premade salad, sandwich, wrap, salsa, dip or guacamole contains onions from Thomson International Inc., don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
- Wash and sanitize any surfaces that may have come in contact with onions or their packaging, such as countertops, fridge drawers, pantry shelves, knives, and cutting boards.
- If you buy onions at grocery or convenience stores:
- Make sure they are not selling onions from Thomson International Inc., or serving fresh foods prepared with them.
- If you can’t confirm that the onion in stores is not from Thomson International Inc., don’t buy it.
- If you order salad or any other food items containing onions at a restaurant or food establishment:
- Ask the staff whether their onions come from Thomson International Inc. If they did, or they don’t know, don’t eat it.
- Do not eat any recalled food products. Check to see if you have recalled food products at home. If you do, throw them out and wash your hands.
- If you have been diagnosed with a Salmonella infection or any other gastrointestinal illness, do not cook food for other people.
- Contact your local public health authority to report any food safety concerns at restaurants or grocery stores, or if you suspect food poisoning from a restaurant or other food establishments.
Advice to restaurants, retailers, suppliers and distributors
- Check the label on bags or boxes of onions, or ask suppliers about the source of their onions.
- Do not ship or sell onions from Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, USA, or any products made with these onions.
- Clean and sanitize all surfaces and storage bins that onions may have come in contact with, including cutting boards, countertops, slicers, utensils, and containers used to store or transport them.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a Salmonella infection, called salmonellosis, typically start 6 to 72 hours after exposure to Salmonella bacteria from an infected animal, person or contaminated product.
Symptoms include:
- fever
- chills
- diarrhea
- abdominal cramps
- headache
- nausea
- vomiting
These symptoms usually last for 4 to 7 days. In healthy people, salmonellosis often clears up without treatment, but sometimes antibiotics may be required. In some cases, severe illness may occur and hospitalization may be required. People who are infected with Salmonella bacteria can be infectious from several days to several weeks. People who experience symptoms, or who have underlying medical conditions, should contact their health care provider if they suspect they have a Salmonella infection.
New mobile app to help notify Canadians of potential COVID-19 exposure
Over the past several months, Canadians have been following public health advice and doing their part to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Now, as steps are taken to ease restrictions and safely restart the economy, there is a need to continue to work together to contain the virus and keep Canadians healthy and safe.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced on Monday that COVID Alert, a new national mobile app, is now available to Canadians for free download. The app, first developed in Ontario, helps notify users if they may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
Use of COVID Alert is voluntary, and serves as another tool to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Once the app is fully functioning in their province or territory, users who test positive for COVID-19 will receive a one-time key from their health authority that they can enter into the app.
When the key is entered, COVID Alert will notify other users who may have come in close contact with that person for at least 15 minutes in the past 14 days, so they can contact their local public health authority for guidance.
To safeguard the confidentiality and privacy of all Canadians, the app uses strong measures to protect any data it collects, and does not track a user’s location or collect personally identifiable information. The Privacy Commissioners of Canada and Ontario were consulted on the development of COVID Alert, to ensure the highest level of privacy for Canadians using the app.
The Government of Canada has been working in close partnership with the Province of Ontario to launch the COVID Alert app. Health authorities in Ontario will be the first to begin distributing one-time keys. The Government of Canada is also working with the other provinces and territories to bring their jurisdictions on board in the coming weeks and months.
An expert Advisory Council will ensure the app meets the highest standards in public health outcomes, privacy, and technology. The members of the Council reflect Canada’s regional and cultural diversity, and cover a wide range of expertise, including health, privacy, data governance, science, and innovation. Their advice will inform the implementation and rollout phases of the app.
Some facts about the COVID Alert app:
- The app has undergone a security assessment by BlackBerry and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. All data provided to the app will be securely stored and protected.
- The Government of Canada has taken extensive steps to ensure that citizens’ privacy and data are protected. Given the importance the government assigns to these issues, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner has been consulted on this initiative.
- COVID Alert is a collaboration between Health Canada, the Canadian Digital Service, the Province of Ontario, and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. It builds upon an exposure notification solution developed by Shopify volunteers in coordination with the nonprofit Linux Foundation Public Health. It is also the work of a team of developers from across the country.
- Canadians who want to know more about COVID Alert can call 1-833-784-4397.
Thunder storms plunge nearly 560 Hydro customers in Laval into darkness
Severe thunder storms that rolled through the Montreal region Sunday evening damaged power distribution systems and plunged at least 558 Hydro Quebec clients in Laval into darkness.
There were also local reports of flooding from rains generated as a side effect from tropical storm Isaias which has been sitting off the coast of Florida and is expected to make its way up the eastern U.S. seaboard to cause disturbances in Canada’s maritime provinces.
In addition to the thunder and lightning, Environment Canada issued an advisory for the Montreal region saying that the severe weather could also be capable of producing strong wind gusts and even tornadoes.
The forecast is for the rain to continue until Monday afternoon, after which it is expected to begin once more on Tuesday and Wednesday. Sunny weather isn’t expected to return until at least Thursday.
Canadian passport services resuming by mail and by appointment for those travelling within 30 days
The federal government announced on Friday that following suspension of most passport operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians can apply for a passport once again by mail.
According to the government, if Canadians have an immediate need for a passport or are travelling in less than 30 days with proof of travel, they can request in-person appointments. Applicants can visit Canada.ca/passport to learn more and find out how to apply.
For those who don’t have immediate travel plans, the government is asking that they wait before applying for a passport. They say processing times are expected to be longer than normal due to high demand and measures to safeguard the health and safety of Service Canada Centre employees, as well as the public.
Applicants who are concerned about renewing their passport should note that they can now use a simplified renewal process within two years after the expiry date rather than one, if their passport expired on or after February 1, 2019.
This means there is more time to renew if they aren’t travelling soon. The simplified renewal process will allow applicants to submit a shorter form without resubmitting their citizenship documents and a guarantor declaration.
As Service Canada Centres begin to gradually and safely reopen, passport services will be limited to appointment only. Canadians can also continue to visit canada.ca/service-canada-home for the latest updates.
Another Health Canada hand sanitizer ethanol health risk warning
Health Canada is advising Canadians that the following hand sanitizers, which contain technical-grade ethanol, may pose health risks. For more information, including what Canadians should do, visit the online safety alert.
Canadians are also advised to refer to the list of hand sanitizers that contain ethanol or denaturants that are not acceptable in hand sanitizers and are being recalled from the market because they may pose a risk to health.
Health Canada maintains these lists of hand sanitizers that may pose health risks, so that Canadians can easily identify products they may have purchased and take appropriate action. Canadians are encouraged to check both lists regularly for updates.
| Product | Company | NPN or DIN | Lot Number(s) | Expiry Date | Date Added |
| BioOrigin Pure Hands Antibacterial Hand Gel | Mineral Origin Inc. | 80098887 | 12020 12720-2 14020 14320 | October 2021 November 2021 November 2021 November 2021 | July 30, 2020 |
| BioOrigin Pure Hands Purifying Hand Cleansing Gel | Mineral Origin Inc. | None | 09920 10020 10520 10620 11120 11220 12020 12720 13320 14020 14620 | Not printed on the label. | July 30, 2020 |
| Opti-Max Opti-Pure | Les Produits Optimax Inc. | 80099476 | 20200515 | May 2022 | July 30, 2020 |
Teenager killed by gunfire at park near school in Vimont identified
A 17-year-old teenager from Laval’s Vimont district who succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained in a park behind a school during the early morning hours Thursday following a shooting incident has been identified.
According to the Laval Police, it was just a quarter hour past midnight on Thursday when residents in the quiet, semi-rural neighbourhood heard what they later described as explosive sounds and called the police department.
Witnesses told media later that they heard at least six shots. While they thought at first it might be fireworks, they then heard people screaming as well as voices speaking loudly.
By the time a squad car from the LPD reached the scene at the corner of Saint-Elzéar Blvd. and Bédard St. just a few minutes later, they found one of the teens sprawled on playground equipment, unconscious and suffering from a gunshot wound. Although the teen was transported to hospital, he was declared dead some time after arrival.
A second teen, this one 18 years old, was found shortly afterwards by the police in the same park, which is located behind École des Explorateurs. He too had suffered a gunshot wound, although not as seriously. While the police were able to get some basic information from him, they were unable to determine the identity of the shooter.
While the police say that neither of the victims had any previous run-ins with the law, the Montreal daily La Presse reported on Thursday that the LPD isn’t completely ruling out the possibility the incident was the result of a confrontation between the two teens which turned violent.
On Friday, La Presse identified the 17-year-old youth who succumbed to his gunshot wound as Dario Frometa Valdes. The Laval Police are continuing to investigate.
LPD seeks suspect for assault with a deadly weapon
The Laval Police Department is asking the public for assistance in locating 23-year-old Isaiah Atkins.
An arrest warrant was issued for him on July 28, on charges of aggravated assault, break and enter, assault with a weapon and theft.
On July 4, at 4:15 a.m., the suspect allegedly broke down the door to his ex-spouse’s apartment, in the Laval-des-Rapides sector.
He then allegedly attacked her with a knife, in addition to similarly injuring two other individuals in the apartment.
The three victims were hospitalized for injuries which are not life-threatening, but which will leave them with medical and psychological consequences.
Description: – Black male, 23 years old. Measures 1.80 m (5 ’11’). Black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information concerning Isaiah Atkins can communicate confidentially on the Info Line at 450-662-INFO (4636) or dial 911 and mention the LVL 200704 015 file.
Laval Police seek Pizza Pizza robbery suspect for positive I.D.
The Laval Police Department is requesting the public’s cooperation in helping to identify a suspect who committed a robbery at the Pizza Pizza restaurant, located at 240 boul. Curé-Labelle in the Ste-Rose area in November last year.
At approximately 9:55 p.m. on November 9 2019, the suspect arrived at the Pizza Pizza restaurant and headed into the kitchen. He allegedly threatened an employee with a knife to get the contents of the cash register. He then fled on foot.
Description of suspect: Black male, around 40, English speaking. Measures approximately 5 feet and 10 inches (1.7m) – Mid-length black curly hair, short beard. Wore a brown leather coat, blue jeans and a black cap.
Anyone who has information about this individual can communicate confidentially on the Info Line at 450 662-INFO (4636) or dial 911 and mention the LVL file 191 109 075.
