Martin C. Barry

Has Canada’s Ministry for International Development been losing some of its past moxie in recent years? Or has the ministry simply undergone a redifinition of its mandate?

During a recent interview with Newsfirst Multimedia, Marie-Claude Bibeau, who is the current International Development Minister in the Trudeau Liberal cabinet, rolled her eyes upwards at the first suggestion, while agreeing immediately afterwards that her ministry has indeed changed.

Mandate’s been changing

Some background. Beginning in 1968 when Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau first created the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) as a department of the Ministry for International Cooperation, international development remained a significant priority for subsequent governments.

However, in 2013 Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper essentially shut CIDA when he made its functions part of Global Affairs Canada’s overall mandate. Bibeau has held the portfolio since 2015 when Trudeau appointed his new cabinet following the election that swept the Liberals into power with their current mandate.

Refocusing global assistance

“When I came into office, the Prime Minister gave me the mandate of refocusing our international assistance to the poorest and most vulnerable and all fragile states,” said Bibeau. “So I had an opportunity to review completely the policies.”

That review, according to Bibeau, included a consultation with up to 15,000 people in 65 countries around the globe, with the ministry’s goal being to decide which of those countries deserved most to be supported.

“We came to the conclusion that if we want to end poverty, we have to empower women,” she continued. “So really this why we launched in June 2017 our feminist international assistance policy. So everything we do in our six areas of priorities there must be a women in power component.

Seeking to empower women

“It could be in education, health, agriculture, environment, good governance, peace and security. Each and every one of our partners must demonstrate that they have listened to women locally, that they are part of the decision-making process, and that they will be empowered in the way we implement the project.”

Bibeau and the Liberal government maintain that the policy is grounded in sound economics. “It’s based on experience, but it’s also based on evidence that when women participate this grows the economy,” she said.

Decision-making process

“It improves the peace processes, as well. So there are many values here from having women involved in decision-making. And obviously at the same time we want to be sure that for every dollar we spend we walk the talk while empowering women in many types of project. So it’s not only for women. It’s really being inclusive for the benefit of the whole community.”

According to Bibeau, most of her ministry’s funding for foreign development projects is now directed with this women’s empowerment theme in mind. While some might associate the gender-based approach with Justin Trudeau’s administration, Bibeau, who spend years working for the defunct CIDA, said the agency was already starting to make gender-based analyses as early as 1990.

Move towards private sector

Bibeau said another way the Ministry for International Development is changing is by moving towards a model for financing foreign development that relies more on the private sector. The Liberal government’s March 2017 budget confirmed their intention to create a development finance institution (DFI), to be housed within Export Development Canada and capitalized with $300 million. EDC is Canada’s export credit agency and a state-owned enterprise wholly owned by the Ottawa.

“If we finance such companies it will be because they have a real impact on development itself – and especially on women in economic empowerment and in the green or blue economy,” Bibeau said, referring in the latter instance to a type of economic approach relating to the exploitation and preservation of the marine environment. “These are the main orientations of our Canadian DFI.”

Philanthropic contributions

Bibeau said that recently she launched a “call for action” to philanthropists involved with companies across Canada, saying that the federal government was ready to invest money in foreign development from the DFI capital fund if donations were coming in from the private sector. In return, the private investors would receive charitable donation receipts for tax purposes.

“We are talking about this and consulting on it right now,” she added. “We believe this will be something very innovative. We are creating something new. We want it to be effective. We want the private sector to invest in it, so we want to build the mechanism with them.”

(TLN) Laval mayor Marc Demers had the opportunity recently to meet face-to-face with Minister Delegated for Transport Chantal Rouleau, as well as Minister of Finance and Minister for the Metropolitan Region Éric Girard and Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete.

Accompanied by Duvernay-Pont Viau city councillor and executive-committee vice-president Stéphane Boyer, and Marc-Aurèle-Fortin city councillor Gilbert Dumas who oversees mass transit issues in the region, the officials discussed the priorities for Laval with regards to transportation, as well as the financing of sports and cultural activities infrastructures in Laval.

Renata Isopo

At the November meeting of Laval City Council, Mayor Marc Demers made a special announcement in recognition of the 75^th anniversary of the independence of Lebanon from France, an event which dates back to 1943.

.  Noting that 20,000 people of Lebanese origin call Laval home, Demers emphasized the important contributions in business, finance,  technology, education, culture, entertainment, and politics made by this community to the vibrant life of Quebec’s third largest city.

The mayor proudly acknowledged, in particular, the presence on Council of Aram Elagoz, Sandra El Helou, and Ray Khalil, all three of Lebanese origin. The Lebanese community will be celebrating its Independence Day on November 22 at the Lebanese Festival.

Apparently, you can fight city hall

On the ‘more of the same’ side of the council session, citizens voiced the usual complaints and objections over ridiculous and inconvenient bicycle paths, excessive parking issues, and  extending the pink line of the metro system to St. Vincent de Paul (Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante’s plan).

The environment once again took center stage, drawing ire and anger from concerned citizens demanding explanations, solutions, and resolutions to ecological issues that have been put on the back burner, in the opinion residents.

.  Problems of traffic management, reduced road safety, and severely restricted parking  were brought to Council by angry residents of Louis Payette Avenue, in Chomedey. The complaints specifically came down hard on bicycle paths situated on both sides, creating a narrow and dangerous street for vehicles and for snow removal. Pointing to severely reduced parking, residents were fit to be tied.

Mayor Demers explained that the paths were conceived and developed, taking safety into consideration. With the anger of residents threatening to rise to a crescendo, Demers exercised suitable prudence and discretion in promising to launch an investigation of the bicycle paths and the surrounding issues presented by the numerous residents of Louis Payette in attendance at the meeting.

To the mayor’s credit, action on this problem was swift, considering how slowly move the wheels of politicians when it comes to solving problems raised by taxpayers. On Friday, November 16, 2018 residents of Louis-Payette Avenue received a public notice from Philippe A. Guilbeault, Chef de division, Relations avec le milieu, announcing the simultaneous closing, for the winter (November 15 – April 14) of the bicycle path and reopening of parking on both sides of the Avenue between Curé Labelle Boulevard and 100^th Avenue. New signs for alternate parking will be installed in the next couple of days, says Guilbeault in his public notice. It is stipulated that on the respective north and south sides of the Avenue, vehicles will have to park within the bicycle path limits on days when it is allowed. Kudos for citizens who spoke up and congratulations to city hall for responding to their legitimate concerns.

A clean environment and green Infrastructure

Vimont resident Yannick Langlois raised several environmental issues, addressing  questions to Vimont councilor  Michel Poissant.  In his response Poissant stated that there are recommendations to take action to make the city of Laval a healthier, cleaner, and more vibrant place to live.

Mayor Demers disclosed that an array of sensible strategies and goals to improve the environment and livability were already under discussion. These include lowering energy costs through energy efficiency improvements, expanding mobility with more public transportation, and the continuation of free transportation for senior citizens which is already in effect.

Ste-Rose councilor Virginie Dufour addressed the issue of climate change and reminded everyone of the Montreal demonstration planned for November 10^th.  Of major interest to all municipalities and their mayors, the Montreal march was to set out a series of potential short-term/long term actions for municipalities to take to improve the environment.  Laval residents were expected to join the demonstration.

The goals consist of improving air and water quality, ensure responsible use of land and green space, increase resource efficiency, and promote awareness to save the community and the planet from pollution and global warming.

Mayor Demers described the plan as an integrated approach to recognizing the strong  dependency of the environment, the economy, and society on each other.

“Step up to help, buy a black bow tie, join the ‘Bowember’ campaign in the fight against prostate cancer” – says Mayor Marc Demers

 Renata Isopo

At the November meeting of Laval City Council, mayor Marc Demers elegantly sported a black bow tie looking rather debonair, as did other members of Council who also wore the tie. The black bow tie has become the symbol of the fight against prostate cancer in Québec.

Demers humbly kicked off the meeting by publicly revealing his personal battle with this insidious disease that afflicts so many men throughout the world. He assured that his illness is under control and not at a life-threatening stage.  “It is the least aggressive form,” he stated.

More importantly, he also declared his active support of the campaign to raise public awareness of prostate cancer, calling for community involvement in helping to raise funds for research into the causes of the cancer and toward the development of treatment and eventual cures for those affected.

Proudly pointing to the black bow tie he was sporting, the veteran politician and ex-police officer threw out a challenge to everyone in the Council chamber and beyond to endorse the “Bowvember” campaign by buying a bow tie. The money raised goes directly to support programs and projects sorely needed to help save lives.

Demers, ever the eloquent and articulate speaker in both of Canada’s official languages, is taking the fight against prostate cancer very seriously, making the rounds of local and regional media in the past couple of weeks in a concerted effort to raise awareness and appeal to the population at large to do their part in beating the disease.

Last week his voice connected with the 150,000 residents of the Greater Montreal area who listen in on the Andrew Carter morning show on CJAD radio 800. In a typical interview characteristic of Carter’s genuine commitment to community causes and his unstinting support of legitimate appeals for help, Demers bared his soul in a moving 10 minutes of air time that reached across the airwaves and into the hearts of listeners.

In addition to, and concurrent with his illness, the mayor has also dealt with an enormous amount of political pressure the past six months. The Mouvement Lavallois party which the mayor has headed since 2012 in partnership with founder David De Cotis, in late spring of 2018 showed signs of falling apart, washing its dirty linen in a public display of disunity full of recriminations, accusations, innuendos, and denials on both sides of the rift which saw Demers and De Cotis on opposite sides.

To the audience in general,  to the councilors loyal to the mayor, and perhaps to the ‘rebels’ as well, the sight of Marc Demers back on the rails and raring to go must have been heart-warming, despite the differences, disagreements, and disappointments of the past few months.

Martin C. Barry

CISSS de Laval, which is the agency that oversees management of public health and social services in the Laval region, finished its latest fiscal year with a deficit of $2,747,565, the CISSS board reported during their annual general meeting at Cité de la Santé on Nov. 15.

Most revenue from Quebec

“What we are presenting to you today is an abbreviated version of the significant accomplishments of the CISSS de Laval over the last year,” said CISSS de Laval president and executive-director Caroline Barbir, adding that a complete version of the annual report in digital format can be downloaded from the CISSS de Laval website.

According to figures outlining revenues and expenses at CISSS de Laval for the period ending last March 31, the agency had total revenues of $894,551, 329, of which $803,230,141 were subsidies received from the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services.

A $2.75 million shortfall

More than $90 million in revenue was from user fees and other sources. Most of the CISSS’s expenses were from salaries ($525,146,934), and more than $75 million for medications and medical supplies. In the end, expenses exceeded revenues by nearly $2.75 million.

Of the $24,213,174 the agency allotted in the last fiscal year to affiliated health and social service community organizations in Laval, the largest amount ($5,553,321) was to groups dealing with mental health issues, followed by general health and social services ($4,255,507), support for seniors with loss of autonomy ($4,202,067) and troubled youths ($3,581,149). The smallest amount ($1,047,591) was allotted to organizations in Laval dealing with substance abuse problems.

Emergency waits down

According to Barbir, the CISSS succeeded last year in reducing emergency department waiting times by 2.2 hours compared to 2016-17 and “we continue to work on this issue.”

As well, she continued, the CISSS’s implementation of a nurse practitioner program (through which registered nurses could take additional training to enable them to prescribe some medications) was completed successfully by 90 per cent of the nurses who applied.

Signing up for family doctors

During the same period, the CISSS succeeded in persuading more than 22,000 Laval residents to sign up to become patients of family practitioners, for an increase of 4.7 per cent, raising the number of residents now enrolled to 77.1 per cent.

In terms of providing palliative care services, CISSS de Laval provided this service to 943 persons for a 3.5 per cent increase over the previous year. For services involving intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorders, the CISSS says that since 2016-17 they were able to reduce the average wait time by 102 days for such services for children less than 5 years old.

Six psychologists hired

For psychiatric services, they say 13 additional beds for short-term mental illness stays have been made available. As well, more than six new employment positions were created for psychologists in this sector of activity within the CISSS.

For its formal user complaints procedures, the CISSS de Laval reported a drastic rise in the number of general complaints filed by service users in 2017-18 (724), compared to 2016-17 (482). There was an 88 per cent increase in the number of complaints (77) of a medical nature.

In all, 65 complaint files were dealt, with 19 being the subject of recommendations on how to improve services. Conversely, 28 complaint files were rejected. Out of all the complaints, only four were referred to CISSS authorities for possible disciplinary measures. The department that was primarily the target of the complaints was the emergency.

Martin C. Barry

When friends and supporters of the Action Laval municipal party gathered at the Palace convention centre for their annual brunch last Sunday morning, they held a double celebration.

Not only was it the fifth anniversary of the founding of the party, but it was also the fifth consecutive year for Aglaia Revelakis as the Action Laval city councillor for the district of Chomedey.

A base of supporters

More than 400 people – including many moms, dads and kids – turned up for the event, which drew some notable people from other levels of politics.

Among them were Senator Leo Housakos, Laval-les Îles Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury, Alfred-Pellan Liberal MP Angelo Iacono, Montreal city councillor for Park Extension Mary Deros, and Independent Laval city councillor David De Cotis (formerly deputy mayor and former vice-president of the city’s executive-committee).

Crossing all boundaries

Housakos acknowledged it isn’t often a member of Canada’s Upper Chamber sees fit to outwardly express support for a deserving municipal representative.

“I don’t support municipal political parties and haven’t since I got named to the Senate – but I do support people who have integrity and who work hard for their constituents,” said Housakos, whose principal residence is in the Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent, although he was raised in Laval and his parents still live here.

Has Senator’s support

“I never forget that, even though I’m in the Senate of Canada, that politics is local and is always about people. And Aglaia Revelakis is one of those municipal politicians who loves her community, loves the people she represents and is a tireless servant for them.”

Although De Cotis – who founded the Mouvement Lavallois but had a falling out last June with Mayor Marc Demers – now sits as an independent member of the opposition, he said in an interview with the Laval News that he is still a Mouvement Lavallois card-carrying member.

“My status is that I’m still with the Mouvement Lavallois,” he said, noting that he renewed his ML membership last May. “I still have a membership with the Mouvement Lavallois party. I’m here today just to support the strong opposition that’s required in the City of Laval for the people of Laval to have a true and democratic process.”

Constructive criticism

Action Laval was founded in 2013, on the eve of the elections of the same year, by former Laval mayoralty candidate Jean-Claude Gobé and a few supporters.

Since then, Action Laval members have distinguished themselves in and outside Laval city council with rigorous criticism of the Demers administration, along with what they says is an unconditional defence of the interests of Laval residents. Today, the party is led by Achille ‘Archie’ Cifelli, serving as interim leader, and is represented on Laval city council by its sole elected member – Aglaia Revelakis.

Five years of work

“Five years now,” said Cifelli. “We have been working for five years to represent the interests of thousands of Laval residents, to defend their rights and to promote their interests. But also five years that Aglaia Revelakis has proudly represented Action Laval at city hall. We are proud of her work.”

Cifelli declared that a 3-step plan to get Action Laval ready for the next election in 2021, and which was first presented to the media last May, is being followed. It consists of the following: To re-structure Action Laval with new bylaws; To elect a new Leader, through a democratic process; To convince voters that Action Laval is the alternative to Marc Demers and to win the next elections.

Moving forward, says Cifelli

“The first step is completed,” continued Cifelli. “We will invite the members to the general assembly at the beginning of 2019 to adopt our new bylaws. We are moving forward.” It was with a standing ovation that Revelakis stepped onto the stage to speak in English, French and Greek. Holding back tears at times, she thanked the citizens of Chomedey for their support and confidence.

“I am privileged and honored to represent an district that is so unique,” said Revelakis. “Chomedey is the district that is the most mosaic in Laval. For this reason, Chomedey is in my heart. As the municipal councillor for Chomedey, I have been present for my citizens and I work for them to help find solutions to their problems. The citizens of Chomedey are my priority. Chomedey is my priority.”

TLN

During his official bilateral visit, Prime Minister Trudeau met with Armen Sarkissian, President of the Republic of Armenia, and Nikol Pashinyan, Armenian Prime Minister, to further strengthen the strong relationship between Canada and Armenia. The leaders discussed their intention to begin talks on expanding air services between Canada and Armenia, which would facilitate travel, tourism, and trade, and strengthen the ties between the people in both countries. Prime Minister Trudeau also launched the Arnold Chan Initiative for Democracy in Armenia. He made the announcement in the company of Member of Parliament Jean Yip, in memory of her husband, Member of Parliament Arnold Chan, who passed away last year and was the former co-leader of the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group. The initiative will help develop democratic institutions and strengthen the democratic process in Armenia. It will also support various projects aimed at protecting the right to education and the empowerment of women and girls, encouraging young people’s participation in the democratic process, and promoting the sustainable development of communities through environmental education.