The current issue of the Laval News volume 26-24 published December 19, 2018, (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.
Martin C. Barry
During a decisive annual general meeting of the governing board of the Chomedey Soccer Club held on Nov. 29, the CSC membership voted in a substantially new board of directors.
As announced by newly-elected president Alex Bisbikos,the new board’s members are Wassim Abou-Rjaili (vice-president), Tom Athanasios (director of communications and secretary), Mark Chadakhtzian(treasurer), Bobby Paschalidis (director of events and financing), Billy Katsifolis (director for competition categories) and Bisbikos (president).
Two members of the previous board who had been elected to two-year terms last year remain as board members. However, a third member, Benoit Pigeon, who was also elected to a two-year term last year, tendered his resignation at the Nov. 29 meeting.
Ina message e-mailed to the CSC membership, Bisbikos said that due to the resignation of Pigeon, a resolution was passed to nominate Lori Benjafield to fill the vacancy on the board of directors.
“Lori joins the board with a great deal of experience, having previously been a board member as well as director for recreational categories,” he wrote, adding that she sits on the board once more with the same responsibility.
Although the previous board’s president and the board members who were up forre-election were defeated, Bisbikos and the new board expressed thanks toformer president Sam Topalian and the former board members for their service.
Asked by the Laval News what the new board will be dealing with in its first priorities, Bisbikos said, “Our primary objective is to focus all our efforts towards supporting the kids. That will always be our number one goal.
“We also want to build trust with the parents and coaches,” he added, “increase the technical and administrative support for all our three divisions, increase the number of registrations, repair our club’s image within the community and secure additional funding to support the club. Those are our top priorities.”
While some may have been surprised by the outcome of the annual general meeting, Bisbikos suggested that others saw it coming. “There was a general kind of sense, I guess, of disappointment with the CA,” he said. “Unfortunately, a dysfunction with the previous CA had a negative impact on the club and its members. I think they were looking for change and this was an opportunity for them to bring in change.
“There was clear and evident dysfunction with the existing CA and we saw that during the meeting as well,” he continued. “The CA was split. There were two separate groups with conflicting visions for the club. I think there was perhaps a question of mistrust.
“All of which ultimately trickled down to the services that were being provided to the parents and kids. Ultimately there was a lack of transparency. A lot of questions were being asked by parents about coaches and it was very difficult to get responses.”
Bisbikos maintained that the new members of the board succeeded in being elected“because of just basic grassroots campaigning. We went to the people, we met over 350 parents.
“We spoke to them, we heard what their main points were and frustrations. At the same time we were able to share with them a vision that I think inspired them and brought them to the meeting to support change.”
While the previous board claimed to have significantly rebalanced the CSC’s financial situation after several years of precarious operation, Bisbikos agreed this may have been achieved through significant cuts to services.
“We’re just starting to get into the numbers now to get a better understanding, but I can definitely tell you that was the impression,” he said. Bisbikos did no trule out the possibility that one of the members of the CSC’s new board, who is a corporate financial officer, may open the books for a fresh audit.
Martin C. Barry
For newly-elected Coalition Avenir Québec MNA for Sainte-Rose Christopher Skeete, a recent visit to the Agape English-Speaking Senior Wellness Centre was also a return to the neighbourhood where he was born and grew up.
“I was born and raised in Chomedey,” Skeete told a large crowd of supporters of the centre on Notre Dame Blvd. who gathered there on Nov. 26 to welcome Skeete who was making his first official visit since the Oct. 1 provincial election. He was accompanied by Chomedey MNA Guy Ouellette.
Although he spent part of his childhood in the Cartier Blvd. sector east of Chomedey Blvd., Skeete said he lived as well on Haïfa Ave. a few blocks west of Curé Labelle. At one time, he also lived on nearby Dover St. and his mother worked on MacDonald St. Some of Skeete’s memories of Chomedey were a veritable trip in time down memory lane.
“I remember coming to the Récréathèque and bowling,” he said, referring to the massive former recreation centre, which was for many generations a proud landmark at the corner of Curé Labelle and Notre Dame boulevards, although it has been an abandoned eyesore for years.
“My younger years were in Chomedey and then I moved away to Sainte-Rose – specifically to Fabreville and then a little bit in Auteuil and Vimont. I consider myself a Laval guy, but my youth was in Chomedey.” Skeete, who was appointed head the new CAQ government’s Secretariat for relations with English-speaking Quebecers, explained the role.
“Basically what it means is it helps us, the Quebec government, focus on how impacts on policy and decisions that the government makes on a day to day basis, how they’ll affect the English-speaking community,” he said.
“Historically we saw in previous governments that some of the impacts of decisions such as centralizing big institutions or what not would have an adverse effect on English-speaking Quebecers,” he continued.
“And sometimes it wasn’t within the reflex of the Quebec government to consider how those things would be impacted. So the secretariat helps by doing studies and doing research to make sure that we’re able always to consider the impact that our decisions are going to have on the English-speaking community.”
Skeete told the seniors, “Honestly you should feel very reassured our government is committed to keeping the secretariat, and is also committed to making sure that all our decisions are always viewed through the eyes of the English-speaking community.” Skeete said that being elected in Sainte-Rose “is the greatest honour of my life.”
During a question and answer period, longtime Chomedey resident Nick Furfaro told Skeete the CAQ government has “a solution in search of a problem” when it is seriously considering passing new legislation to deal with the display of religious symbols in the public context. “Don’t you think that the kind of measures that you’re trying to pass go far beyond the reality?” Furfaro said.
Responding, Skeete said, “There are some people who think we don’t go far enough. And there are other people who think that we go too far. So I think that it’s going to be very difficult to make everybody happy in something that is that sensitive.”
Justifying the purpose of the proposed egislation, Skeete continued, “People who have roles of authority in society should be neutral. Not that they shouldn’t have beliefs. Not that they shouldn’t believe or worship the god that they want. But when exercising the power of the state, that they be free of any overt symbols that would tend to identify them to one side or another.”
Another longtime Chomedey resident, Martin Berman, said he regarded the CAQ’s religious symbols stance as “very hypocritical” considering that the government’s intention targets all religious symbols in the province, except in one place: the Quebec National Assembly, where a crucifix continues to hang behind the assembly speaker.
“This is a Christian province,” Berman noted, suggesting that the CAQ’s message to minorities is “your symbols are all gone but remember: Christianity is here. That’s wrong. If you’re going to have Christianity in the Parliament, you should also have Jewish symbols, everything else there is in the province in the National Assembly. If it’s good enough for the National Assembly to have a cross, it’s good enough for it to also have Arab and Sikh and everything. Don’t tell me that this is not hypocritical.”
Renata Isopo
Parental freedom of choice in what schools children attend was up front at the November 28, 2018 Council of Commissioners meeting of Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board (SWLSB).
Theresa Andrusko, representing 189 parents whose support she exhibited in a signed petition, asked SWLSB to respect the right of parents to send their children to schools other than Laval Junior Academy/Laval Senior Academy.
“These schools are too big,” Andrusko stated, echoing a major concern of many that these schools have had problems since an imposed cost-cutting merger converted four manageable schools into two conglomerates much more difficult to administer.
In the process, say critics of the merger, two large institutions – Laval Junior Academy and Laval Senior Academy – arose from four smaller, more viable schools – Laurier Senior, Mother Teresa Junior, Laval Liberty, and Laval Junior – that were doing the job, and doing it well.
Andrusko told Council that SWLSB should provide transportation to underutilized Rosemere High, so that Laval children are not restricted to Laval Junior Academy/Laval Senior Academy. Asking Chairperson Paolo Galati if parents had the right to choose their children’s school, specifying that some commissioners sitting in Council were sending their own children to other boards or private schools. Galati acknowledged he was one of these commissioners. “My children attend Vincent Massey Collegiate of English Montreal School Board because of a program not yet offered here,” Galati explained.
“Why send kids to Vincent Massey or Royal West when Rosemere is at 85% capacity,” Andrusko wanted to know. “Isn’t it better to keep students in our board, and for you to subsidize transportation to Rosemere rather than lose students to Montreal. “It’s not just about programs, it’s also about having options,” Andrusko told Council.
Commissioner Guy Gagnon tried to cut off her off further questions, at which point Galati suggested a December/January town hall meeting, to get other opinions. “I think the town hall meeting is a good idea,” Andrusko told TLN, adding that it must be held in December, since 2019-2020 registrations take place in January.
Andrusko had filed 14 questions with the board two weeks before the meeting, asking in part, about declining SWLSB enrolment. “You’re losing students to other boards and private schools,” she stated at the microphone. “All we’re asking for is a choice of schools within Laurier Board.” To TLN Andrusko emphasized that “It’s an offer they can’t refuse, if they truly believe, as they must, that children come first.”
Questions also arose about SWLSB’s involvement in the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA), a lobby group portraying itself “a defender of the rights of English school boards.”
TLN asked what benefits Laurier’s 14,000 students will derive from $114,000 paid to QESBA for 2019, fees that have jumped from $89,000 in 2016 to $114,000. Commissioner Peter MacLaurin who sits on QESBA’s Board, publicly admitted that SWLSB’s QUESBA involvement is part of the English community’s opposition to Coalition Avenir Québec’s plan to abolish school boards. Since when did it become acceptable to ‘donate’ public funds to lobbyists for political reasons, TLN wanted to know.
Beneficial and ethical use of these funds might be to finance transportation for Laval students who want to attend Rosemere High.
The meeting was also marked by an announcement by Human Resources Director Richard Greschner and Laurier Teachers Union president Stephanie McLellan that a new Collective Bargaining Agreement between SWLSB and its teachers was now in force.
(TLN) In keeping with the growth rate of the City of Laval which is one of the highest in the province, the 2018 Laval Real Estate Forum saw record participation this year, with more than 400 people taking part on Nov. 20.
Organized by the City of Laval’s economic development department, the forum has become one of the most anticipated events each year for real estate development professionals in the Montreal area.
In a word of welcome, Mayor Marc Demers referred to the currently favourable economic conditions as well as the importance of seizing opportunities, with a promising real estate sector now active in Laval.
As the third most important city in Quebec, Laval distinguishes itself thanks to major real estate projects, including the reconstruction of the Val-Martin housing development, the creation of a downtown area and the redevelopment of the Cartier and de la Concorde sectors in keeping with Transit Oriented Development (TOD).
“The city is aiming to increase its offer to better accompany developers while meeting all the necessary conditions to assure success to their projects, notably through financial incentives, but also through privileged access to a team of experts in real estate development, urban development and urban design,” said Mayor Demers.
“Whatever the nature of projects – industrial, residential or commercial – Laval has a lot to offer and important assets, notably with respect to its geographic situation and in terms of the quality of life.”
During the forum, Mayor Demers announced that Laval will be holding an economic forum next June with the goal of equipping Laval with a new development strategy. A new tax credit for revitalization was also announced, as well as an enhancement of existing tax credits, geared towards expansion.
A variety of programs were offered during the forum, including technical presentations and practices for builders and real estate developers, green initiatives such as Symbiose Laval, and panels drawing attention to real estate projects and workshops with themes such as sustainable development.
Laval’s economy is currently undergoing major expansion which can be seen through the growth in its gross domestic product by 3.3 per cent compared to 3 per cent in the rest of the province.
It should be noted that this performance is largely the result of capital expenditures from the private sector which increased by more than 31 per cent, or in other words more rapidly than in all other regions in the country. A sign of positive things to come in 2019: the city has announced several new projects during the forum, with a total value of $800 million.
Martin C. Barry
Officers from the Laval Police Department’s prevention department and youth protection officials at CISSS de Laval last week unveiled the results of a collaborative project involving a mobile trailer serving as the setting for an interactive reality-style game to educate at-risk Laval teens on the perils of sexual violence.
The trailer, which sits in the LPD’s equipment storage yard at police headquarters on Chomedey Blvd. when not in use, will initially be taken to group homes for troubled and displaced youths where teens ranging in ages 14 – 18 will be invited, in groups of six, to take part in a clue gathering game whose purpose is to raise their awareness of violence that can sometimes arise in romantic relationships.
Other partners who also contributed to the project include the Maison de Lina, the Centre d’aide aux victimes d’actes criminels (CAVAC), the Centre de prévention et d’intervention pour victimes d’agression sexuelle (CPIVAS), Mesures alternatives jeunesse de Laval (MAJL) and Maison l’Esther. The game program was written by Laval-based Immersia, which specializes in the creation of escape games.
“When the community intervention officer came to Immersia with colleagues and explained to us what they wanted, we decided right away to become involved,” said Marylin Filion, director of operations for Immersia. “For Immersia, giving back to the community is part of our values, and being able to create a game with a specific educational goal was a great honour. We are very proud to have participated in this unique project and we hope to be able to develop other educational projects in the future.”
For youths invited into the trailer, a typical game session works as follows. They receive explanations from an LPD officer who is there as the host. The starting point is a video message providing to them some details of a fictional storyline. The youths enter the trailer in search of clues, and they have 30 minutes to find the answers.
While this is going on, they are learning about the four stages that typically take place in a romantic relationship that turns violent. Representatives from participating community groups from Laval are also on hand to provide additional information. At the end, the youths are given a chance to express what they learned from the experience, while exchanging points of view with other participants or asking questions.
“Using a multi-sensorial approach, as is the case with this new tool, allows youths to develop more points of reference while living new mental and emotional experiences more quickly, profoundly and with more intensity,” said Shirley-Ann Savard of CISSS de Laval’s youth protection services, who was on hand at LPD headquarters during a preview for local media last week.
“There’s a couple in the game who are called Abigail and Adam,” the LPD’s Const. Julie Rouleau explained during a briefing. “They spend a week in love, but after that things start happening in way they weren’t planning on. It’s the task of the youths entering the trailer to find out clue by clue what happened during that week. We ask the youths to find seven clues as to whether the relationship was healthy or unhealthy.”
This latest collaborative effort between the LPD and the CISSS de Laval is similar to a project they put together last year. It also involved an interactive concept designed to appeal to the imaginations of teens, while providing them with helpful instruction on relationships.
‘Les couloirs de la vie amoureuse’ (‘The Hallways of Love,’ approx. transl.) ran from a basement location at the Laval Cosmodôme, where high-school students were bused in to take part in an interactive and instructional scenario more or less along the same lines. Both programs were developed at minimal cost, according to the LPD, using a few thousand dollars in subsidies obtained from the provincial government.
While the plan by the LPD is to bring the trailer (which is rented for now) along with the interactive game to youth centres, as well as group homes and outdoor events in Laval, they don’t anticipate taking it to schools since the trailer won’t accommodate more than six youths at a time.
Cynthia Abraham
Dec 1 – Police are asking for the public’s help to identify a suspect who committed multiple acts of harassment against a woman in Ste-Dorothée.
The first incident occurred at 10 p.m. on October 30 as the victim was leaving work to go join friends. She noticed a man in a car following her. He eventually drove up alongside her car and took a picture of her.
The next morning, she found a threatening note stuck to the windshield of her car.
More recently, on both November 19 and November 22, the suspect came to knock on her front door.
Police describe the suspect as a white male, between the ages of 25 and 35. He is approximately 6 feet (1.83 m) tall. During one of the incidents, the suspect wore a black coat, a black hooded shirt, and a dark-coloured baseball cap, as well as RayBan-type sunglasses.
Anyone with information that can help identify or locate this individual is urged to contact police and speak confidentially with an officer via their info-line at 450-662-INFO (4636) or 911, and mention file LVL 181031 019.
Nov 28 – A 62-year old woman was killed last Wednesday morning, when she was struck by a snow plow.
The incident took place in the parking lot of the Shell gas station where she worked. She was on a break from her job when the accident happened.
The driver of the snow plow never saw the woman, say police. He was treated at the scene for shock but was not taken to hospital. He is not currently facing criminal charges.
First elements of proof recovered at the scene did not reveal a criminal intent or event, police reported, however, an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the incident.
The victim’s injuries were fatal.
The accident is also being investigated by the CNESST since the woman was fatally injured at her workplace.
According to SAAQ statistics, accidents involving snow-clearing vehicles are on the rise. Last winter, there were 776 incidents in the province involving snow plows, compared to 670 incidents the year before.
In both 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 winters, there were a total of 3 fatal accidents involving a snow-clearing vehicle.
Nov 26 – Police were called to Manoir Laval, a seniors’ residence located on Boul. de l’Avenir, last Monday afternoon when a violent situation developed between two residents.
A 77-year-old woman was being held at knifepoint by another resident, an 86-year-old man, her former boyfriend.
According to police, the two had previously been in a relationship, but were no longer together. Officers arrived on the scene and diffused the situation calmly.
The victim suffered minor cuts to her hand. The injuries were not life-threatening.
The aggressive elderly ex was peacefully subdued, handcuffed and arrested. He was detained and questioned by investigators. He is facing charges of armed assault, false imprisonment, and making death threats.
March of Dimes Canada Assistive Mobile Technology Initiative have awarded five SIS Galileo Adult Education students with a free Smart tablet each! On Friday November 16th the students attended the March of Dimes “Opening Doors for Accessibility” fundraiser luncheon where Galileo students celebrated their win with selected recipients from across Montreal. Leonard Baker, CEO and director of the March of Dimes Canada, personally awarded each student with an authentication certificate, which gives the students access to ordering free hardware and software unique to their individual needs, style and taste.
In order to be considered for the tablet, each student had to write their story. Their story had to explain how the assistive technology would improve their day to day living and overall make it easier for them to communicate and research. Our students face various physical and/or development disabilities and challenges, by winning these tablets it will aid them to be more independent, able to work, learn and participate fully in their community. March of Dimes Canada believes that everyone, regardless of physical or financial challenges deserves the same opportunities. Its mandate to serve the broader needs of all adults with physical disabilities, regardless of whether the disability was a result of a disability at birth, the polio virus, an accident, or even due to aging.Congratulations to all the winners; Gabriel Rodzen, Caterina Pupo, Alexander Ponte, Nicolas Mariano and Concetta Barbieri. A huge thank you to all participating teachers and the March of Dimes representatives Lisa Slipetz and Mary Lynne Stewart as well as Montreal representative Wendy Singer.
Renata Isopo
Leadership instills confidence and helps solve problems creatively, enhances team work and promotes collaboration with others. The opportunity to develop self-confidence in problem-solving paves a path to social and emotional development on a life-long journey of trying to make the world, and one’s community, a better place.
Natalie Rollin, principal of Laval Senior Academy (LSA) and its1600 students, has been offered a viable formula for youth leadership development, a cause she says is near and dear to her educator’s heart. Accepting the challenge of fashioning future leaders out of the cloth of youthful energy, she gladly declared LSA a HOST school for the world-renowned TEDX Youth Program,
Founded and developed by Gildo Conte, TEDX annually showcases 3000 events world-wide in 164 countries and 50 languages. The organization actively embraces the TED formula (Technology, Entertainment, and Design), adding the X (unknown) factor for much more. Non-profit, TEDX proudly claims that it unifies students of all ages in all schools, English and French.
This past week LSA student emcees Michaela Duguay and Houda Mansuri eloquently welcomed, in both of Canada’s official languages, a full auditorium of 600 students and teachers who waited anxiously for presentations.
Invited guests included Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board (SWLSB) Chairperson Paolo Galati, accompanied by commissioners Emilio Migliozzi and Vicki Kaliotzakis. Douglas Howarth, Chairperson of LSA’s Governing Board, represented the 1000 families whose children attend the school. SWLSB Leadership Program consultant Daniel Johnson, and teachers M. Grêve and D. Rossi joined Gildo Conte on the guest list.
Brief but powerful presentations of public speaking were the menu of the day, with an entrée from Secondary 5 student Sam Beldie who movingly discussed, with video help, his fight with autism; He was followed by Ahmed Omri Alaoui’s presentation on ‘Experience with refugees to Canada’. Vivian Zikos concluded the trio’s offering with insights on “How to live a perfect life.”
Three youth leaders making impeccable presentations, providing evidence that TEDX Youth is instrumental in building confidence in addressing large groups of peers and adults. Sam, Ahmed, and Vivian were stellar in provokng interest and magnificent in providing motivation and direction for peers by setting extraordinary examples of insight, articulation, eloquence, and composure.
“We believe that student leadership can be nurtured and grown, building great self-esteem and respect,” principal Rollin told TLN. “TEDX Youth fosters integrity, courage, independent thinking, belief-in-self, confidence, responsibility, and successful planning,” she added.
“Being part of TEDX is a privilege and LSA offers all students ample opportunity to benefit from the program’s prime objective – to coach students to become the best version of themselves,” Rollin emphasized.
“My message to you, our students, our future leaders, is simple: Continue to inspire each other, and to be engaged in all the different experiences offered to you, SWLSB Chairperson Galati,” stated in his address.
“TEDX is a great platform for enrichment,” he added. “It allows you to work in collaboration with inspirational people who will help you grow and help you gain a different perspective on life.’
Galati told TLN that TEDX is an educational project which the school board can’t afford since it’s world-wide. It is well-organized and it gives a platform for students to excel in public speaking.
LSA has been given the opportunity to take leadership roles in the classroom. Activity-based, the plan focuses on strategies for young people who shy away from leadership tasks because they feel overwhelmed. It shows how to break tasks into workable ways to get things done, in the pursuit of what interests them, from which a passion may develop, and of course, propel them into leadership roles.
“First, it’s very fruitful and a way to gain a lot of insight,” Commissioner Migliozzi told TLN in a post-presentation interview. “It’s a platform to explain to those who also have issues.”
All communities need role models and leaders. All professions need people who use intelligence, creativity, and critical judgement. Principal Rollin pointed to a priority of Laval Senior Academy “to use TEDX to promote and foster the growth and development of leadership skills within the school community specifically.”
“The next event will take place on April 16, 2019 at 7:00 pm at La Maison des arts de Laval,” TEDX Laval founder/creator Gildo Conte announced, enthusiasm ringing in his voice. “We have planned a three-hour evening where one can talk to the speakers and network with other TEDX fans.” The call for applications has already begun and will continue until December 23. To “Become a Speaker” an application must be filled.
This year, the TEDX Laval theme is “Latitude and Commotion”. Latitude as in ‘scope for freedom of action or thought’, commotion as in ‘a state of confused and noisy disturbance’.
Great leaders are born, but they can also be made. Laval Senior Academy intends to fulfill this goal for all its students by being the one and only TEDX Host school, French or English, in Laval.
Martin C. Barry
Despite an initially lukewarm response by at least one federal cabinet minister to an invitation by the head of the U.S. space agency for Canada to send astronauts to the moon, Transport Minister Marc Garneau – who was the first Canadian in space – appears to be sold on the concept.
NASA’s chief administrator Jim Bridenstine made the pitch during a recent stop in Ottawa where he was attending a conference hosted by the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada.
In a keynote address to the membership, Bridenstine said NASA is currently in the process of setting up a “Lunar Gateway,” a space station that would be sent into orbit around the moon beginning in 2021.
“If Canadians want to be involved in missions to the surface of the moon with astronauts, we welcome that,” Bridenstine told journalists.
Federal Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains reacted to the offer by saying, among other things, that the government is still working on a long-awaited and multi-dimensional space policy which will be made public before the federal election next fall.
In a recent interview with Newsfirst Multimedia, Garneau suggested Ottawa is pondering NASA’s offer with more earnestness than the Innovation Minister’s response suggested. “It’s something that we’re looking at very seriously,” he said regarding NASA’s offer.
“Because, like the International Space Station which involves Canada and the U.S. and Japan and Europe and Russia, what the next big thing may be is the Lunar Gateway and this would be a station orbiting around the moon. And it would be a place you’d go to and then go down to the moon and start to work and do things on the moon.
“You know we’re been to the moon,” Garneau continued. “But back then in the ‘60s it was really because it was a race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union – who could get there first. And the Americans got there first. But it wasn’t really to go there to do science or to do other things. But now the time has come again to go back there.
“There’s more science to be done on the moon to understand it,” said Garneau. “It can be an observatory, because it doesn’t have an atmosphere. It can be a place to prepare for eventually going to Mars. So you would try out technology and equipment on the moon, which is only three days away. And then, once you’re comfortable with it [equipment], that it can be used on Mars, then you eventually go to Mars.
“So this is a big project. The Lunar Gateway it can’t be done by just one country. And Canada has lots of expertise that we can contribute and we’re looking at it very seriously. So we’ll see what comes out of that. But our interest is a very strong one.”
Garneau said that “if it goes ahead,” Canada’s involvement in the project would be supported financially by the federal government, although he pointed out that private investors are increasingly becoming involved in space exploration ventures.
Regarding the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement which Canada finished negotiating with the U.S. in September amidst much controversy, Garneau was pleased overall with the outcome.
“This is now going to provide some long-term stability in making the U.S. and Mexican markets open just like they were before we negotiated,” he said.
Asked by Newsfirst Multimedia whether the agreement ended up working out better than had initially been thought, Garneau responded, “Certainly the original presentation we got from the United States and what they wanted out of this deal is quite a world away from what we ended up with.
“Because we said that, no, we’re going to stay at the table here, but there are some things that are very important for Canada and we’re not going to accept any deal. It’s got to be a good deal for Canada.
“I think we negotiated a good deal for Canada,” added Garneau. “And I think that we’re already seeing investments now flowing back into businesses that deal with the United States and Mexico. Because there’s a sense now that we have long-term stability because we arrived at a deal after fourteen months.
“Of course, it still has to be ratified. But essentially people are feeling confident enough now that they’re beginning to put more investments in, whilst they were holding back while the negotiations were underway.”
Garneau was asked whether the USMCA negotiations provided him with any insights as to what the current U.S. government led by President Donald Trump is like.
“Well, you know, I guess when you boil it down, when two or three sides are negotiating it’s natural for each of them to want to get the best deal for themselves,” he said. “And some of the negotiations were tough with the United States. But were also very determined to make sure it was a good deal for Canada.”
