Laval MNAs named parliamentary assistants by Couillard
(TLN) Three Liberal MNAs from Laval were recently appointed parliamentary assistants in the National Assembly by Premier Philippe Couillard.
Laval-des-Rapides Liberal MNA Saul Polo was named parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation.
“I am proud to see that Premier Couillard has shown his confidence in me with regards to dossiers touching on the economy,” Polo said of his appointment. “It’s thus with great enthusiasm that I accept this new mandate and the numerous challenges that go with it, including economic development in the region of Laval.”
Vimont Liberal MNA Jean Rousselle was named parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Public Security. “I am very proud of the new responsibilities that the Premier is confiding in me,” said Rousselle. “Public security is an all-important issue and a new challenge that I can’t wait to meet.”
Fabre Liberal MNA Monique Sauvé was named parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Employment and Social Solidarity. “I am pleased to have been able to win the trust of the Premier for this new challenge,” she said. “I will work with ardor in order to push forward the dossiers.”
City officials, school boards face off for education
Martin C. Barry
A team consisting of Laval city councillors beat teams from the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board and the Commission scolaire de Laval in the Classique des élus de Laval tournament which was held at the Place de la Nature in eastern Laval on Saturday Feb. 13.
2nd annual tournament
The Laval councillors’ team won the first match against the CSDL 3-2 in shoot-outs. The final score for the game against the SWLSB was 4-3 for the city councillors’ team.
It was the second year the municipal representatives and the school commission officials faced off against each other. Donated proceeds from the games are going towards a fund to encourage academic perseverance by students that both school boards can draw on.
City excels at hockey
It’s worth noting that the city’s team, which also faces off against the school boards during the summer in softball benefit games, has consistently fared much better at hockey, winning all their matches year on year so far.
On the other hand, the school board teams have consistently managed to humiliate the city at softball each summer and they’re probably looking forward to exacting their revenge a few months from now.
Last Saturday’s games were played under the most challenging conditions for the tournament: it was as frigid as it often gets in Nunavut and the wind blowing across the rink made it even colder.
A worthy cause
It’s a testimonial to the determination of all who played or helped organize the event that they followed through on a day like this and didn’t postpone or cancel in the face of adversity – which might have been tempting.
“As elected officials, we just want to make sure that we’re giving back to society and to the students,” said Laval executive-committee vice-president David De Cotis who dropped the puck onto the ice for the official faceoffs. “Even if it’s the coldest day of the year, we’re happy to be here. It’s fun and for us it’s a great cause.”
Clement said the Conservatives have concerns about the Liberals wanting to normalize Canada’s relationship with Iran “which is a state sponsor of terror”
Martin C. Barry
Former federal Conservative cabinet minister Tony Clement aimed some sharp barbs at the new Liberal government and its leader, Justin Trudeau, during a five-to-seven event held at The Palace on Le Corbusier Blvd. last week by Laval-area Tories holding one of their first gatherings since the election last October.
‘A wrong decision’
Clement, who retained his seat in the Ontario riding of Parry Sound-Muskoka despite the Conservatives’ massive electoral losses, is now the Conservative opposition’s official critic for foreign affairs. Regarding one of the Trudeau government’s most recent and controversial decisions – to withdraw Canadian fighter jets from active combat duty against ISIS – Clement said:
“This is such a wrong decision. It’s wrong on so many different levels because we have a great military tradition of working with our allies on common causes to defend our security – to defend, quite frankly our civilization – against those who would seek to destroy it.”
Canada ‘backing away,’ he said
Noting that, after attacks by terrorists in Paris over the past year, France, the U.S. and the U.K. “are stepping up” to the challenge of combating ISIS, Clement said Canada under the new Liberal government “is stepping away.”
Clement put an ironic spin on Justin Trudeau’s claim – following the Liberal victory – that “Canada is back.” Clement said the Liberal government’s response to international terrorism is actually an example that “Canada is backing away. Not a very good sign. And this is being repeated, of course, in many other foreign policy files including cozying up to (Russian president) Mr. Putin. And this is of great concern to those Canadians of Ukrainian origin.”
Clement said the Conservatives also have concerns about the Liberal government’s decision to remove sanctions against Iran, as well as the fact the Liberals want to normalize Canada’s relationship with that country, “which is a state sponsor of terror even today,” he said.
On the election results
Looking back on the October 2015 election, Clement said “the results, of course, were disappointing. Any result where you don’t gain government is disappointing.” He continued, “people just wanted change. It had been a long time – 10 years is a long time in modern politics. I did not get the sense of a complete rejection of everything that Conservatives stood for.
“Do we have to change some things in our party, in our message, in our communications? Absolutely. But we start with a good base: 99 members of Parliament, 33 of those are brand new, with 12 MPs from Quebec. But it’s a great mixture of experience, but also some new points of view in our caucus.
Preparing for next election
“So I want to report to you that we are feeling good,” he said, “that we feel that we can ask the difficult questions, demand the answers on behalf of Canadians, on behalf of taxpayers, on behalf of Canadians who want to feel safe and secure within our borders and outside our borders. And we feel we have a mission, and of course the ultimate mission as a political party is always not only to stand by these principles and these values, but also to be there come election time with a message that we can govern.”
Among the guests for the evening were Conservative Senator Leo Housakos, as well as a number of Montreal-area Conservatives who ran in the last election, including Anthony Mavros who was a candidate in the Laval riding of Vimy. In an interview with the Laval News, Housakos expressed cynicism regarding the Liberal government’s stated intention of reforming the Senate.
Housakos on Senate reform
“So far they have a process in place that’s a sham,” he said. “They have appointed a committee to vet Senate nominations, a committee which is going to provide a list to the Prime Minister that is not binding – a list that is confidential. So in what way is this system any different than what previous Prime Ministers have done in the past?”
While Housakos acknowledged that even former Prime Minister Stephen Harper talked about reforming the Senate, while continuing to make appointments to the chamber, Housakos insisted that “any Prime Minister who’s genuine about Senate reform should recognize the only way to do it is through a constitutional discussion with the shareholders of the country.
Martin St. Louis honoured in Laval – Retirement of jersey No. 26
New York Rangers winger Martin St. Louis received a well-deserved honor, on February 11 at the Samson arena, where he took his first shots in organized hockey. The Laval Delta hockey club retired his jersey number 26 in recognition of his distinguished career in the National Hockey League (NHL) and civic engagement.
More than 380 people attended the ceremony where they presented a video montage of Martin ‘s career, from novice to the National Hockey League (NHL). You could hear the fans chanting his name as be moved through his masterly feints.
This honorary evening allowed Martin to delve back into old memories. “It is in this small arena in the Sainte-Dorothée district that it all started for me. The honor that Delta and Laval bestows on me is heartwarming because my roots are here. ”
“I have fond memories of the Samson Arena and hours spent on my skates at outdoor Couvrette and Florent parks rinks. I remember I used to call my mother when the game was over at Florent to come and take me to Couvrette “he said.
“I was barely six years old when I joined Delta and I remember saying to my father that I was already very good. He reprimanded me on the edge of the bay window, reminding me not to talk that way ” St. Louis, however, had good reason.
From his beginnings in minor hockey, it was by far the best player on the ice, despite his small size. St. Louis rose through the ranks of minor hockey wearing the Deltas team colors, up to the atom level. He then sported the Senators uniform, Laval’s elite team before playing with the Regents of Laval-Laurentides-Lanaudière (Midget AAA). He finished first in the standings and won the Sylvain-Turgeon trophy with a record of 29 goals and 74 assists for a cumulative 103 points.
“Martin St. Louis is a source of pride and inspiration for all young Laval hockey players. Once raised to the rafters at the Samson arena, his jersey number 26 will become the symbol of tenacity and accomplishment. No player will wear this number from now on, from novice to junior levels, in the Delta organization in honor of Martin, “said Christian Le Bouc, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Delta.
In 1134 games in the NHL, St. Louis has accumulated 391 goals and 642 aids for 1033 points. He also obtained a lot of success in the series with 90 points in 107 games.
The Career
For 16 NHL seasons, St. Louis defied the odds as an undersized, undrafted winger. His career that began with the Calgary Flames in 1998 and ended with the New York Rangers in 2015. St. Louis also played for the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2000 until being traded to the Rangers in 2014, and briefly with HC Lausanne of the Swiss National League A. He was a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning 2004 Stanley Cup championship team.
St. Louis was a standout player in college for the Vermont Catamounts, earning East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) all-star honours for three consecutive seasons between 1995 and 1997. He was the ECAC player of the year in 1995. On January 8, 2016 the University of Vermont retired his jersey number 8 at Gutterson Fieldhouse in front of a sold out crowd.
A professional career that spans from 1997 to 2015, St. Louis has been named to an NHL All-Star Team on five occasions and played in six All-Star Games. He was voted the recipient of the Lester B. Pearson Award and Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player as chosen by the players and league respectively in 2003–04, also winning his first Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer with 94 points. St. Louis has on three occasions won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the league’s most gentlemanly player. In 2013, at age 37, he won his second Art Ross Trophy, becoming the oldest player to ever lead the league in scoring. He has also led the NHL in assists in two different seasons (2003–04 and 2012–13).
Internationally, St. Louis has played with Team Canada on several occasions. He was a member of the team that won the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and is a two-time silver medalist at the World Championships; he was named a tournament all-star after leading the 2009 event in scoring with 15 points. A two-time Olympian, St. Louis was a member of Canada’s gold medal-winning team at the 2014 Winter Games.
St. Louis became one of the most prolific scorers in the past two decades. On July 2, 2015 the 40-year-old announced his retirement after a career he called an “amazing ride.”
“I have dedicated my life to being the best player I could be and now want to turn more of my focus to my three boys,” St. Louis said in a statement when he announced his retirement last July. “I look forward to this next chapter of my life and the time I will have with my family.”
Retirement
Since his retirement, Martin runs the hockey teams of his sons Ryan (12), Lucas (10 years) and Mason (8 years), in Connecticut where he lives. He will now be off to Quebec City where he will try to lead his son’s team the Rangers MidFairfield to top honors at the 57th International Tournament Peewee Quebec which runs until February 21st. Martin retains fond memories of when he played in the same pee-wee tournament and is eager to relive the unique atmosphere of this major tournament and visit the new Centre Vidéotron.
Vimy Liberal MP Eva Nassif opens new offices
Martin C. Barry
The first “open house” to be held by Vimy Liberal MP Eva Nassif since she and her staff moved into new offices on Le Corbusier Blvd. nearly a month ago drew an overflow crowd of constituents, friends and well-wishers on Feb. 20.
Dignitaries show support
Among the more than 100 people who came and went during the morning hour reception were Alfred-Pellan Liberal MP Angelo Iacono, Thérèse-De Blainville Liberal MP Ramez Ayoub, a representative of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles Liberal MP Linda Lapointe, Laval city councillor for Saint-Martin Aline Dib and many members of the local Lebanese community.
Addressing the crowd, Nassif thanked constituents for voting so overwhelmingly for her in the Oct. 19 election which saw the Liberals win an impressive 46 per cent of the votes in Vimy – far outdistancing the second-runner up NDP. Nassif won the seat after running unsuccessfully for the Liberals in two previous federal elections in Laval.
Community leaders speak
Among those who got up to speak during the event was Aïda Karibian, a member of the Armenian Canadian Council. “I would like to thank Eva for being so perseverant over the years,” she said. “We will be behind Eva all the way. I admire her perseverance, I admire her energy. Her family is behind her: her husband, her children. So I wish her good luck.”
Viken Attarian, president of the Liberal Party of Canada Quebec region’s policy commission, said that Nassif, who he first came to know five years ago, managed to cheer up the members of the commission who normally are very serious, and that “she rolled up her sleeves” and helped with the translation of long and complex documents. (Nassif is a professional translator.)
Her work with the Liberals
As well, he said Nassif brought up important points on social justice while she was active with the policy commission. “And so you people of Laval who know her, you might also wish to let others know how fortunate you are to have someone who opens her heart so completely,” Attarian continued. “Eva is the embodiment of perseverance. She never gave up. She failed twice, but kept on going and showed incredible spirit. I think she sets an example by her own life and her own actions. A true leader.”
Sits on several commissions
In an interview with the Laval News, Nassif pointed out that she now sits as an associate member of the House of Commons’ Committee for Immigration and Citizenship. As well, she sits on three other Parliamentary standing committees: Status of Women, Pay Equity and Library of Parliament. In addition, she is a member of two Parliamentary Associations/Inter parliamentary Groups: the Canada-China Legislative Association and the Canada-France Legislative Association.
Infrastructure money on the way, says Marc-Aurèle-Fortin MP
Martin C. Barry
Some of the tens of billions of dollars in infrastructure investment money promised by Justin Trudeau during last year’s election campaign could soon start flowing into Laval and other parts of the country, according to Marc-Aurèle-Fortin Liberal MP Yves Robillard.
Pleased with turnout
In preparation for the federal budget expected in March, Robillard held a consultation meeting on Feb. 10 at the Gabrielle Roy branch of the City of Laval library network on Dagenais Blvd. Robillard and his team issued a statement afterwards saying they were pleased with the turnout as well as the feedback they obtained from those who attended.
“Our government committed itself to listen to the citizens and our preparations for the 2016 federal budget reflect that,” Robillard said. “Together we talked about what means should be taken to stimulate our economy to improve things for the middle class and to make our community a place where it’s good to live.”
City councillors attended
Among those attending were several Laval city councillors, including independent councillor for Fabreville Michel Trottier and Mouvement Lavallois councillor for Auteuil Jocelyne Frédéric-Gauthier. Both expressed satisfaction with the openness of the proceedings, which they said represented a shift in attitude on the part of local MPs since the election of the Trudeau government last October.
According to a commitment made by Justin Trudeau during the campaign, the Liberals would make what they call “the largest new infrastructure investment in Canadian history” – nearly $125 billion over ten years, and nearly double what the Conservative government was spending. The program would include dedicated funding to provinces, territories and municipalities for public transit, social housing and environmental infrastructure needs.
Federal infrastructure money
Two weeks ago, the Trudeau government announced that Alberta will be immediately receiving a $700 million package of infrastructure funding from Ottawa to assist the oil-rich province during a time when its economy is suffering seriously from low petroleum prices. The funding had previously been promised by the former Conservative government but had apparently never been released.
In an interview with the Laval News, Robillard suggested that an even larger amount of funding will be heading in Quebec’s way during the current year. He said $1.5 billion remains to be distributed in the province from a federal government commitment dating to 2015 and which was part of the budget for that year.
“For us $1.5 billion is a big investment for Quebec,” said Robillard. “But, of course, the projects that qualify for some of this will have to be structured projects. There are some we are already hearing about which are sports-related projects. Others involve road infrastructure. But I think the important thing for us will be that this $1.5 billion is evenly distributed.”
Fabrose soccer stadium
Robillard was not as certain as to how much of the amount the Laval region will be receiving. However, he did speak of one project in particular in the Fabreville area whose supporters have been clamoring to receive financial support for some time: the proposed construction of a $6 million outdoor soccer complex to serve mainly the Club de Soccer Fabrose.
While remaining coy about the federal commitment to the project, Robillard did say that “it would also serve the needs of Vimont-Auteuil.” He said he is currently working on the project in conjunction with local provincial Liberal MNA Jean Habel in Sainte-Rose and Vimont Liberal MNA Jean Rousselle, as well as federal Liberal MP for Laval-Les Îles Fayçal El-Khoury.
“The project is coming along very well, but now we need to have a coordination meeting to present the budget to the minister,” he continued. “What I will be doing, along with the municipal, federal and provincial, is to present a structured project. All the studies are completed. It’s fairly simple now to present it to the minister for infrastructure projects.”
Still working on project
In an e-mail sent to the Laval News this week, Robillard’s political assistant, Geoffroy Desautels, clarified the funding issue. “To date, there is no known official investment for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin,” he said. “Following the consultation process and starting next week Mr. Robillard will be making representations to the Minister of Finance in order to maximize the infrastructure investments for Laval.
“It would be premature to say anything concerning numbers or to single out specific projects, even if from a personal perspective Mr. Robillard is aware of certain shortcomings in his riding, notably as concerns sports infrastructure,” he added. “In this sense, the outdoor soccer stadium being developed by Fabrose interests him in particular and he intends to make pressure in order to obtain the support of the federal government in this dossier.”
Jewish Rehab visited by students
On February 10, 2016 a group of North Star Academy Laval students spent the day at the Jewish Rehabilitation Center in Laval. The day was filled with a tour of the facility, presentations from the various departments and a much anticipated introduction to case-studies. Our students benefited from the knowledge shared by the various professionals and enjoyed observing and interacting with the staff. We would like to thank AGAPE for organising such a great event! Pictured above Teacher Mme. Cassandre Patry, with students Jessica Tiramani, Safaa Seddougui, Salwa Seddougui, Mariz Saman and Bianca Garabedian
City seeks candidacies for ‘Hosia’ awards
(TLN) The City of Laval in conjunction with the Caisses Desjardins de Laval is inviting non-profit groups recognized by the city to submit the names of worthy volunteers to be candidates for the 32nd annual Hosia volunteer recognition awards evening taking place on May 3.
The deadline is March 4. The awards ceremony is taking place at the André-Mathieu concert and performance hall. The selection of winners is being made by a special jury. Caisse Desjardins de l’Ouest de Laval executive-director Jacinthe Godmer is this year’s jury chairwoman.
The judges will be evaluating candidates on the following criteria: diversity, impact, determination and innovation in volunteer efforts. Forms for submitting candidacies can be downloaded from this web site: www.evenements.laval.ca.
