Thursday, February 12, 2026
8 C
Laval
spot_img
Home Blog Page 7

Laval’s 22 elected officials sworn in for new term

Matthew Ralph Daldalian
-
0
Laval’s 22 elected officials sworn in for new term

By Matthew Daldalian

Members of Laval’s newly elected city council pose together after the official ceremony on Nov. 9 at Collège Letendre. (Matthew Daldalian, The Laval News)

Laval’s mayor and 21 city councillors officially took their oaths of office on Nov. 9.

The ceremony was an emotional and celebratory morning held at Collège Letendre’s Salle de Spectacle before a packed audience of family, friends, and fellow politicians.

More than a hundred people filled the theatre to witness the official start of the new municipal term, where applause, laughter, and even tears marked the tone of the morning.

The city’s chief clerk, Marie-Christine Lefebvre, administered the oaths one by one as each councillor pledged to serve Laval’s residents for the next four years.

Boyer urges collaboration and perspective

Mayor Stéphane Boyer, beginning his second term as leader of Mouvement Lavallois, reflected on the challenges and responsibilities that come with public office. “Being an elected official is an important role, it’s a role that comes with great responsibility,” Boyer said. “It’s also sometimes a thankless task because there’s no perfect solution.”

He addressed councillors, reminding them that politics is not about luck or power but about service. “Even if the job can be difficult, when we look back, we see the progress that’s been made,” Boyer said, recalling examples of city decisions that he claimed had tangible impacts, like Laval’s first-responder program and investments in homelessness initiatives.

Boyer, who was greeted with applause from both allies and opposition members, encouraged all councillors to work collaboratively. “I wish you a term that will be collaborative, a term that will be productive for our citizens.,” he said addressing the councilors.

Lortie stresses experience and cooperation

Among those sworn in was Parti Laval’s Louise Lortie, re-elected councillor for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin and one of the council’s longest-serving members. With a long record in municipal politics, she said her experience will guide her approach.

Councillor Louise Lortie sworn into the new city council at Collège Letendre on Nov. 9. (Matthew Daldalian, The Laval News)

“I’ve been doing politics for 22 years, so I know the game a bit,” Lortie said with a smile. She emphasized her commitment to evaluate every issue with care and independence. “I’ll look at every file presented to me and make sure we make the best decision for the city,” she said.

While sitting in opposition, Lortie said she intends to remain constructive. “We have a role in opposition, yes—but also a role to help improve things,” she added. “That’s what I’ll continue to do for the next four years.”

A councillor returns

In Sainte-Dorothée, Ray Khalil’s re-election marked his fourth term on council, and he said Sunday’s ceremony was just as meaningful as his first.

“Every single time, it feels great,” Khalil said. “It’s the culmination of all the work that’s been done in the past years, but especially months.”

Councillor Ray Khalil addresses attendees before signing the city’s official book of office at Collège Letendre. (Matthew Daldalian, The Laval News)

He described the result as validation of the administration’s record and the public’s satisfaction.

Khalil believed that continuity allows the team to get to work quickly. “We’ve promised people what we want to work on, and now it’s time to get to it,” he said.

Revelakis vows to keep citizen focus

For Aglaia Revelakis, the independent councillor representing Chomedey, the moment was personal. “Every time I get sworn in, it’s very emotional,” she said. “It’s a recognition that my citizens have given me the right to be there.”

Revelakis, who has served 12 years on council, said she’s proud of what she and her team have accomplished so far and is already preparing new initiatives. “Right now, I’m working on a petition to install photo radar between 100th Avenue and Elizabeth to Clarendon,” she said. “There’s a lot of accidents, and residents are very upset because people are out of control.”

Councillor Aglaia Revelakis sworn in at the city’s inauguration ceremony. (Matthew Daldalian, The Laval News)

She said she remains confident in the city’s ability to work together regardless of political lines. “We’re all there for the same reason—to represent our citizens,” she said.

The atmosphere inside Collège Letendre’s Salle de spectacle was markedly different from the subdued pandemic-era ceremony held four years ago.

Several councillors were also visibly emotional as they took their pledges.

The event concluded with a musical performance and a round of pictures taken with the councilors—marking the start of another four-year chapter in Laval’s municipal life.

New national online portal launched to report cyber-fraud

Matthew Ralph Daldalian
-
0
New national online portal launched to report cyber-fraud

By Matthew Daldalian

A new national online system now allows Canadians to report instances of fraud and cybercrime more easily.

This comes as a way to address mounting losses across the country and the under-reporting of such offences.

Launched by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and administered through its National Cybercrime Coordination Centre (NC3) and the Canadian Anti‑Fraud Centre (CAFC), the system provides a centralized hub for citizens, businesses and organizations to file reports of fraud, scams, hacking or other cyber‐threats.

“Anyone can fall victim to fraud or cybercrime, whether as an individual or as part of a business or organization,” said RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme, stressing the point that most Canadians now have a place to take their concerns.

Users can report anonymously and may submit screenshots, transaction records, text messages or emails related to a suspicious incident. “It allows us to receive that reporting and then try and take action on that at the national level,” said NC3 Director General Chris Lynam.

Once a report is submitted, Lynam said the national system works alongside local police forces.

In the meantime, his team gathers data to identify patterns, link related cases across jurisdictions and can alert tech platforms or international partners to disrupt fraud operations.

The timing is significant. According to the CAFC, Canadians lost more than $638 million to fraud in 2024 alone. In parallel, a federal cyber-threat assessment found that fraud and scams remain the most common form of cybercrime. Yet, only 5 to 10 per cent of incidents are reported, a shortfall attributed to victims’ fear, embarrassment or lack of awareness.

Industry and government sources welcome the portal but warn that reporting is only one piece of the puzzle. A recent audit by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada found serious deficiencies in Canada’s capacity to investigate cybercrime.

Lynham said the new system was designed in part to replace an older platform which required complex authentication that discouraged users. The new portal drops those barriers and is built to be more user-friendly, enabling faster reporting and national intelligence gathering.

While some large cyber-attacks make headlines, the vast majority of fraud occurs at the individual and small-business level. Statistics Canada found that 1 in 6 Canadian businesses experienced a cyber-security incident in 2023, with scams and fraud the most common method.

The portal serves both a practical and symbolic role: providing a clear channel for victims and creating a data-pool that law-enforcement can mine to track and disrupt networks of fraudsters.

Lynam said the system also supports prevention by issuing alerts when trends are identified.

“What we try to do is have a really good understanding of what the latest cyber-crime and fraud that are hitting Canadians are, and then we can pivot off that to […] create new prevention and awareness products,” he said.

Still, awareness remains critical. Lynam indicated that the site will be the focus of a public information campaign across social-media, policing networks and academic partners.

Users walking through the portal will encounter tips and prompts to help complete the report and understand next steps.

For Canadians who think they or someone they know might be targeted, Lynam recommends acting quickly: gather all relevant documentation, contact your bank, report to local police and submit the online form.

He added that early reporting may even enable recovery of transferred funds or interception of fraud operations before more victims are targeted.

Laval Police take part in province-wide crackdown on child-porn

Martin C. Barry
-
0
Laval Police take part in province-wide crackdown on child-porn

Officers from the Sûreté du Québec’s Internet Child Sexual Exploitation Investigation Team (ESEI) in collaboration with the major crimes divisions of police forces in Laval, Boucherville, Montreal, Quebec City and Gatineau conducted a large-scale operation from November 3 to 7, leading to the arrests of nearly two dozen suspects.

According to the SQ, more than 150 police officers were mobilized, and 22 men aged between 18 and 70 were arrested.

Of this number, 20 appeared in connection with charges of possession, distribution and access to files containing child abuse and sexual exploitation material.

Computer equipment was also seized by the police for analysis as part of the 26 searches that were conducted.

“The operation conducted this week is the result of significant collaborative and concerted efforts,” said Lieutenant Katherine Guimond, head of the SQ’s division for investigations into the sexual exploitation of children on the internet.

The SQ is inviting members of the public to report any situation they come across of sexual exploitation of young people on the internet at the following address: www.cyberaide.ca

Laval-based trucker sentenced in Ontario for operating fraudulent truck-driving school

Martin C. Barry
-
0
Laval-based trucker sentenced in Ontario for operating fraudulent truck-driving school

A man from Laval along with another from Saint-Eustache who together ran an Ontario truck-driving school found to be fraudulent have received conditional confinement sentences of two years less a day to be served in the community.

Ontario Superior Court Judge Pierre Roger passed sentencing on Gurvinder Singh, age 69, of Laval and Gurpreet Singh, age 37, of Saint-Eustache who were convicted of one count each of fraud over $5,000 and uttering a forged document.

Laval highway crash leaves 4 dead and 12 injured
Aftermatch of the August 5 2019 truck crash in which four people died.

According to evidence presented during the five-week trial, between January 2019 and May 2021 the two used the services of a Punjabi language interpreter who provided answers to truck driving students for questions they needed to answer to obtain on Ontario Ministry of Transportation Commercial Truck Driver Training Standard Class A permit.

In 2017, the Ontario government made entry-level training mandatory in order to obtain a Class A permit, which is necessary to drive commercial trucks in the province.

The two men were found to be operating a truck driving school that was not registered as a private career college and was not authorized to offer Ontario’s Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) program for truckers.

While the students were charged fees ($4,000-$5,000) which were slightly lower than at accredited institutions, they received only basic truck driver training, according to the judge’s decision.

Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that the accused circumvented the normal accreditation process by gaining unlawful access to an Ontario Ministry of Transportation database in order to falsify records that their students had completed the MELT program.

In his decision, the judge noted that the students were “tricked and deceived” by the two men “into paying for substandard truck driver training.”

Earlier this year, truck driver Jagmeet Grewal, who drove the truck that rammed a line of cars at the intersection of autoroutes 15 and 440 in Laval in August 2019, killing four people and injuring many others, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

Earlier this week, Quebec Liberal MNA for Nelligan Monsef Derraji, who is the official opposition critic for transportation in the National Assembly, took issue with the CAQ government’s dismissal of a nearly 3,000 signature petition calling for stronger enforcement measures to put an end to the presence of illegal truck drivers on Quebec’s roads.

“While the federal government has just announced a $77 million investment to fight the loophole enabling illegal drivers, CAQ members refused to address the issue this morning in the National Assembly,” Derraji said in a statement issued on November 4.

Montreal’s Hellenics mark 85 years since Greece said ‘Oxi’ to fascism

Martin C. Barry
-
0
Montreal’s Hellenics mark 85 years since Greece said ‘Oxi’ to fascism

The WWII Axis powers first ran into serious resistance in Greece in 1940

Patriotic Greeks from all over Montreal joined elected officials along with leaders from the Hellenic community for a ceremony on October 26 at the Embassy in Chomedey marking the 85th anniversary of the historic day in World War II when Greece rejected its occupation by Axis forces.

Ultimatum rejected

Each year, Oxi Day is celebrated throughout Greece, Cyprus and Greek communities around the world to commemorate the refusal by Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas when presented with an ultimatum on October 28 in 1940 by Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

Officials at the head table during the HCGM’s annual Oxi Day commemoration held at the Embassy in Chomedey included Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis, Ambassador of Greece to Canada Ekaterina Dimakis, HCGM president Basile Angelopoulos, Consul General in Montreal for Greece Nikolaos Karalekas and Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

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 said curtly, following which he added, “Then it is war.”

The beginning of 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, regardless of their political affiliations, shouting “Oxi.” Since 1942, it has been a national celebration marked annually.

Dignitaries who attended this year’s event organized by the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal included Ambassador of Greece to Canada Ekaterina Dimakis, the Consul General in Montreal for Greece Nikolaos Karalekas, Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis, Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis and HCGM president Basile Angelopoulos.

During an Oxi Day commemoration in Laval on October 26, Ambassador of Greece to Canada Ekaterina Dimakis delivered greetings to members of the Greek diaspora in Canada from the government of the Hellenic Republic. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

A ‘fight for liberty’

“We are here to recall the heroism and the resistance to fascism during the 1940s by the Greek nation which was exemplary and was recognized around the world for standing out in the spirit of the fight for liberty,” Angelopoulos said in an interview with Newsfirst Multimedia, paraphrasing the keynote address he delivered.

Comparing the historical events of 85 years ago to the situation today, Angelopoulos commented, “Apathy is probably today’s modern invader. Disengagement and disinterest are our enemies now and something that we should never allow.”

Like Angelopoulos, Koutrakis could also see parallels between the past and more recent history. “What is more scary than ever to me is the lack of sympathy and empathy globally to the dangers that we are increasingly surrounded by,” she said.

Turning back the fascists

“So, this day to me, not only as a Hellene, reminds me of my heritage and what happened those many years ago that was the turnaround of World War II,” she continued.

“But it also reminds me of the great obligation and responsibility that we have, especially in the western world, if we want to safeguard our democracies and push back on fascism.”

Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal president Basile Angelopoulos quoted former Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King in an address on this year’s Oxi Day. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

In his address, Angelopoulos cited former Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, who wrote about Greece’s fall in 1940. “Greece has fallen to the enemy, but only after a resistance that will become legendary,” said Angelopoulos, quoting Mackenzie King.

King went on to say that the men of Greece “have set an example of heroism that has inspired free men everywhere … To those of Greek race everywhere in Canada I send my greetings, my appreciation for what they have done …”

Pink in the City’s Magic of Hope raises hundreds of thousands for breast cancer

Martin C. Barry
-
0
Pink in the City’s Magic of Hope raises hundreds of thousands for breast cancer

More than 850 guests partied at gala evening for the MUHC’s Breast Center

A new word has been turning up in conversations lately. Especially those concerning women who’ve undergone the ordeal of breast cancer. It’s survivorism.

By some definitions, survivorism is a policy of trying to ensure survival especially in the face of a catastrophic event.

Latin American dance performers lent Pink in the City’s 2025 Magic of Hope gala an exciting air at the Château Royal congress centre in Chomedey on October 24. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Support for well-being

For breast cancer survivors this translates into re-establishing a balanced and healthy lifestyle in order to support well-being during and following the rigorous treatments required to overcome breast cancer.

But to be truly successful, all aspects of the patient’s well-being must also be addressed: the physical, psychological and social. Pink in the City helps to meet those needs.

With that in mind, more than 850 supporters of Pink in the City set a new attendance record on the evening of Friday October 24 when they turned up for the breast cancer foundation’s 2025 Magic of Hope fundraising gala.

Some of the breast cancer survivors attending this year’s Magic of Hope gala are seen with MUHC Breast Centre Director Dr. Sarkis H. Meterissian (at the microphone). (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

A collective effort

“It’s a great evening – it’s inspiring,” Pink in the City co-founder Denise Vourtzoumis told The Laval News. “We’re doing something really great here all together.”

As Pink in the City holds fundraising events throughout the year, the tally from the gala as well as from the other fundraisers held in 2025 will be announced in January 2026.

But in the meantime, Magic of Hope raised well over $300,000 last year. Over the years, Pink in the City has become one of the MUHC Foundation’s most productive and reliable fundraisers.

Left, Bobby and Denise Vourtzoumis, along with other members of their family, are seen on stage at the Château Royal in Chomedey on October 24 during Pink in the City’s annual Magic of Hope gala. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

A call to action

Pink in the City was founded in 2006 when Denise’s son, Lawrence who was 11 years old back then, heard an ad on the radio while driving to school with his mother. It requested volunteers to shave their heads as a demonstration of solidarity for those who had lost their hair due to chemo treatments for breast cancer.

He was captivated by the idea and asked his mother if he could take part. He wanted to shave his head to show support, which was a pretty brave thing for a pre-teen to do. Denise agreed and helped Lawrence raise the required amount of money to be able to participate.

Nearly two decades and many fundraising gala evenings later, Pink in the City has raised millions for the MUHC Foundation, which remits funds to the McGill University Health Centre’s Breast Clinic Wellness Program.

Among the gala’s guests were Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal president Basile Angelopoulos (far left) and spouse, Canadian Senator Leo Housakos and his wife along with other guests. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Every gesture counts

Pink in the City started as a single event. This heightened an already existing awareness about breast cancer in the community and the need to support those who had been impacted by the disease. It also embedded the idea that every selfless gesture of support makes a difference.

Over time, volunteers, sponsors, partners and medical advisors allowed Pink in the City to attain and exceed its goals. Community partners have also played a key role by supporting and attending Pink in the City’s various functions and events. Partnerships have extended to leadership programs sponsored by the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board at Laval-area high schools.

McGill University Health Centre Foundation president and CEO Marie-Hélène Larameé, left, presented Pink in the City co-founder Denise Vourtzoumis with a special recognition award during the Magic of Hope gala. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Canadian Senator Tony Loffreda, a longtime supporter of Pink in the City, is seen here with his wife Angelina during the 2025 Magic of Hope gala. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

November is Volunteer Recognition Month in Laval

Martin C. Barry
-
0
November is Volunteer Recognition Month in Laval

In November, which is Volunteer Recognition Month, the City of Laval is highlighting the essential role of those whose actions contribute to making Laval a more humane, supportive and vibrant city.

Every day, thousands of citizens dedicate their time to enriching and transforming their community. Volunteering can take many forms and adapt to everyone’s availability and interests.

On November 25, the city will hold its 4th annual Laval Volunteer Celebration at Salle André-Mathieu. Singing, dancing, comedy and testimonials will mark this festive evening.

Isabelle Charest, Minister Responsible for Sports, Leisure and the Outdoors, is seen here with Raymond McIntyre. (Photo: Amelieshoots)

“Every small gesture, every hour given, and every smile shared contributes to making Laval a more supportive and humane city,” says Mayor Stéphane Boyer. “I sincerely thank all those who give their time with passion, dedication, and generosity.”

In a spirit of recognition during the evening, the City of Laval will be acknowledging the exceptional volunteerism of Raymond McIntyre of Triathlon Laval, for his leadership, generosity and team spirit.

Since 2019, Raymond McIntyre, who is an administrator and marketing manager at Triathlon Laval, has distinguished himself through his energy, creativity and deep commitment to the Laval sports community.

A true triathlon enthusiast, he promotes his club by initiating numerous projects: creating a guide for new members, managing social media, designing promotional items and organizing the annual fundraiser, which attracts more than 500 participants.

Agreement reached between blue collar workers and the city

The City of Laval has announced that a new collective agreement has been reached with the Laval blue-collar workers union. Blue-collar staff voted in favor of the proposed agreement, with 83 per cent supporting the mediator’s suggested settlement.

The collective agreement will be for a six-year term, ranging retroactively from January 1 in 2022, to December 31 in 2027. It is to be presented to the City of Laval’s executive-committee for confirmation before its entry into force.

According to the city, the agreement is part of the process of optimizing municipal services, with tangible benefits for each party and for the well-being of the population. The city says the agreement respects the interests of blue-collar staff, administrative needs and the ability of Laval residents to pay.

The main operational benefits are as follows:

• Revised and more flexible work schedules, offering greater stability in citizen services and reducing overtime;

• Improved weekend and winter shift schedules, with more flexible hours;

• The addition of permanent weekend shifts to ensure more consistent public service at all times;

• The option for some teams to extend their workday by three hours to complete ongoing tasks;

• And greater efficiency in posting job openings, reducing some delays by 50 per cent.

“The ratification of this agreement with the blue-collar workers marks a new chapter for the City of Laval,” said Mayor Boyer.

“This agreement meets the needs of our workers, respects the ability of Laval residents to pay, and lays the foundation for a more efficient work organization,” he added. “I commend the commitment of Laval’s blue-collar workers to embark on this project.”

“The efficiency of municipal services is a priority for our administration,” said Laval city manager Benoit Colette. “This new collective agreement reflects the shared commitment of the city and its blue-collar workers to provide services that meet the evolving expectations and needs of Laval residents.”

Ten days of digital and technological immersion in libraries

From November 6 to 16, Laval’s public libraries are inviting residents to discover the digital world at the 7th annual NUM Festival, a free, family-friendly event featuring over 50 activities for all ages.

With activities involving virtual reality, interactive experiences and robot building, it will be the perfect opportunity for children and adults alike to take a dive into innovation and creativity.

“With the NUM Festival, Laval’s libraries demonstrate that they are much more than just places to read: they are vibrant spaces where innovation, creativity, and digital culture come together,” said Mayor Boyer.

“This event reflects our commitment to making technology accessible to everyone, in a spirit of discovery and enjoyment.”

The event offers the opportunity to discover and experience the diverse range of modern activities and services offered by Laval Libraries, many of which focus on digital technologies.

Laval News Volume 33-21

Laval News Staff
-
0
Laval News Volume 33-21

The current issue of the Laval News, volume 33-21, published on November 5th, 2025.
Covering Laval local news, politics, and sports.
(Click on the image to read the paper.)

New Laval support group aids English community

Matthew Ralph Daldalian
-
0
New Laval support group aids English community

By Matthew Daldalian

Retired social worker and consultant Filomena Corrado at the support group space, where she leads the new weekly support group (Matthew Daldalian, The Laval News)

When a small group gathered last week at the local wellness club in Chomedy, they were doing something quietly new for the city’s English-speaking residents: taking part in a support group designed for people helping loved ones through mental troubles.

The group, led by Filomena Corrado, a retired social worker and clinical consultant, offers a free, confidential space for those supporting family members with mental illness. This ranges from adolescents facing anxiety to adults living with depression or schizophrenia.

“It really addresses the isolation aspect,” Corrado said. “The fact of not feeling alone with what you’re going through.”

The weekly Wednesday-morning sessions are part of a partnership between AGAPE, Alpabem, Cafgraf, and the Comité de développement local de Chomedey (CDLC), with the goal of creating a regular English-language access point for mental-health support. Corrado said the idea grew from her work at the aforementioned Alpabem, a long-running community organization that provides counseling, group therapy, and family support for people affected by mental illness.

“Sometimes [informal caregivers] feel that it’s their fault, that it’s their responsibility that the person has gotten sick and it’s not the case,” Corrado said. “Many factors contribute and they have to also learn how to deal with this situation, take care of themselves while they’re taking care of somebody else.”

For Corrado, who spent more than 35 years in Laval’s health and social services system, the benefits of simply talking with others in similar situations can be transformative. “It helps them go through the days and helps them go through what they’re going through,” she added.

She said the group’s creation stemmed from a shared recognition that Anglophones in Laval often travel to Montreal to access help in their own language. “There seemed to be a reaction, which was great,” Corrado said. “Like any support group that starts, it’s got to start somewhere.”

At AGAPE, assistant director Ian Williams, a trained social worker, said the project was years in the making.

“Some 15 years ago when I started working here, I worked on a smaller-scale project trying to make [people] understand why mental health services weren’t so accessible in English,” Williams said.

Williams said that effective mental-health care depends heavily on language, noting that clinicians need to communicate with clients in the language they’re most comfortable with to ensure the best possible treatment outcome.

AGAPE assistant director Ian Williams at his office in Chomedey (Matthew Daldalian, The Laval News)


He added that the initiative was initially funded through a joint program between the city of Laval and the Centre Intégré de Santé et de Services Sociaux de Laval (CISSS), before AGAPE and its partners stepped in to sustain it.

Williams explained that Agape joined forces with Alpabem director Patrice Machabée and other community partners to find new ways to keep the program funded. Together with the CDLC de Laval and Cafgraf, the organizations pooled their resources to cover rent and staff hours so the support group could continue operating.

Although participation was still low, Williams said the long-term goal was to demonstrate demand and attract more stable funding. “Our hope is to get enough interest in the group,” he said. “Generate enough evidence to show to potential new funders because we could only sustain this partnership for so long.”

Corrado said the support group offers a starting point, one built on empathy and connection rather than formality. “No matter what difficulty you go through, when you feel that there’s other people that you can speak to, that you can feel understood, that you don’t feel alone, it helps you go through the days,” she said.

For now, the doors remain open every Wednesday morning, a modest but vital space for English-speaking caregivers in Laval to share, listen and heal together.

Aglaia Revelakis wins tight race in Chomedey

Matthew Ralph Daldalian
-
0
Aglaia Revelakis wins tight race in Chomedey

Independent councillor keeps seat as Laval voters face morning issues at polls

By Matthew Daldalian

After more than a decade representing Chomedey, Aglaia Revelakis held onto her council seat Sunday night, but by the narrowest margin of her political career.

Revelakis, running as an independent, edged out Action Laval’s Costa Deeb by just 38 votes, winning 34.36 per cent of the vote (1,143 ballots) to Deeb’s 33.21 per cent (1,105). The Mouvement Lavallois candidate, Denitsa Dimitrova, finished third with 19.66 per cent, while the Parti Laval’s Sally Radwan took 12.77 per cent.

It marked a sharp drop from her commanding 52.19 per cent victory in 2021, when she carried Laval’s 14th district by more than 900 votes for Action Laval.

Independent Laval councillor Aglaia Revelakis monitors election day operations at her Chomedey campaign headquarters as polls close Sunday evening. (Matthew Daldalian, The Laval News)

“I’ve been here since early morning,” Revelakis told The Laval News before results were confirmed. “It’s crunch time, we’ve had over 30 volunteers working in shifts all day.”

Revelakis said voter turnout and polling irregularities made the day more stressful than most. On Sunday morning, more than 100 election staff across Laval failed to show up, delaying voting by up to half an hour in 23 polling stations, including the Centre du Sablon in Chomedey.

“The voters went out to vote and the polling station was not open because they didn’t have the sufficient personnel,” Revelakis said. “They had to go to work and couldn’t come back, so there are voters I lost in the morning. So that frustrated voters.”

Élections Laval confirmed the issue in a statement to CityNews, saying delays were quickly resolved and all polling stations closed at 8 p.m. as scheduled.

Revelakis said the problem reminded her of her concern that apathy and mismanagement are undermining local democracy. “People are not interested because they feel nothing will change,” she said. “So let’s go back to basics.”

Volunteers say effort paid off

For campaign organiser Zissis Fotopoulos, who has been involved in politics for years, the win was a testament to grassroots persistence.

“There’s no interest. People complain, but they don’t go vote,” he said. “If you complain, you have to go vote. If you want change, you vote.”

Fotopoulos praised Revelakis’s work ethic and door-to-door campaigning. “She knows every step. She did most of the houses herself starting in July,” he said. “Sometimes the old-fashioned way is the best way.”

Campaign organizer Zissis Fotopoulos (right) said Revelakis’ team focused on door-to-door contact and old-fashioned community outreach. (Matthew Daldalian, The Laval News)

Another supporter, Michael Arfanis, coordinated transportation for voters with mobility challenges. “It’s tiring, it’s a long day, but we’re fighting the good fight,” he said. “We know Aglaia is the right person. She’s shown it for the last three terms.”

Arfanis said helping residents get to the polls was about civic responsibility, not partisanship. “We don’t even know who they vote for. If they vote for someone else, so be it, we’ve helped them exercise their right,” he said.

Volunteer Alexa Pikilids, who has supported Revelakis for six years, said her motivation was personal. “She’s strong, confident and mature enough,” said Pikilids. “Even people who don’t know her believe in her.”

Laval’s political landscape shifts

Citywide, the Mouvement lavallois under Mayor Stéphane Boyer expanded its majority, winning 17 of 22 council seats and securing Boyer a second term with 58.87 per cent of the vote. The Parti Laval and Action Laval each elected two councillors.

Despite the lower margin, Revelakis said her team’s success showed that her personal connection to her district still matters in Laval politics.

“I really want to thank my volunteers,” she said. “Without the team, without the volunteers, you can’t do much.”

1...678...304Page 7 of 304

Weather

Laval
snow
-3.9 ° C
-3 °
-5.1 °
62 %
5.1kmh
20 %
Thu
-4 °
Fri
-7 °
Sat
-1 °
Sun
-8 °
Mon
-1 °

Popular Categories

Serving English Laval since 1993

Newsfirst Multimedia Logo

450.978.9999

info@newsfirst.ca

304-3860 Notre-Dame Laval, Qc. H7V 1S1

This project was made possible in part by the Government of Canada.

Ce projet a été rendu possible en partie grâce au gouvernement du Canada.

Canada Logo

Latest articles

Popular Categories