‘We were very well organized this year,’ said city councillor David De Cotis
In spite of a steady downpour of rain, organizers say the 7th annual Fête de Quartier Saint-Bruno turned into a success all the same, with children and adults alike having a great time.
According to Saint-Bruno city councillor David De Cotis who hosted the event, a range of activities kept everyone who attended in an upbeat mood, despite the sun’s absence.
Sponsors appreciated
“A big thanks to the many generous sponsors without whom this neighbourhood party would not have been possible,” De Cotis said in a statement.
“Special thanks particularly to the lead sponsors, including the Caisse du Centre et de l’Est de Laval, Euro-Marché de Laval, BMW Laval, and Horizon Santé Dominic Fournier pharmacien,” he added.
In addition to traditional children’s activities such as face makeup and inflatable games, De Cotis noted the addition to this year’s event of new activities including one revolving around a Pac-Man theme.
As well, those attending had the opportunity to meet boxing champion Lucian Bute. On the menu were free hot dogs and espresso coffee.
The children had fun
“We were very well organized this year, with several new partners,” said De Cotis. “Nothing can stop children from having a good time, and not even the rain could keep them from going on pony rides, or taking a ride around the grounds on board the mini-train.”
He said preparations are already underway for the 8th annual Fête de Quartier Saint-Bruno during the summer of 2024. In the meantime, he wished all his district’s children a happy and safe return to school and classes.
The court case of the Laval man who is said to have deliberately driven a city bus into a Ste-Dorothée daycare last February, killing two young children and injuring six others, was postponed recently, as the crown prosecutor requested more time to finish disclosing evidence – including expertise on the bus involved in the crash.
An aerial view of the bus crash on the morning of Wednesday Feb. 8. (Screenshot courtesy of Nouvelles TVA)
Pierre Ny St-Amand was arrested after a Société de transport de Laval bus crashed into the front of Garderie Éducative Sainte-Rose on Feb. 8, killing two four-year-olds and injuring six other children.
It is alleged that STL driver Pierre Ny St-Amand was the driver of the bus that rammed the Garderie éducative de Sainte-Rose. (Photo: Facebook)
The 51-year-old one-time STL bus driver was charged with two counts of first-degree murder as well as seven other charges, including attempted murder and aggravated assault.
Quebec court Judge Carol Richer has agreed to postpone the case to Sept. 26, after the Crown said it needed more time for the disclosure of evidence. The case has been postponed several times, including an instance when both parties requested more time to study a psychiatric evaluation.
Crown prosecutor in the case Karine Dalphond said recently she’s hopeful things will move forward in September, but could not say if another delay will happen.
Some observers are beginning to question the delays, since St-Amand was taken into custody six months ago and a 2016 ruling stated that the Crown has not much longer than 18 months to bring forward a case, failing which charges can be dismissed because of what is regarded as an unreasonable delay.
Teenage driver gets $2,155 speeding ticket in Montreal
Quebec provincial police say an 18-year-old man from Laval received a hefty fine and 24 demerit points after he was allegedly caught speeding at more than twice the posted speed limit on Autoroute 40.
A Sûreté du Québec (SQ) patrol officer clocked the teen driving 220 km/h in 100 km/h zone in August, according to a news release. The teen was pulled over at around 2:45 a.m. near Autoroute 13.
He also had his vehicle impounded and had his driver’s licence suspended for seven days. The SQ emphasized the fact that speeding is the leading cause of fatal collisions on Quebec’s roads and highways.
Man’s face and neck slashed on Lévesque Ouest
A 42-year-old man suffered potentially serious injuries to the face and neck recently during an overnight incident which took place in a rooming house on Lévesque Blvd. in western Laval.
Around 2:30 am, according to a Laval Police Dept. report, an altercation broke out between the victim and another man. Both lived in the same building.
The attacker allegedly attacked the victim around the face and neck. When police were summoned shortly after this, they arrested the suspect.
The 37-year-old victim was transported to hospital where he received treatment for the injuries, which are said to have non-life threatening.
Laval caught up in a wave of frauds, LPD says
According to a recent report by the Laval Police, Laval is currently experiencing a wave of fraudulent activity, and the LPD wants residents to be on guard.
The average age of victims in Laval, according to the report, is 79 years. The “grandparent” fraud scheme is one of the most common. Another involves fraudsters calling up victims while claiming to be an employee of a bank, in order to persuade them to either give up personal information or withdraw large sums of money.
‘Helitack’ crew chief from Chomedey sends back dispatches from the front
Marc Abramson during one of his recent wildfire assignments in Manitoba, seen from the rear from a wilderness fireman’s perspective.
Reports of rampant forest fires across Canada have been consistently in the news all this summer. And given the role of climate change, the situation in coming years is only expected to get worse.
Chomedey resident Jacob Abramson’s son, Marc, who is also from Chomedey, is currently a “Helitack Crew Chief,” fighting fires in Manitoba. (Helitack stands for Helicopter Transport Initial Wildfire Attack.)
The men and women on the fire lines are often invisible. The difficulty of their task, the conditions under which they work, and the physical and mental discipline required cannot be fully appreciated in video images or sound bites.
A seasoned firefighter
Marc, 42, has worked as a wilderness firefighter for several years in the U.S. states of Nevada, Montana and Wyoming, as well as in Manitoba in Canada. He was most recently stationed in the Paint Lake region of North East Manitoba about 750 kilometres north of Winnipeg.
Marc painted some of the wildfire fighting tools hot pink so they are not so easily lost.
After Marc worked 23 days on various fire lines (the maximum allowed) this past summer, his father told the Laval News that Marc sat down and wrote a poem in one hour directly from his guts. Its style is reminiscent of the poetic work of another Canadian who spent a lot of time in the wilderness: Robert W. Service. Jacob later discovered it on Marc’s Facebook page.
If you go to Marc’s Facebook page, you’ll find a recent post showing a fire team waiting for a helicopter pickup chest deep in water. Another dark but colourful post is a video of Marc walking back to camp through swamp at 11:30 at night.
A female firefighter works on a pump suspended over water on a tripod (if dry land is unavailable) during a recent firefighting engagement in Manitoba.
Canada’s record wildfires
So far this year, according to recent reporting in the New York Times, wildfires have raged across 37 million acres in nearly every Canadian province and territory, ravaging an area more than twice as large as the amount of territory in this country that burned in any other year.
Tens of thousands of people – including most of the population of the Northwest Territories capital of Yellowknife – were forced to flee their homes all at once. Smoke has also turned the air toxic in cities across North America, including New York City and as far south as Atlanta.
In an analysis issued recently, researchers with the World Weather Attribution initiative estimated that eastern Canada now has a four to five percent chance in any given year of experiencing high-fire-risk conditions as severe or worse than this year’s.
Wildfires in Quebec
In a special analysis which focused on northern Quebec, the researchers found that wildfires in June alone burned nine times as much land as in the previous decade. They estimated that a Quebec fire season with a peak intensity like this year’s was at least twice as common as it would be without global warming.
And a fire season with a cumulative severity like this year’s is seven times as common. It was estimated that more than 1,000 fires were raging across Canada in recent weeks, most of them uncontrolled.
In a bid to obtain financial aid from Ottawa’s Housing Accelerator Fund, the City of Laval says it has made a formal application to the federal government for $102 million in order to answer increasing housing needs here.
In a statement the city issued last Monday, it noted that funding from the Housing Accelerator Fund must pass through the Quebec government first before being transferred to municipalities and that the logistics of the transfer are yet to be announced.
Mayor Stéphane Boyer.
Municipalities across Canada had until Aug. 18 to submit action plans to the federal government to be eligible to receive funding. The City of Laval says that from 2018 to 2022, an average 1,244 units of housing per year were built. The city wants to increase that number to 1,839 housing units per year by 2026. The maximum amount that can be received under the program is $102 million.
In addition to expenses by the city related to housing construction, the financial assistance can also be used to create new public infrastructure for new housing, such as sewer system flood mitigation systems, improved fire department services and community facilities.
Laval’s action plan as submitted to the federal government takes into account not only an increase in housing starts on its territory, but also aims to encourage access and affordability of housing for all. The overall plan includes 20 initiatives, including an element of support for the construction of affordable rental housing, a reduction in delays for construction permits, and the implementation of the city’s new urban plan.
Laval says it is currently involved in discussions with the Quebec government over the possibility of new responsibilities being assigned to the city by the province so that the city can handle more housing-related projects on its own.
In a statement, Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer said he and other members of city council were hopeful the two higher levels of government would soon reach an agreement allowing Laval to play more of an active role in helping to resolve the current housing crisis.
“My colleagues and I are impatient to learn more on the modalities on the Ottawa/Quebec agreement to come,” said Boyer. “One thing is certain, and that is that it will quickly be resolved in order to free up the sums necessary so that municipalities can play a larger role.”
‘Tablée des Chefs’ comes to Laval thanks to a $75,000 subsidy
The City of Laval says that a $75,000 subsidy that was recently paid to the Tablée des Chefs for the construction of a comprehensive new kitchen facility at the Laval location of the École hôtelière et d’administration convinced the organization to come to Laval.
The Tablée des Chefs had locations in Longueuil, Quebec City and Montréal, but now adds Laval to the list. The subsidy came from the Fonds entrepreneuriat collectif, overseen by Laval économique, which is responsible for economic development in Laval.
The new kitchen will facilitate the preparation of up to 200,000 meals per year at the Centre de services scolaire de Laval, as well as providing a training facility for cooking camps during the summer holidays.
“The arrival of the Tablée des Chefs à Laval adds to the community eco-system on our territory,” Mayor Stéphane Boyer said in a statement.
“This is a project bringing people together which answers to numerous needs of Laval residents through various initiatives and services. This is also something being done in conjunction with local farmers and related organizations in the region, in order to provide nourishment to the community while sharing knowledge with citizens and others who are involved.”
“Our involvement with social economy organizations like the Tablée des Chefs is an integrated part of our inclusive, cooperative and targeted vision to encourage the success of promising projects that answer to the needs on the Laval territory,” said Lidia Divry, executive-director of Laval économique. Founded in 2002, the Tablée des Chefs has a two-part mission: to help reduce food insecurity, and to help educate the young so that they are able to become autonomous when it comes to food and nutrition.
Saint-François city councillor was impressed by arts festival held in her district
Action Laval city councillor for Saint-François Isabelle Piché participated enthusiastically in the recent Festival Mosaïque, which took place in her district.
For the second time year, the Centrale des artistes chose Saint-François as the setting for their event which revolves around a theme of cultural diversity.
Reason to celebrate
“We have a great community where many cultures live side by side while going at the same pace and sharing many of the same customs,” Piché said. “Saint-François is a fantastic place to hold this kind of event.”
From Aug. 18 – 20 on rue de L’Église, there was a range of activities for everyone to enjoy. There was a distinctly African component this year with Dominique Fils-Aimé and Élage Diouf representing the many cultures of the continent.
Drawing people together
“The residents were pleased to welcome the artists in their neighbourhood,” said Piché. “This helps to enhance life in the neighbhourhood, to build community and to get closer to neighbours. Let’s hope we see them all again soon.”
Singer/songwriter Marco Calliari opened the festival to the sound of Italian folk music. Elsewhere, giant Alebrijes marionnettes, inspired by mexican pop art, enthralled the young as well as older people.
It all came to a climax with the theatrical piece “Moi et l’autre” by Théâtre fêlé, followed by a free méchoui dinner on Aug. 20.
Fabre MNA donates 50 backpacks of school supplies to needy children
During her campaign for the October 2022 provincial election, Alice Abou-Khalil promised her electors she would work for them and listen to their needs. Ever since, according to a spokesperson for her constituency office, she has been working hard to fulfill the promise.
Recently, Abou-Khalil was approached by the Foundation Nez pour vivre. The organizer, Mrs. Francine Laplante, better known as the Starry Godmother (Marraine étoilée), presented a project dear and near to the heart of Mrs. Abou-Khalil: helping kids start school on the right path.
Buys school supplies
The project consisted of buying school backpacks filled with school supplies. As part of the Volunteer Action Support program (Soutien aux Actions Bénevoles), Mrs. Abou-Khalil responded to the call, since Fabre is currently experiencing an increased number of newcomers and an immigration wave.
“We got fifty backpacks full of school supplies and stationery to help underprivileged and newcomer students start their school year without any stress,” said Mrs. Abou-Khalil. “By doing this, we want to lift a small burden off the shoulders of the parents. We can all make a difference by donating.”
Gift greatly appreciated
Fifty bags were brought to Pierre-Laporte elementary school, where the principal was visibly moved by this unexpected act of generosity. He accepted them and thanked Mrs. Abou-Khalil and the organization on behalf of the recipients.
“We are very happy and surprised by all this,” said the principal, Simon Guilbault Giroux. “Our school hosts around 95 per cent of students from abroad, newcomers, refugees as well as underprivileged students living in our sector, and most of the parents try hard to make ends meet. So, this kind of generosity is more than welcome.”
Colleagues’ efforts
Mrs. Abou-Khalil said she wanted to acknowledge efforts and contributions made by her fellow Laval MNAs and congratulate each one in his or her own riding by bringing the Starry Godmother to help them with more backpacks. “The more the merrier,” she said. “We are elected by the population and whenever we can give the parents a small break, we will.” She encouraged her colleagues, the Laval city councillors, to come forward and plan similar endeavours. “Let us not forget that commitment comes first,” said Mrs. Abou-Khalil.
The current issue of the Laval News, volume 31-16, published on August 30th, 2023. Covering Laval local news, politics, and sports. (Click on the image to read the paper.)
Seventy artists participated in this year’s art exhibition in Vieux Sainte-Rose
Although two days of rainfall last month put a dent in the usually strong attendance at the Symposium de Ste-Rose, abundant sunshine on the art exhibition’s last day made up for the shortfall.
From July 27 to 30, appreciators of fine sculpture and exquisite art came from all over Quebec as well as other parts of eastern Canada to enjoy the 27th annual symposium.
Impressionist landscape painter Serge Nadeau from Disraeli in Quebec’s Eastern Townships was among the artists who travelled from far to take part in the 2023 Symposium de Ste-Rose. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
As has been the case for nearly three decades, the symposium took place in downtown Sainte-Rose along Sainte-Rose Blvd., next to the Old Firehall (La Vieille Caserne), near the historic Sainte-Rose-de-Lima church.
A gathering of talent
The Symposium de Ste-Rose is regarded by some as one of Canada’s most successful gatherings of visual artists and their works. Each year, attending the symposium is seen by connoisseurs of art as a great opportunity to enjoy the creations of many different artists who express themselves in many different styles.
As the Symposium de Ste-Rose Art’s reputation has grown across Quebec and other provinces, the organizers have also received some significant recognition. In 2019, the Laval Chamber of Commerce and Industry presented them with a Dunamis award for helping to promote tourism in Laval.
An annual pilgrimage
For years now, the symposium has been an annual pilgrimage for collectors seeking quality works to enhance the home, or as lasting gifts for family and loved ones. Patrons had the opportunity this year to purchase works by 70 talented artists, expressing themselves in styles ranging from traditional and impressionistic to modern and abstract.
The symposium’s organizers were a finalist for a second Dunamis in 2020 as a “sustainable” organization or enterprise. And indeed, tourism has been growing by leaps and bounds in Laval over the past few years, as travellers from all over Canada and the U.S. discover hidden treasures such as the Symposium de Ste-Rose.
Unwelcome rainfall
“I have to admit that things haven’t been great over the past two days and I was a little discouraged,” Oprina-Felicia Dolea, the president of the Corporation Rose-Art which organizes the symposium, said in an interview with the Laval News on day two. “However, they are calling for sunshine tomorrow so let’s hope,” she added.
Patrons had the opportunity to purchase paintings, sculptures and other art works
Local musicians Antonio Varano (who is also a restauranteur) and Danny Bergeron provided some musical diversion during the three-day Symposium de Ste-Rose. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Some came from far
Regardless of the weather and a corresponding decline in attendance, she said serious buyers still managed to show up and were seemingly determined to buy art works. “I sold seven,” she said, noting that painters and sculptors tend to have an optimistic outlook.
Impressionist landscape painter Serge Nadeau, who came all the way from the town of Disraeli in the Eastern Townships to be among the nearly six dozen artists exhibiting at the symposium, said he loves taking part in an art show set in a such a picturesque area of Quebec whose history is also closely tied to Québécois art.
“There is something special about Sainte-Rose, firstly because of its association with Marc Aurèle Fortin,” he said, noting that the world-famous artist lived and worked in Sainte-Rose. “The overall atmosphere here is also very nice. There are a lot of artists who like to come here year after year.”
Recommendations include more sports for youth and cleaning up graffiti
Mayor Stéphane Boyer.
Members of Laval city council who sit on a multipartisan committee on urban violence tabled a report in June, in which they suggested proposed solutions, as suggested by experts and community groups, to growing street violence in Laval.
The committee, which had been working on the problem since July last year, came up with a number of recommendations, which include:
Encourage the practice of sports by teens and young adults;
Increase spending on the city’s recreational facilities, including parks and public spaces;
Evaluate and provide support for programs affecting youths;
Improve relations between police and the citizenry;
Take more means to deal with graffiti in Laval;
Improve communications with parents;
Hold a summit in 2023 bringing together all stakeholders;
Provide recurring financial support to stakeholding organizations;
Organize a special project with youths in a targeted area of Laval.
Positive step forward
“I am convinced that it is by prevention that we will truly be able to stem urban violence,” said Mayor Stéphane Boyer. “What’s more, the ideas in this report are based on facts and testimony from numerous experts, while being adapted to the reality in Laval. It is therefore only up to us to translate these great ideas into actions. I am proud to represent a city council which acts in such a constructive manner to the benefit of the community.”
Action Laval city councillor for Val des Arbres Archie Cifelli.
Over the past year, the members of the commission worked together and in conjunction with affiliated organizations, specialists, academics and the Laval Police Dept. to create an accurate picture of the situation and to encourage better practices,” said city councillor Sandra Desmeules, who presides the commission and who is responsible for public security on the executive-committee. “This bipartisan work shows political process at its best for the well-being of the community.”
In search of solutions
“I am certain that the recommendations of the commission, which was created following a proposal by my colleague Aglaia Revelakis, will allow efficient solutions to be put into place in order to answer to the problem of violence in our streets, not only in the short term, but also for years to come,” said Action Laval city councillor for Val-des-Arbres Achille Cifelli.
“With the report now tabled, I am anxious to see the implementation of the recommendations,” said Parti Laval city councillor Louise Lortie. “The proposed actions must lead to results on the ground while also leading towards reduced violence in Laval. The commission’s work has led to a better understanding of the problem’s dynamics while suggesting solutions, although the most important work remains to be done.”
A family on Simonet St. in Laval’s Saint-François district was left homeless in early August when a fire started in a bedroom and raged through the rest of the dwelling.
Thirty firefighters were on the scene within five minutes, along with officers from the Laval Police Dept. who re-routed traffic and provided assistance. Flames could be seen shooting from the windows of the one-storey building.
Damage was estimated at $125,000, including the building and its contents. The firefighters subsequently found there was a smoke detector in the house, although it wasn’t working.
LFD firefighter retires after 23 years
Laval Fire Dept. firefighter Christian Mirault will be retiring on Sept. 1 after more than 23 years of service. In a tweet on their Twitter account, the Association des Pompiers de Laval recently wished him all the best in his retirement years.
CHSLD nursing assistant charged with sex crimes
Investigators with the sex crimes unit of the Laval Police say they have arrested Abdeslam El Asri, age 55, as a suspect following investigations involving allegations of sexual assault.
El Asri, who was a nursing assistant in a CHSLD in Laval, is alleged to have committed sexual assaults against CHSLD employees in the work place from October 2022 and February 2023.
He was arraigned in early July at the Palais de Justice de Laval on three charges of sexual assault, but was released on bail and is due back in court on Sept. 27.
Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of El Asri is asked to call the Laval Police Dept.’s confidential Info Line at 450 662- INFO (4636) or 911. The dossier number is LVl-230320-075.
