Martin C. Barry

A two-man team of filmmakers, one of whom lives in Laval, has its sights set on making a full-length feature movie after a 15-minute dramatic short they recently completed scored some major awards at a Montreal film festival this past July.

David Magini and Joseph Rossi have worked on relatively small-scale film projects since 2006. They attended film school together around the year 2000. Both learned filmmaking at the Trebas Institute in Montreal.

Won two awards

Their latest film, The Engagement, which was completed last November, won an audience appreciation award, as well as a best actress award, at the Let’s Make a Movie Film Festival at the Cinéma du Parc in Montreal.

“We went to film school together,” Rossi said in an interview with the Laval News. One day, they discovered they shared similar interests and decided to work on their first film short. Within a few years, they were making more films collaboratively. That was around 15 years ago. The degree of trust between the two has now developed to the point where they share co-direction credit on their productions.

Rising production values

The Engagement is a major leap forward for the two, as it is their first film involving professional actors who are members of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA). The film’s stars include Katharine King, Ellen David, Michaela Di Cesare, Tony Calabretta, Stephanie Coco-Palermo and Johnny Sa.

For her work in the film, Michaela Di Cesare won the film festival’s Best Actress award. Some of Di Cesare’s recent dramatic work included the world premiere run in April and May at Montreal’s Centaur Theatre of a “dramady” play she wrote called ‘Successions.’ The Engagement also received the most positive votes in a film festival audience poll.

Larger project possible

The Engagement was shot in several locations, including a reception hall on Lacordaire Blvd. in east end Montreal. Rossi and Magini are currently mulling the possibility of expanding the film into a full-length feature (70 minutes or longer).

The storyline for The Engagement goes like this: A woman named Caterina (the central character) must make a life changing choice on the day of her engagement to be married. On the day she becomes engaged, circumstances take a turn so that she has to choose what course to take in her professional life. As well, she has to decide whether to remain engaged to the man she has chosen, or return to a previous relationship with a lesbian girlfriend.

Many rejections, fewer wins

As Rossi and Magini tell it, The Engagement was entered in competition at around 100 film festivals since its completion. Eventually, it ended up being nominated and winning at the Let’s Make a Movie Film Festival. “I think the ratio of wins to rejections is like 1:10,” Magini said. From the technical angle, they do all their shooting with Canon single lens reflex digital cams, with cinema-quality lenses to enhance their style.

While they’re circumspect about their costs for making a movie (as are many independent filmmakers – although their first film cost $50), both agree they continue making films because they love the medium. Although they hold down full-time jobs (one works as a manager at Dorval/Trudeau airport, while the other is employed at Costco), they still manage to churn out at least one short film a year.

(TLN)

On Sunday Aug. 19, there was a day of fun and games for people who live in Chomedey. The Fête de Quartier de Chomedey was back for a 10^th year.

As a community event that’s been growing in popularity annually, this year’s Fête attracted hundreds of people to Saint-Martin Park in Chomedey where there was fun and celebration from 11 a.m. to late afternoon.

There was corn on the cob, a circus show, animation, sports, games, face painting, crafts and much more. In keeping with custom, part of the Fête de Quartier was devoted to the promotion of healthy living habits.

History of the Fête

The Fête de Quartier de Chomedey was first launched after a group of Chomedey residents attended a citizens’ forum held by the City of Laval in 2008. One of their conclusions was that some kind of event should be held annually to bring everyone in the district together.

The first Fête, held in 2009, was attended by around 400 people and the number has grown exponentially each year since then. Besides Guy Ouellette, the Fête de Quartier de Chomedey’s other major sponsors are Maxi & Cie St-Martin, the Caisse Desjardins des Chomedey, Laval-les Îles NDP MP François Pilon, Laval NDP MP José Nunez-Melo and the Laval News.

(TLN)

Incumbent Quebec Liberal MNA for Fabre Monique Sauvé launched her re-election campaign on Saturday Aug. 25 surrounded by 75 supporters.

Following a day during which she attended several public functions and when campaign volunteers made their way from door to door through the streets in the riding, Sauvé said she was very proud of the work they accomplished.

“I am proud to be surrounded by such a large number of volunteers,” she said. “They are exactly what we needed and I feel more than motivated to lead this important campaign with them. I am very grateful for their support and such large numbers.”

Nothing for granted

Sauvé, who has made her mark over the past four years, said she was taking nothing for granted, despite her accomplishments. “I took part in more than 400 local activities since November 2015,” she said. “I put into place with Partage humanitaire the international school and the la Luciole residence, which is a new intergenerational project recognized in the most recent Leitão budget.

“I remitted several thousand dollars in subsidies to community organizations to support them in their projects,” she continued. “This is only a sample of my actions over the past four years. I feel like doing even more for the citizens of Fabre in the coming years.”

New commitments coming

According to a statement issued by Monique Sauvé’s riding office, she will be announcing new commitments to voters in the coming weeks. The commitments will be the result of consultations with constituents that she held this past spring and summer.

“I can put a face and name to each of my commitments towards the citizens and it’s very rewarding,” said Sauvé, who pledged to be more present than ever on her riding’s territory in order to meet the maximum number of citizens.

Martin C. Barry

A little more than a year after a restaurant operator on a stretch of Daniel Johnson Blvd. in downtown Laval complained that a lengthy program of road improvements by the city was literally driving away business, more business owners are coming forth to say they’ve had about enough of the situation.

A never-ending wait

As reported by the Laval News in its June 28, 2017 issue, Christine Stergiou, who operates the Eggsquis breakfast restaurant on Daniel Johnson Blvd, had already been waiting at least two years for the City of Laval to complete road work along a stretch between Saint Martin and Souvenir boulevards.

Last week, several other Daniel Johnson Blvd. business owners came forth with similar complaints, although now with a more serious twist: a 30 per cent drop in customer traffic that some blame on the city’s slowness – as well as its seeming disregard for the well-being of Laval’s small and medium-size businesses.

“We didn’t get a warning – we didn’t receive any indication of how long this would last,” said Peter Chiotis, who operates the Casa Grecque restaurant at the corner of Daniel Johnson and St. Martin Blvd.

Employees affected

“If at least they had given us an estimation of what’s happening. That way we could arrange with our staff. Because I’m bringing in, you know, employees to do their job, and unfortunately we don’t have many clients coming in and I have to cut their hours. This is all just a mess.”

Chiotis was one of several merchants in the area interviewed by the Laval News who maintained they’ve seen similar drops in customer traffic since the program of street improvements was first started by the city. The street, which used to consist of a single lane, has been enlarged and now has two separate lanes for north and southbound traffic.

But with that came the necessity of installing a lot of new infrastructure, such a street lighting and underground conducts, accounting to a large extent for the delays.

Business down a third

“I’m losing 50 to 100 customers a day,” Chiotis said, noting that the loss represents up to a third of Casa Grecque’s usual business. He said the situation has been deteriorating since around 2013 when the city first undertook the project to widen Daniel Johnson Blvd.

While the city has previously claimed that Hydro Quebec was largely to blame for the delays because the electric utility was slow installing infrastructure on Daniel Johnson Blvd., Chiotis isn’t buying that excuse. Between the city and Hydro, he said, their actions have taken a serious toll on his business.

Apart from the fact that time-pressed customers probably feel much less inclined to come by Casa Grecque because of the huge volumes of traffic blocking the restaurant parking lot’s entrance, he pointed out that Casa Grecque’s outside terrace, which was a major customer draw at one time, has become much less usable because of the dust churned up by work trucks and overall congestion.

A dirty situation

“The dirt that comes on our terrace,” he exlaimed. “And nobody’s going to come only to listen to some workers drill, or having a cloud of dirt come in your face. That’s also costing me money to clean this all up every single time.”

While Chiotis admits that his business is likely to benefit from the improvements (including some nearby high-rise residential condo development), there are times when he wonders if his restaurant will survive all the turmoil simply because of the time it’s taking.

At the Place 3000 mall where Casa Grecque is located, other businesses contacted last week by the Laval News also reported significant drops in client traffic since the Daniel Johnson Blvd. road work started.

No time for traffic woes

Hassan Chehouri, manager of the Boustan Lebanese fast food restaurant at the mall, said they’ve seen a decline in clients. “People are having a hard time coming in to the parking – especially at lunch time,” he said. “When they’ve got a half-hour to eat, they’re not going to waste it sitting in traffic.”

Salim Bohsali, owner of a pastry shop and catering business at Place 3000, has only been open for the past four months. But he said he found it difficult doing business because of the street work, as well as a recent jogging marathon which partly closed the street and disrupted access to the mall’s parking area. “You know when you lose $10,000 in a weekend, it’s not easy to make it back again,” said Bohsali.

Martin C. Barry

Splendid summer weather with lots of sun and just a few drops of rain provided many Laval residents as well as visiting vacationers with the opportunity to appreciate and purchase some of eastern Canada’s finest paintings and sculptures during the 23^rd annual Symposium de Ste-Rose.

Held from July 26 to 29 in Laval’s historic and picturesque Vieux Sainte-Rose neighbourhood, more than 20,000 people were on hand over four days to view the creations of 90 artists from Laval and many other regions, while also purchasing hundreds of art works.

Quebec singer is an artist

For this year’s symposium, the Corporation Rose-Art had the endorsement of renowned Québec pop singer Shirley Théroux, who was the symposium’s official spokesperson. “We were very fortunate to have Mme Théroux with us this year,” said Carole Faucher, president of the Corporation Rose-Art which sponsors the event.

For Théroux, who is an accomplished painter as well as a recording artist, the symposium was an opportunity to exhibit some of her own art works.

It was a new opportunity

“This is the first time I’ve been able to show some of my work within an art symposium,” she said in an interview with the Laval News. “This is absolutely marvellous because they are discovering me now as a painter.”

Théroux did not rule out the possibility of taking part in next year’s Symposium de Ste-Rose. “If I am invited it would be a pleasure to come back,” she said.

Among the participating artists was Laval painter Claire Gauthier, who exhibits her art in various other shows and symposiums in Quebec throughout the year.

Ste-Rose Symposium’s ‘the best’

“I do a lot of symposiums and this one in Sainte-Rose is the best,” she said. “It’s the largest in the region, it offers a large choice of artists and many people come to visit.” According to Gauthier, the Symposium de Ste-Rose is the art exposition where she succeeds the most in selling her works.

Another painter, Diane Lafond of Laval, agreed that the Symposium de Ste-Rose is a first-class venue for painters and sculptors to exhibit their art. “Many of the people who drop by are on vacation and often they’re looking to purchase gifts for loved ones back home,” said Lafond, who has also exhibited her work in some very picturesque surroundings such as Kamouraska east of Quebec City.

Artists from all over

While most of the artists and sculptors whose works were featured in the show were from the Laval region, some came from more distant reaches of Quebec such as Trois-Rivières, the Eastern Townships, the Laurentians, Matagami, Rimouski, Rivière-du-Loup and Quebec City. One was from Riley Brook in New Brunswick.

The artist who probably travelled the furthest to take part was Stéfanie Thompson. She made a very long and arduous journey by road from Matagami in northwestern Quebec to Laval. A native of Laval’s Fabreville district, she moved with her partner to Matagami seven years ago and isn’t planning on returning south any time soon.

(TLN)

As a member of Quebec National Assembly, ChomedeyMNA Guy Ouellette attended the 58^th annual meeting and regional policy forum of CSG-ERC (The Council of State Governments-Eastern Regional Conference) in Rye Brook, New York from August 4 – 8.

The National Assembly has been represented on the executive committee of the Eastern Regional Conference since 1990 and has been able to vote on this committee since 1994.

Canada/U.S. dialogue

ERC is a non partisan organization regrouping legislators from 11 Eastern-U.S. states, plus Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands territories, plus five Canadian provinces (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island).

As past co-chair of ERC 2016, Ouellette is a member of the executive committee and also a member of the Canada-US Relations committee. Incidently on Aug. 6, Ouellette was voted by his peers co-chair of that committee along with assemblyman Robin Schimminger of New York.

Topics on the table

This year, the two sessions of the Canada-US Relations Committee were on NAFTA, with renowned experts and panellists Laura Dawson from the Canada Institute, Mark Warner from MAAW Law, and Khawar Nasim, Canada deputy Consul General in New York, along with David Slack from Bombardier and Dan Kolundzic from Nanos Research.

Ouellette attended workshops on Autonomous Vehicles, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands: The long Road to Recovery, CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) in Football Players and Clean Disruption of Energy and Transportation.

Martin C. Barry

The City of Laval’s economic development division will have close to half a million dollars more than its usual budget in the next three years to promote Laval on the international scene thanks to a subsidy announced by Vimy Liberal MP Eva Nassif at Laval city hall on Aug. 6.

A regional export promotion organization known as ORPEX Laval will be receiving the non-repayable contribution of $442,500. The ORPEX’s objectives include raising awareness among Quebec businesses about the growth potential associated with exporting and, subsequently, helping them diversify and break into foreign markets.

Helping grow business

The announcement was made by Nassif on behalf of Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development (CED).

According to a statement issued by Nassif’s office, ORPEXEs help businesses obtain basic exporting information; organize their activities aimed at breaking into foreign markets; receive a diagnosis regarding their export capacity; find out about funding opportunities for their export projects; get specialized training; and develop an international business plan.

The funding, provided under the Quebec Economic Development Program, will allow the ORPEX to continue offering its services aimed at helping potential exporters go ahead with their projects involving new market sales.

Nassif ‘confident’

“I am thrilled that we are supporting the International Affairs division of the City of Laval’s Economic Development Service, which helps small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the region diversify and develop export markets,” said Nassif. “The industrial fabric of Laval has the potential to become one of the most diversified: 11,200 businesses, over 1,400 of which offer exportable products and services. We have full confidence in the organization’s ability to help businesses look to the future and prosper.”

“The investment announced today is intended to provide tangible support for Laval businesses looking to break into foreign markets,” said Marc-Aurèle-Fortin Liberal MP Yves Robillard who was also on hand for the announcement.

“This contribution will ensure that the International Affairs division of the City of Laval’s Economic Development Service has the necessary means to fulfill its mission, which is to assist potential exporters in carrying out their projects involving new market sales by providing them with various services right from the outset of their export ventures.”

Businesses to benefit

“One of the broad orientations of the City of Laval’s ‘Urbaine de nature’ strategic vision is to develop a prosperous, sustainable, competitive and cutting-edge economy,” said Mayor Marc Demers. “Laval has some 11,200 businesses, over 500 of which export their products and services. Canada Economic Development’s financial support will allow Laval to continue providing export services to help businesses achieve their full growth potential and to ensure their long-term sustainability.”

Demers also pointed out that Laval, with its highly-diversified multicultural population, has many residents who have business contracts all over the globe, significantly raising the importance of import/export in the city’s priorities. He said the federal government’s contribution will be added to the investment the City of Laval already makes towards improving Laval’s economic prospects internationally.

Martin C. Barry

Speaking on behalf of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains, Vimy Liberal MP Eva Nassif announced on Aug. 10 that the Laval-based Centre québécois d’innovation en biotechnologie (CQIB) has been granted a $1,425,000 non-repayable subsidy to support the creation and start-up of innovative businesses in the life sciences sector.

Incubating science business

Known as a “life sciences incubator,” the CQIB is located in a repurposed research facility on Cartier Blvd. West in the heart of Laval’s thriving Cité de la Bio-Technologie district. It offers mentoring services not just to enterprises across Quebec, but also around the world.

An initiative of the Laval Technopole municipal agency in conjunction with the Université du Québec’s Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), the CQIB is supported financially by Quebec, Canada, the City of Laval and corporate interests.

The CQIB maintains it has helped dozens of science- and technology-based businesses get started, including Bio-K + Pharma Inc., whose corporate parent manufactures the highly-successful and increasingly visible Bio-K probiotic consumer line of health products.

Nassif proud to give support

“By supporting the CQIB, the Government of Canada is reiterating its commitment to support the creation of innovative businesses that generate value and strengthen promising sectors, including life sciences, in the greater Montreal area,” said Nassif.

“I am proud to see that this organization can continue to take root, develop and contribute to Canada’s economic well-being.” According to Nassif, the funding will allow the CQIB to cover a significant amount of its operating costs over the next three years.

“Our government is committed to building a strong economy and creating good, well-paying jobs,” she said. “The growth and development of innovative enterprises is central to a strategy and to the economic prosperity of our regions. The government of Canada is working hard to ensure that they have the tools they need to innovate and grow.”

Jewel in the Biotech crown

“For the City of Laval, the CQIB is the spearhead of the Cité de la Biotech,” said Mayor Marc Demers. “Thanks to this incubator, 54 companies have been launched, with more to come. I am proud that the City of Laval is world-renowned in the life sciences and health technology sector.”

According to the mayor, the CQIB has helped Laval region’s economy grow over the past 20 years or so “in a spectacular fashion,” he said, while noting that some 5,000 jobs in Laval are in the pharmaceutical sector at more than 100 companies.

“Several of these came into being with the help of the CQIB,” said Demers. “This very important in a community like ours. These are quality jobs in development and research which also contribute to the health and well-being of everyone. We are very, very proud of this and of the results.”

Unique service for startups

Founded in 1995 by the Institut national de recherche scientifique (INRS) and the City of Laval, this incubator is located in the heart of Laval’s high-tech science park. It is the only business incubator that specializes in biotechnology in Quebec and the first life sciences incubator in Canada.

Apart from its preincubation and incubation programs, the CQIB provides consulting services in business development, financing and technical support. It also gives companies access to a large inventory of specialized equipment and leased premises. The funding was granted through CED’s Quebec Economic Development Program (QEDP) and will help the CQIB cover its operating costs over a three-year period.