(TLN) Sonia Baudelot, who is running in Marc-Aurèle-Fortin for the Conservative Party of Canada in the October
federal election, received the support of several influential people during a
fundraiser she held at the Château Royal on July 4.
Among
those at the event who endorsed Baudelot’s candidacy were Senator Pierre-Hughes
Boisvenu, Conservative lieutenant for Quebec Alain Rayes, and movie theatre
entrepreneur Vincent Guzzo of Cinémas Guzzo.
Battle ahead,
she says
Addressing several hundred Conservatives who turned
up, Baudelot reminded them that the election battle was just getting underway.
Known for her involvement in the community and
thorough knowledge of the riding in which she is running, she expressed her
support for those who are in need.
“We must get rid of the government of Mr. Trudeau in
the next election next Oct. 21, in order not to leave behind an astronomical
debt to the next generation,” said Baudelot.
Was it déjà vu? Or, perhaps more ominously, a foreshadowing of something
that stands to become a lot more common in Laval in this era of global warming?
Whatever, there was an eerie sense of having seen it
all before last week when officials from the Quebec government were in Laval
for a public information meeting with property owners who were seriously
impacted by the flooding in April.
Panel
answered questions
After all, the last time this happened was in 2017 and
the drill then was pretty much the same: a panel of bureaucrats facing hundreds
of sometimes irate Laval residents (albeit fewer than last time) at the Château
Royal.
The
residents were addressed in a way they had more or less come to expect of governmental
consultants and employees: responses couched in departmental codes, ciphers and
technospeak, with bureaucrats replying as best they could to traumatized people
who probably would have much preferred hearing plain language.
Towns and
cities affected
According to a summary of the government’s post-flood
plans for establishing new flood zones, 813 of the province’s municipalities
are affected as new zones are set up for zero to 20-year risks as well as all
sectors which suffered flooding this past year and two years ago.
For properties within these zones, there will be no
possibility of constructing or reconstructing a building that has lost more
than half its value, and there will be no expansion of buildings or
outbuildings in such zones. Getting permission to rebuild flood-damaged
properties will depend on whether the cost of reconstruction amounts to 50 per
cent or more of the value of the house.
Municipalities, including the City of Laval, will be
issuing renovation and construction permits within these zones based on
criteria set down in new provincial legislation that was drafted taking into
account the impact of past and potential future flooding.
A panel of five provincial bureaucrats faced more than 400 sometimes irate Laval residents during a consultation on proposed new flood zones held last week at the Château Royal.
Venting their
anger
During a question period, several Laval residents from
areas seriously affected by flooding this spring (including Laval-sur-le-Lac, Île
Verte, Laval-Ouest, Fabreville and Sainte-Rose) expressed
their disillusionment – or in some cases outrage – over the way municipal and
provincial authorities have dealt with the aftermath.
Unhappy with a proposed new flood zone map the
provincial government has developed, Eli Chakieh of Laval-sur-le-Lac said the
chart is designed to cover the entire area. “This is inaccurate,” he said.
“None of the houses in Laval-sur-le-Lac were flooded. I’ve been there for forty
years and I lived through two floods before.
“You are mixing up houses with land,” he continued. “The
land had flooded on the riverside. The houses never flooded. And you’re
amalgamating all the problems for the houses and the land and you’re preventing
the citizens of Laval-sur-le-Lac from doing improvements.”
Improvements
forbidden
Chakieh said that according to the new flood-zone law,
he’s being prevented from installing a new pool in his back yard because it
falls under a definition of prohibited construction. Marc Mongeon, a spokesman
for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Habitation who answered most
questions during the meeting, told him that the government hasn’t finished the
final draft of the legislation and that there will still be time to iron out
details involving those sorts of situations.
Another resident, Rose-Lise Arrelle of Chomedey, complained
that the government’s proposed new flood-zone map includes her property, even
though her street has never been flooded. “We deplore the fact that someone –
we don’t know who – coloured the map red in such a way as to cause a lot of
people concern,” she said. “This is needless anxiety that you are encouraging.
The map does not correspond to our reality.”
Some
officials attended
At the same time, Arrelle noted the absence of
virtually all provincially-elected representatives at the meeting. (A few
members of Laval city council, including Laval-Les Îles
councillor Nicholas Borne, Sainte-Rose councillor Virginie Dufour and Auteuil
councillor Jocelyne Frédéric-Gauthier,
did attend the meeting as observers and interveners.)
Guylaine Riendeau of Fabreville complained about a shortage of information and lack of transparency by officials following this past spring’s floods in Laval.
Guylaine Riendeau of Fabreville complained about a
shortage of information and a lack of transparency regarding the official
response to the floods. Like many of the other residents, she complained of
being subjected to severe flood-zone restrictions in the new chart, even though
her property had never suffered flooding.
July 7 – A four-year-old boy died after being pulled out
of a back yard swimming pool in Ste-Dorothée on Sunday afternoon.
Residents of the house on Des Capucines St. called 911
just before 3 p.m. when they pulled the unconscious boy out of the water.
Police arrived first on the scene and administered CPR
until paramedics arrived and took over.
The boy was rushed to hospital where his death was
confirmed.
According to police, adults were present in the yard at
the time of the drowning although it’s not clear if anyone else was in the
pool. The incident appears to have occurred during a family gathering when
people were both outside and in the home.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding
the drowning.
* There have been 28 drowning deaths in the province so
far this year.
* In 2018, the lives of 56 individuals in Quebec were
claimed by drowning.
Accidental Fire Scorches Allô! Mon Coco
July 5 – Firefighters received a call at 7:18 p.m. about
a fire burning at the breakfast restaurant, Allô! Mon Coco located onBoul.
Samson in Ste-Dorothée.
The first of 6 responding units arrived at the scene 4
minutes later.
Looking through the front glass windows, flames were
observed at the rear of the restaurant, coming from the kitchen area.
Firefighters had the blaze under control by 7:48 p.m.
Early indications suggest that one of the burners on the
stove had inadvertently been left on and
caused the fire.
Damages were limited to the restaurant. Neighbouring
locales were not affected.
The breakfast eatery suffered an estimated $15,000 in
damages to the building, and another $15,000 in damages to the contents.
BEI Investigating
Police after Laval Man’s Death
June 28 – The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI) —
an independent investigative unit — is looking
into the death of a Laval man following a police intervention that occurred shortly
after midnight Thursday night.
According to the BEI’s statement, Laval police received a
call regarding a violent family dispute at 12:40 a.m.
The two responding officers arrived at the residence on
35th Avenue and attempted to arrest a 50-year-old man involved in the dispute,
but he refused to cooperate.
They said the man stopped breathing as police tried to
handcuff him.
Officers used a defibrillator but were unsuccessful in
reviving the man. He died at the scene.
The BEI was called in and took over the investigation.
Eight BEI investigators arrived early Friday morning and two forensics
identification experts from the Sûreté du Québec were also called in to join
the investigation.
The BEI’s mandate is to investigate when a civilian death
or injury occurs during a police intervention or while in police custody.
Laval Man Killed
in Tadoussac Ferry Crash Lauded as Hero
June 25 – Quebec provincial police identified the victim
of a crash at the Tadoussac ferry crossing last Monday as Laval resident, Éric
Belec.
According to eyewitnesses, the outcome would likely have
been much worse, if not for Belec’s heroic actions in the seconds preceding the
spectacular collision which claimed his life.
The 40-year-old was at the wheel of an RV when it sped
down a steep hill on Highway 138, just east of the ferry terminal.
The motor home ended up going over the raised loading
ramp, crashing into the back of the ferry that had just begun its 10-minute
journey toward Baie-Sainte-Catherine.
Local residents have long questioned the safety of the
pier, which sits at the bottom of a steep incline.
Belec and his passenger were taken to hospital where he
was later pronounced dead. A 40-year-old woman from Lévis remains in critical
condition.
The Sûreté du Québec said it appears that a mechanical
problem with the RV may be to blame.
Eyewitnesses reported that Belec did everything he could
to avoid hitting numerous pedestrians and other nearby cars as the RV careened
toward the pier and loaded ferry.
Police Treat
Anti-Muslim Message as Hate Crime
June 21 – Laval police opened an investigation after hate
messages were discovered on signs along Highway 15 near Boul. Dagenais.
Two messages were scrawled across signs. The first read:
“Trudeau treason” and the second stated: “Abolish Islam – threatens our country
and our security”
The hate messages were brought to the attention of the
Laval police and were removed the same day.
Forensic identification experts were sent to the site to
collect evidence.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is urged to call the police
info-line and speak confidentially with an officer : 450-662-INFO (4636).
Dignitaries are seen Hellenic Summer Festival at Holy Cross Church during the unveiling of the Canada Day cake on July 1.
Martin C. Barry
Thousands
of people with Hellenic roots from all over Quebec had the opportunity to
return to their cultural origins on Canada Day weekend when the Laval Greek
Orthodox Community held its annual Hellenic Summer Festival at Holy Cross
Church in Chomedey.
A big Greek reunion
The
Laval Hellenic Summer Festival is one of the biggest Greek cultural events that
takes place 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.
Among
the dignitaries who turned up were Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia
Revelakis, Laval-Les Îles Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury, Quebec Liberal MNA for
Chomedey Guy Ouellette, Fabre Liberal MNA Monique Sauvé, Action Laval interim-leader
Archie Cifelli, Consul General for Greece in Montreal Michalis Gavriilidis,
Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal president Annie Koutrakis and Former
Laval city councillor Jocelyne Guertin.
There was plenty of Souvlaki from the grill during the Hellenic Summer Festival at Holy Cross Church in Chomedey on July 1.
A very big
community
“The Greeks are the largest cultural community in the
province and they deserve to be,” Ouellette said in an interview with the Laval
News. “This is always such a special day – an event not to be missed,” said
Sauvé. “I am here every year and it is always
a pleasure to be here.”
El-Khoury
was very upbeat about the importance of recognizing Greek heritage on the same
day as Canada celebrates its birthday. “I always advise all my Greek friends to
continue remembering their roots, but also to remember that they are also
Canadians and should contribute to Canada in all its aspects,” he said.
A land of opportunity
Revelakis
recalled that her parents arrived in Canada in the early 1960s, following which
“they worked to develop and establish themselves in Canada. And this is what
Canada is about: Canada is the land of opportunity and it opens doors for many
people including youths. Canada is our home and we are proud to be Canadians.”
Consul General Gavriilidis said, “What a wonder day
this is, and what a wonderful way this is to celebrate Canada’s birthday at a
festival with Greek flavours, colours and taste. I am very happy for this
community and congratulate them for getting this together and wish them many
more such occasions in the future.”
Seen here at the Vieille Caserne in Old Sainte-Rose are Tourism Laval officials, Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete, Corporation Rose-Art president Carole Faucher, Laval city councillor for Sainte-Rose Virginie Dufour and Symposium spokesperson Nico Racicot.
Martin C. Barry
Appreciators of fine sculpture and exquisite art will
be coming from all over Quebec and other parts of eastern Canada to Laval’s
historic Old Sainte-Rose neighbourhood for four days in late July to
participate in the 24th annual Sainte-Rose Art Symposium.
A real crowd pleaser
Each
year, more than 25,000 attend the highly popular event, which is taking place
this year from July 25-28. Many of those attending the Symposium, sponsored by
the Corporation Rose-Art, will be purchasing hundreds of works produced by 90
talented artists expressing themselves in styles ranging from traditional and
impressionistic to modern and abstract.
Actor is
spokesperson
Quebec film and TV actor Nico Racicot will be displaying some of his own art during this year’s Symposium later this month.
The Saint-Rose Art Symposium’s organizing committee
was able to persuade Quebec film and TV actor Nico Racicot to be the event’s
official spokesperson this year.
Born on York St. in Rosemère across the river
from Sainte-Rose, he has acted in English-language TV (Degrassi: The Next
Generation). However, Racicot is perhaps better known in Quebec for his role in
the 2013 French-language film Louis Cyr.
In an interview with The Laval News, Racicot said he
was deeply impressed by the Symposium and its beautiful setting on the edge of
the Rivière des Mille Îles in northern Laval.
Inspired by
the setting
“Just being here – where Marc Aurèle
Fortin grew up and where he got a lot of his inspiration – to me is so
inspiring and such a really nice opportunity to be here as part of the
Symposium,” he said, referring to the famed Quebec landscape painter who was
born in Sainte-Rose.
In addition to being an actor, Racicot is also a
visual artist and some of his works will be displayed in a special location
during the Symposium.
“I do mostly illustration art either with markers or
on my iPad and I started painting not too long ago,” he saud. “So there will be
a showcase showing where I am currently at in my creative journey.”
Skeete
honourary president
Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete (seen here with Symposium coordinator Carole Faucher) says he is delighted to serve as this year’s honourary event president.
Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete has agreed to serve
as honourary president of the Symposium. “It is a privilege to have been chosen,”
he said, noting the hard work done by Symposium volunteers. He also praised the
Symposium organizers for conserving the artistic “soul” of Sainte-Rose where
art continues to flourish.
Since last year’s exhibition, the organizers of the
Sainte-Rose Art Symposium received a significant honour when the Laval Chamber
of Commerce and Industry awarded them a 2019 Dunamis Award in recognition of Sainte-Rose
Art Symposium’s successful efforts to promote tourism in the Laval region.
A draw for
summer tourists
Tourism has indeed been growing by leaps and bounds in
Laval over the past few years, as travellers from all over Canada and the U.S.
discover hidden treasures such as the Symposium de Sainte-Rose.
As always, the Symposium will be taking place in
downtown Sainte-Rose along Sainte-Rose Blvd. next to the Old Firehall (la
Vieille Caserne), near the historic Sainte-Rose-de-Lima church, between Filion
and Deslaurier-Hotte streets. The hours are as follows: Thurs. Jul. 25 and
Friday Jul. 26, 11 am to 8 pm; Sat. July 27, 10 am to 8 pm; and Sun. Jul. 28,
10 am to 5 pm.
Special
venues to view art
While most of the artists and sculptors will be
exhibiting under tents, a few works created by members of the Corporation
Rose-Art can be viewed at the Vieille Caserne as well as at the nearby Centre
d’Art. In addition, a special room has been set aside to display the works of
Nico Racicot.
The organizers have also decided once again this year
to hold a special “Initiation to Painting” event for those wishing to learn how
to develop a budding personal talent for painting into a serious pass-time. All
the activities are free of charge.
The current issue of the Laval News volume 27-14 published July 10th, 2019, (Laval’s English Newspaper) covers local events such as politics, sports and human-interest stories. It features editorials and other columns. Click on the image to read the paper.
Front page of Laval News, Vol. 27-14
July 10, 2019.
From the left, TSN 690 Montreal’s Simon Tsalikis and former Montreal Impact head coach John Limniatis announce Kik for a Cause’s ‘Relive the Magic’ event at Souvlaki Bar on July 4, the 15th anniversary of Greece’s monumental soccer victory.
Martin C. Barry
Where were you on July 4, 2004? For those with short
memories or who are perhaps too young to remember, it was on that memorable
date that Greece – playing for just the second time in a EUFA European soccer
championship – defied massive odds to win the UEFA Euro 2004 Final against
Portugal.
On May 31 next year, members of the 2004 European
Championship “Legends” team will be coming to the Complexe sportif
Claude-Robillard in Montreal to play against a Canadian all-star soccer team in
an exhibition benefit match during which everybody present will be invited to
“Relive the Magic.”
15th
anniversary
“We expect around 5,000 people to attend this event,”
spokesperson Simon Tsalikis of TSN 690 Montreal told a gathering of supporters
and media who turned up for an official announcement held at Souvlaki Bar at
the Laval Centropolis on July 4 – the 15th anniversary of Greece’s
monumental victory.
“It’s something that’s hard to explain to a younger
generation,” added Tsalikis, referring to the feeling that swept the global Greek
community at the time. It was like a combination of the recent Toronto Raptors
basketball victory along with the legendary 1972 Team Canada hockey win against
the Soviet Union.
Was a proud
moment
As he said, a lot of people of an older generation can
remember Labelle Blvd. in Chomedey or Jean-Talon St. in Montreal’s Park
Extension neighbourhood having to be shut as thousands of exultant Greeks
manifested their collective pride.
According to Tsalikis, the match will be part of a
series of exciting events taking place over an entire weekend. The organizers
are hoping to raise $150,000 for Kik for a Cause,
which is overseen by a team of Montreal professionals and business people who
share a love for soccer as well as a desire to give back to the community.
The
members of this not-for-profit organisation include Peter Nikiforos, Jimmy
Nikolidakis, Nick Katalifos, Michael Mastronikolas, George Papadakos, Dimitri
Liosi, John Limnatis and Simon Tsalikis.
Remember and celebrate
“On
May 31, 2020, Kik for a Cause is inviting everybody, whether you’re Greek or it
doesn’t matter what nationality or background, to see a very special group of
players,” said Kik for a Cause president Peter Nikoforos.
“These
are the players who won in 2004. They’re going to come to Montreal where they
will be playing a group of Montrealers, Torontonians and Canadian soccer
players at this charity event. We are expecting most or all of the team roster
to be here.”
No winners or
losers
“The game itself won’t have any meaning as far as who
wins and loses,” said former Montreal Impact head coach, Canadian Soccer Hall
of Famer and Laval native John Limniatis who is supporting the cause.
“This is all about bringing together two competitive
teams. I’m really happy to be doing this. It’s a real honour and personally
very satisfying to be doing something like this from a Canadian perspective. I
hope it’s a very competitive game and that it is a great success.”
Officials from the Quebec government (including Municipal Affairs Minister Andrée Laforest), the City of Laval and les Habitations Le Repère (which sponsored the project) are seen here outside the Saint-Elzéar Blvd. residence on June 21.
Martin C. Barry
Senior citizens with reduced autonomy living in
western Laval will have 141 additional units of affordable housing to retire in
beginning by the spring of 2020 with construction well underway on a ten-storey
retirement residence at 3270 Saint-Elzéar Blvd. in Chomedey.
Quebec
Municipal Affairs Minister Andrée Laforest joined Laval mayor Marc Demers,
Sainte-Rose CAQ MNA Christopher Skeete and other guests on June 21 for a
brick-laying ceremony outside the building, marking the culmination of a
heartfelt community effort.
A community
effort
The project, costing $27.5 million in all, is a
collaboration between the Société d’habitation du Québec
and les Habitations Le Repère, the community-based group that initiated and led the
project.
The SHQ, through its AccèsLogis
program, is paying $10.3 million, in
addition to acting as guarantor for a mortgage taken out by Les Habitations Le
Repère. The City of
Laval contributed more than $2.8 million, although the sum will be reimbursed
by the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM). Le Repère
will be managing 3270 Saint-Elzéar once
it is completed.
Meeting seniors’ needs
In
an address, Mayor Demers noted that 17 per cent of the population of Laval
consists of senior citizens “and their needs are growing,” he said. “We have to
make affordable housing available for them throughout the city. We are very
proud of this announcement today. We have some catching up to do with regards
to affordable and social housing. We have to continue with the efforts.”
The
Municipal Affairs Minister pointed out the importance of remembering senior
citizens. “The Coalition Avenir Québec government – our government – is proud to participate financially in the
realization of this housing project,” Laforest said. “Proud because we all have
a duty to remember our seniors who helped us to build the Quebec we have today
and they deserve some peace at this stage in their lives.”
“We all have a duty to remember our seniors who helped us to build the Quebec we have today,” said Quebec Municipal Affairs Minister Andrée Laforest.
Staying in
community
Skeete said he wanted to emphasize that a partnership
made it possible to undertake the project. “Thanks to Les Habitations Le Repère,
people who are aging will be able to continue living
in their community in Laval near other persons who are important to them,” he
said. “This new building will also have the advantage of being near services
while being accessible by public transit.”
Danae Savides, president of the Habitations Le Repère
board of directors, said: “We are
seeing, thanks to support from the community, the City of Laval, and the Société
d’habitation du Québec,
this dream taking shape on which we have been working
a long time – to offer a roof over their heads and support services to seniors
citizens. Already hundreds of persons have registered on the waiting list.” According
to Savides, more than 500 people have expressed interest in coming to live at 3270
Saint-Elzéar.
An
experienced builder
Gestions Ges-Cam, which is building the project, has
vast experience in the construction of concrete high-rise senior citizens
residences since the 1980s. In addition to building them, the company also owns
and operates seniors residences with a total of around 1,000 housing units.
“We’ve built around 2,000 units since the 80s,” Charlie
Migliara, president of the company, said in an interview with The Laval News. “The
people we worked with on this were really amazing. We had fun meeting with them
every month while working on it. The energy has been really great: everything
has come together and we’ve been blessed.”
From the left, Laval-Les Îles Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury, Vimy Liberal MP Eva Nassif, Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and Rivière-des-Mille-Îles Liberal MP Linda Lapointe and Marc-Aurèle-Fortin Liberal MP Yves Robillard during Sajjan’s announcement at the Royal 22nd Regiment 4th Battalion’s Laval headquarters on June 14.
Martin C. Barry
Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced to a
drill hall full of Canadian Armed Forces reservists on June 14 at the Royal 22nd
Regiment 4th Battalion’s Laval headquarters that Ottawa is raising
the base pay of reserve soldiers to the same level as wages earned by regular forces
personnel beginning in August.
The venue for the announcement was appropriate, since
the Royal 22nd Regiment’s 4th
Battalion is a Primary Reserve infantry unit of the Canadian Forces. The 4th
Battalion is responsible for Laval and the 20-odd municipalities on the North
Shore of Montreal.
Fair
compensation, says minister
The Defence Minister was accompanied by several Laval
and North Shore-area MPs, including Laval-Les Îles
Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury, Vimy Liberal MP Eva Nassif, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin
Liberal MP Yves Robillard, and Rivière-des-Mille-Îles
Liberal MP Linda Lapointe.
“This
important initiative laid out in Canada’s defence policy – Strong, Secure,
Engaged – will ensure that our Reserve Force members are fairly compensated for
their service,” said Sajjan. “It is a clear demonstration of how our government
and all Canadians value the dedication and sacrifices of all members of our
Canadian Armed Forces.”
Canadian Forces Reservists, such as these serving with the Royal 22nd Regiment 4th Battalion, are getting a 7.8 per cent raise, giving them equity with regular Forces personnel.
Helped during flooding
Nassif
noted the crucial role reservists have been playing in Laval and on the North
Shore in recent years. This past spring, reservists helped civilians during
seasonal flooding. “As a local member of the parliament for the riding of Vimy,
it’s an honour to have this important reserve unit in our community,” said
Nassif. “We are immensely grateful for the work our Canadian Armed Forces did
in responding to our community’s emergency needs following this natural
disaster.”
According to a press release issued by the Department
of National Defence, the restructuring of pay
is part of an overall vision outlined in the Liberal government’s defence
policy, which also includes increasing the Reserve Force by 1,500 members and
further integrating reservists into operations.
Were paid 15 per cent
less
“The
Reserve Force is crucial to the success of our Canadian Armed Forces,” says the
DND. “Reservists come from all walks of life, and include students, civil
servants, labourers, business people, academics, and former members of the
Regular Force.”
The
DND says reservists will receive more money in the new system in order to more
fairly compensate them for their service. Previously, Reserve Force
remuneration amounted to 85 per cent of the total regular force pay.
Regular
force pay is composed of two parts: base pay and Military Factor. The Military
Factor is a percentage added to the base salaries of Canadian Armed Forces
members that compensates them for additional requirements that don’t affect
most public servants.
Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.
Near 8 per cent pay hike
The
Military Factor is calculated using three military and two additional elements.
The military considerations are: personal limitation and liability, separation,
and posting turbulence. The two additional elements are overtime and acting for
supervisors without an increase in pay.
The
department says the change of calculation from 85 percent to a base pay plus
Military Factor approach will result in an increase of 7.8 percent. For
example, the pay rate for a first year corporal will increase from $140 to $153
a day.
Raise effective in August
Reservists
on Class A and Class B periods of service are paid on a daily rate, based on
their rank and time in that rank. Reservists on Class C periods of service,
such as those who deploy on operations, receive the same pay as regular force
members, which is calculated at a monthly rate. Reservists will begin receiving
the new rate by the end-month pay in August 2019. That rate will be retroactive
to April 1, 2019.
The
Military Factor elements that apply to reservists under the new system are:
personal limitation and liability, overtime, and acting for supervisors. As
well, according to the DND, reservists cannot be posted to a different
geographic location or be sent away from their families on an operation or
exercise without their personal consent. This is different from Regular Force
members, who are expected to move or deploy when directed, often frequently and
on short notice.
Organizers of the first annual APGA Tour memorial golf tournament unveil a cheque for $23,125 made out to the Hellenic Chronic Care Hospital Foundation during event held on June 9 at the Atlantide Golf Club on Île Perrôt.
Martin C. Barry
The first annual APGA Tour golf tournament, held at the
Atlantide Golf Club in Île Perrôt on June 9, raised more than $23,000 for the Hellenic
Chronic Care Hospital Foundation.
Nick Liounis, vice-president of the Hellenic Chronic
Care Hospital Foundation, said the foundation “could never foresee raising so
much money at one event and we are truly, truly grateful for this.”
Almost
Professional Golf
As cause supporter Peter Vamianakis explained to more
than 60 people who spent the day on the course then sat down to a sumptuous
meal that evening in the restaurant/clubhouse, APGA stands for Almost
Professional Golf Association.
“We started the APGA in 2000, which was a very long
time ago, but we’re not going to go into all that,” he said. “The APGA is a
bunch of retired and semi-retired gentlemen who get together every Monday to
play golf in a very competitive golf league.”
APGA tournament organizers and trophy winners during the dinner held at the Atlantide Golf Club restaurant on the evening of June 9.
Having fun
with the PGA
According to Vamianakis, the APGA mimics the PGA,
which is the Professional Golf Association, in every way, copying their events,
even their point system. But, more importantly, the APGA “takes photos of their
winners with their trophies and PhotoShop our heads on them,” he added. “And we
have a creative genius who does that. So we have a lot of fun with it.”
While noting that the APGA “is not real – it’s
fantasy,” Vamianakis said the evening’s fundraiser “is reality bringing all you
people together at this event. And at the end of the night to be able to
present a nice big cheque to the Hellenic Chronic Care Hospital Foundation is
something we can all be very proud of.”
Vlogiannitis
on golf
Tournament director Terry Vlogiannitis, who is also
the APGA Tour’s statistician and treasurer, joked that there was once a time,
in his younger years playing baseball, when he didn’t consider golf to be a
real sport.
When Vlogiannitis was invited out one day around four
years ago by an APGA supporter to play golf with a few other guys, he discovered
it was harder than he had imagined. “As a matter of fact, most of my divots
were going further than the balls,” said Vlogiannitis, drawing some laughs from
the golf-savvy crowd.
But then, he continued, somehow when he was close to
calling it a day, one of his shots hit the sweet spot down the middle. “And
believe me when I say this, I was hooked big time, and I’m not ashamed to say
right now I’m addicted to the sport. It is absolutely phenomenal.”
One of the evening’s top prize winners, seen here with APGA tournament organizers.
Remembering
with golf
Tournament co-founder Bill Kampouris said: “The
purpose of the memorial tournament is to remember friends, teammates and loved
ones that are not with us today, but we’re missing them so much. It gives us an
opportunity to remember the good moments we had with them. And of course gives
us an opportunity to remember and share all these beautiful golf stories that
we all can tell so well and always with a little jest.
“Most importantly, it gives us an opportunity to give
back to our community by donating all proceeds to philanthropic organizations,”
he added. “I thank you all for being here today. I thank the organizing
committee, the volunteers who made this event possible.”
