The Laval Police Dept. says it has opened an investigation after several residents were seemingly chosen at random by an unknown perpetrator to receive mailed letters containing an unidentified white powder along with extortion threats.
A spokesperson for the LPD said on Tuesday that 10 residents had been identified as having received the mailings so far.
The spokesperson said samples of the powder have been sent to a lab for analysis.
The LPD is advising anyone who believes they may also have received one of the envelopes to handle it cautiously, call the LPD and wait for officers to arrive.
The LPD can be contacted through their special hotline at 450-662-INFO (4636).
For the 15th consecutive year, Action Laval city councillor for Saint-Bruno David De Cotis held a large outdoor Halloween party on Oct. 31 in Lausanne Park near the centre of his district.
The spooky and ghoulish event drew as many as seven thousand residents, including many children with their parents, from the area.
They were able to have fun entering and passing through a “haunted house” which had been set up, while also being able to walk through a challenging outdoor maze.
The event, like several other community gatherings De Cotis sponsors in Saint-Bruno throughout the year, was supported through sponsorship from several local businesses, rather than funding from the city, he pointed out.
The year’s other events include a Fête de quartier (which raises funds for the Société d’Alzheimer), and a Fête nationale event.
“All of these are done in the spirit of building a sense of belonging to the community,” added De Cotis. “To be of service to the citizens: this is what it’s all about.”
The WWII Axis powers first ran into serious resistance in 1940 in Greece
Patriotic Greeks from all over Montreal joined elected officials from across the region along with leaders from the Hellenic community for a ceremony on Oct. 29 at the Greek Community Centre in Côte des Neiges marking the 83rd anniversary of the historic day during World War II when Greece rejected its occupation by Axis forces.
Each year, Ohi Day is celebrated throughout Greece, Cyprus and Greek communities around the world to commemorate the refusal by Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas when presented on Oct. 28, 1940 with an ultimatum made by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.
A straightforward ‘no’
The ultimatum was presented to Metaxas by the Italian ambassador to Greece. It demanded that Greece allow Axis forces to enter Greek territory and occupy certain strategic locations, or otherwise face war. The name for the day comes from Metaxas’ straightforward reply. “No,” he is reputed to have said curtly, following which he added, “Then it is war.”
In response, Italian troops stationed in Albania, which was an Italian protectorate, attacked the Greek border, marking the beginning of Greece’s involvement in World War II. On the morning of Oct. 28, Greeks took to the streets, irrespective of political affiliation, shouting “Ohi.” Since 1942, it has been a national celebration marked annually.
Saying ‘ohi’ to fascists
Dignitaries who attended this year’s event organized by the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal included the Consul General in Montreal for Greece Katerina Varvarigou, Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis, Saint-Laurent Liberal MP Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Park Extension city councillor Mary Deros, Laval city councillors Aglaia Revelakis and Vasilios Karidogiannis and local Greek community leaders.
In interviews with Newsfirst Multimedia, some of the dignitaries who attended shared their thoughts on the significance of Ohi Day. “In 1940, the Greeks said ohi to fascism,” said Revelakis, suggesting that Greeks at that time fundamentally rejected the war-mongering tenets of fascist extremism and chose to fight back in order to preserve their freedom.
“It’s very important that people understand that united we are strong and that this is the way we can have peace in the world,” she added. Councillor Karidogiannis agreed that resistance to fascism remains one of the most important lessons to be learned from Ohi Day. “It’s still very relevant today,” he said.
Vigilance still needed
“The fight against fascism and nazism and all sorts of extremes is still ongoing on a worldwide scale. But, you know, surprisingly also even on a very local scale within Laval there are extremist elements here and there causing trouble in our community and this must be fought because it tends to spread very easily if not taken care of at the start.
“So, it’s very important that we celebrate Ohi Day every year and remember how and why it happened, why we continue to celebrate it so that we can pass on the message to future generations in order to fight extremisms of all sorts,” said Karidogiannis.
‘Heroes fight like Greeks’
Councillor Deros said Ohi Day should serve to remind us all, regardless of whether we have Hellenic roots or not, that when Greece faced such a great threat “there were strong individuals who said no, they didn’t want to give in, and they were willing to fight so that we could have the freedom that we have today.”
Paraphrasing Winston Churchill, who once said “Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks,” Deros continued, “they weren’t afraid to die, but they went out for their beliefs. They believed in their freedom and democracy and they fought hard for it and won.”
Lambropoulos said, “It’s a day that I believe needs to continue to be celebrated year after year. It’s especially important because Greece stood up to the nazis and fought in order to stand up for their values when a lot of other countries did not put up such a fight. It’s a day to be proud to be Greek and to honour the heroes who fought in that war.”
Four powerful Quebec labour unions have formed a common front
Quebec public sector union workers who walked off the job earlier this week have announced three more strike days for Nov. 21 to 23, unless a deal can be reached before then with the provincial government.
Around 420,000 public sector employees were on strike last Monday as part of a one-day walkout to protest the Quebec government’s latest contract offer.
They disrupted schools, health-care facilities and social services. Union members, who are seeking better wages and improved working conditions, dismissed the government’s latest offer which was made on Oct. 28.
Common front formed
The workers from various unions (Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ), Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), Alliance du personnel professionnel et technique de la santé et des services sociaux (APTS) and Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ) have formed a common front.
“Everything in Quebec will be closed for three days,” CSN vice-president François Enault said earlier this week during a news conference regarding the upcoming strike days. An FTQ leader said the workers will walk off the job again unless the government returns to the negotiating table with better offers.
They rejected gov’t offer
The provincial government’s latest contract offer included an increase of 10.3 per cent over five years for base salaries, which was just over a percentage point higher than the previous offer. However, some jobs would get an extra 2.5 to three per cent increase from the government.
The common front is demanding an increase of up to 20 per cent over the next three years. The impact of the strike last Monday was felt at public schools throughout the province, where teachers picketed and classes could only start by late morning or by the afternoon.
The City of Laval is going all out this year to thanks its volunteers, with several events and other ways of showing gratitude planned.
On Oct. 25, the city kicked off a month-long celebration of homage to the volunteers, with a show held at the Salle André-Mathieu. More than 700 volunteers turned up to enjoy the entertainment and merriment.
The city plans to keep up the pace with an ongoing publicity campaign that will include ad spots in local newspapers as well as online social media. In addition, an exhibition of photos of volunteers will be making the rounds at City of Laval public library branches over the coming months.
During the same timeframe, the city will be holding special volunteer training days in conjunction with community organizations in Laval that are working closely with the municipality.
Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn about aspects of volunteer work involving financial and administrative responsibilities.
Festival NUM 2023: the place to be this month in Laval
The City of Laval’s public library branches are inviting families to come on out and have fun with art and digital technology at the fifth annual Festival NUM.
Until Nov. 12, it’s a chance to learn about the practical artistic applications of digital technology at nine library branches. A grand finale event will be held Nov. 11 and 12 and the Multicultural Library branch.
Virtual reality, creative music, coding, digital projections and robots are just some of the activities to be enjoyed by children six years old and up, as well as by teens and their parents.
“The universe of technologies and digital may seem rather complex and technical, but it is more important than ever to know how to use them, since more than ever they are part of our lives,” says Laval city councillor for Sainte-Rose Flavia Alexandra Novac, who is responsible for cultural dossiers on city council.
In all, more than 50 activities are planned. They include: virtual reality (using VR headsets) for 12-year-olds and older; electronically-lit sweater creation using electrical circuits; and techno-tinkering, where you can handmake all types of interesting devices, including mini-robots, magic bracelets, bike lights, etc.
The library has invited special guest presenters. They include franco-Montrealer Téo Leroux who will be unveiling his original digital work, La forêt fantastique. Presented in conjunction with MAPP MTL, this event will be a collaboration between Leroux and children from daycamps in Laval.
During the presentation, members of the public will be able to make their own contributions to the work from iPads, including animations projected in real-time on the outer façade of the Multicultural Library building.
Finally, during the entire month of November at the Gabrielle-Roy branch of the library network, artist Louis Bouvier will be presenting his exhibition, “La conjugaison des pensées complexes.”
The exhibit is made up of two sculpture-instruments producing sounds whenever they are approached by people. Children and parents may be interested in trying this concept out.
Thinks the minority Trudeau government will last to the scheduled 2025 election
Four years after first being elected as the Member of Parliament for the Laval riding of Vimy, Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis is recollecting on the two mandates she received, as well as some of the crises she found herself facing.
Two elections in four years
“So many differences – the world is a different place from when I was first elected in 20109,” she said in an interview last week with the Laval News during a pause from one of her many engagements.
Although four years is the average length of a term in office for most politicians, Koutrakis is already in the midst of her second. First elected in the 2019 federal general election, she was re-elected in 2021 when the Trudeau government decided to hold a snap election.
She won the nomination from Vimy Liberal riding association members in early September 2019, with the election itself taking place on Oct 21. She was re-elected in the next general election which took place on Sept. 20 two years ago.
Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis is seen here with riding association volunteers and staff members following her swearing-in after the 2021 election.
Was promoted quickly
Prior to entering politics, Koutrakis, who is fluently trilingual (French, English and Greek), had been an investment councillor and business administrator. Shortly before being elected, she was elected president of the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal (HCGM) – the first woman to hold that position.
For a neophyte politician, her rise within the Trudeau government has been noteworthy. She is currently Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec.
As well, she sits as a member on several parliamentary committees: the Subcommittee on Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying, the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities,
and the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament.
A learning experience
“It’s a real honour to have been entrusted with the portfolio that I have been,” said Koutrakis. “I have an amazing team of colleagues who are helping. We have an amazing staff.” She said several of the committee portfolios are interconnected.
Koutrakis acknowledged that she faced a steep learning curve after she was first elected. “There was a lot to learn, because this was the first time I stood for election,” she said. “I had to make sure that my constituency office was up and running and the right people were around me to help me.
“It was steep, but you know what – that’s how you grow,” she continued. “You move out of your comfort zone. And I’ve always been a very hard worker. Some people say I’m an overachiever. But I stood up to the challenge and I think I’m better for it and it’s very humbling.”
Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis is seen here in 2019 when she first ran for federal office. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
An early election?
With two years left in the Trudeau government’s current mandate (an election could be held by late 2025 if the minority government manages to hold onto the support it receives from the NDP), Koutrakis speculated on the future political scenario.
“It’s a very, very tough political landscape,” she admitted. “We do have supply agreements in place with the NDP party. And as long as we have that agreement in place, we foresee the next elections to be 2025. But with any minority government, you never know. I mean, we agree on issues now.
Not before 2025, she says
“But it doesn’t mean that tomorrow,” she added. “Some people say that a day in politics is an eternity. I remain optimistic that we will go to the next elections of 2025. There’s no indication right now to say otherwise. People are going through a very difficult time right now with affordability and housing.
“We’re very much aware of that. Our government is trying to give as much help as we can, but focused help, not to everybody at large, but to families that really need it. So, I think that as long as we’ve got the backs of Canadians and we work hard, I’m hoping that we will see the next elections in 2025.”
The current issue of the Laval News, volume 31-21, published on November 8th, 2023. Covering Laval local news, politics, and sports. (Click on the image to read the paper.)
The Laval Police say they have arrested a person under the age of 18 in connection with a stabbing that took place recently near École secondaire Curé-Antoine-Labelle in Laval’s Sainte-Rose district.
École secondaire Curé-Antoine-Labelle in Sainte-Rose.
On the afternoon of Oct. 23, the LPD rushed to Roi-du-Nord Park, in front of the high school, where a brawl between several people saw a teenager get stabbed.
Although not life threatening, the victim’s wounds were serious.
On Nov. 2, the LPD said they arrested a suspect, described as a minor, who now faces charges of aggravated assault, simple assault and illegal possession of a weapon.
The LPD said that since the academic year resumed in September, one LPD officer has been assigned to visit the school twice a week as a measure to prevent violent incidents.
It is not the first time violence has been reported at the Centre de services scolaire de Laval (CSSL) high school.
In November 2021, as reported by The Laval News, two teenagers were beaten at the high school as they were leaving classes by a group of young people who fired a gunshot during the altercation, ultimately leading to a large police deployment and the arrest of one suspect.
The Laval Police are seeking the public’s help to positively identify and locate a suspect they believe is involved with a series of grandparent frauds.
The LPD claims the suspect in question, one of two being investigated, impersonated a targeted victim’s grandson during a phone call.
One of the grandparent fraud suspects, according to the LPD who issued this photo.
Impersonating the grandson, the suspect is alleged to have claimed he was in custody because he had caused an accident in a vehicle while using a cell phone at the wheel, the SPL said in a statement that noted the suspect also told the elderly victim that he had injured a pregnant woman during the accident.
A second suspect allegedly posed as a lawyer named Mr. Bello, who joined the call and stressed how serious the situation was and that $5,000 bail was needed.
The Laval Police say they are looking for a white male, around 35 years old, who speaks French. He is around 5’10” with a shaved head and dark beard.
Anyone with information is asked to call the LPD’s info-crime hotline at 450-662-4636 or 911. The file number is LVL-230726-048.
Kevin Duroseau, 30, faces charges of illegal possession of a restricted weapon and a prohibited weapon and remains in custody with the Laval Police.
The Laval Police say a routine security check conducted at a bar in Laval’s Pont-Viau district more than a week ago led to the seizure of a restricted weapon as well as the arrest of a suspect wanted for uttering death threats.
The LPD says the security inspection, part of a detail now routinely carried out by the LPD with the Sûreté du Québec during a wide-ranging crackdown on violence and street gangs, led to the identification of Kevin Duroseau for whom an arrest warrant had previously been issued.
A search of Duroseau, age 30, by the combined squad members found he was wearing a bullet proof vest and was in possession of a switchblade knife, which is a prohibited weapon.
A subsequent search of Duroseau’s vehicle turned up a 9 mm Glock semi-automatic pistol.
He faces charges of illegal possession of a restricted weapon, as well as possession of a prohibited weapon, and remained in custody on Oct. 31 pending his next court appearance on Nov. 15.
