A man from Laval man has been charged with indecent exposure and voyeurism after allegedly exposing himself to a young girl in a park in the city’s Laval-des-Rapides district.
Benoit Hotte, age 55, has been charged with indecent exposure and voyeurism allegedly committed at Parc Bernard-Landry in Laval-des-Rapides.
According to the Laval Police Dept., Benoit Hotte, 55, inserted his hand into his pants in front of a young girl in Parc Bernard-Landry on Aug. 13, then dropped his pants to the ground while staring at her.
After being arrested, Hotte had a court appearance on Aug. 15 and was released on bail with several conditions to be followed. He is scheduled to return to court in November.
Court records show that Hotte was arrested in Laval last year under similar circumstances. He was charged on July 8 last year with committing an indecent act and exposing himself to a minor the previous December.
That case is still pending at the Laval courthouse. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim or a witness to Hotte’s alleged acts is urged to contact Laval police at 450-662-INFO (4636) or call 911. The file number is LVL 220813-055.
Experienced economic development expert sees a great future for Laval’s biotech sector
In an opening bid to win the Laval region’s five provincial ridings – three of which are now held by the Quebec Liberals – Premier François Legault was in Laval-des-Rapides to announce the Coalition Avenir Québec’s candidate in this current PLQ riding.
Economic development professional Céline Hatayan has been chosen to run for the Coalition Avenir Québec in Laval-des-Rapides.
L-D-R a ‘swing’ riding
She is Céline Haytayan, and she will be trying to pry this swing riding that has swayed unpredictably at times in many past elections from Quebec Liberal Saul Polo, a veteran of two National Assembly terms who is the only incumbent PLQ MNA from Laval to be seeking another mandate in the Oct. 3 elections.
Haytayan has a professional background in corporate management. She is currently director of international corporate affairs with the global video game producer Ubisoft.
An impressive C.V.
For fourteen years, she was a senior staffer and member of the board at the Montreal International economic development agency. Haytayan also has university degrees in business administration and law from HEC Montréal, Université de Montréal, UQAM and McGill University.
“Céline is an expert in economic development and business, which will be excellent for Laval-des-Rapides,” Legault said during the launch.
“Her experience will be highly useful to further develop the economy of Laval-des-Rapides, where the potential is great. I feel truly privileged to have a candidate of such great caliber as Céline Haytayan on the CAQ team. She is the best person to make your voices heard in the National Assembly and with the government.”
‘A woman of action’
Haytayan described herself as a woman accustomed to being “on the territory. A woman of action. I commit myself today to go out on your behalf and to devote myself for the common good in the best interests of the families in Laval-des-Rapides, the senior citizens, the community organizations, the people who are in business, the industries.”
In an informal speech, Legault spoke of the CAQ government’s commitments to supporting various City of Laval development projects, including extending the Metro system’s orange line northward into Laval, and the extension of Saint-Martin Blvd. eastward to better link Laval’s west and central areas with the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul and Saint-François districts.
Laval’s east-west corridor
“We’ve placed a lot of emphasis on the north-south these past years,” said Legault. “But we are discovering that there are also needs on the east-west axis. So, we are working on many dossiers.” One such dossier – the extension of Autoroute 19 north of the A-440 to cross the Mille-Îles River onto the North Shore – is progressing, according the Premier.
“That and other dossiers are advancing,” he said. “We have a lot ambition for Laval and we needed a candidate from Laval with an equal amount of ambition. For us, Céline is an important addition to our economic team. She has worked virtually all her life in economic development.”
A cancer survivor
For her part, Haytayan revealed that part of the reason she is running for the CAQ is a desire to serve the community – something which she became acutely aware of last year when she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to undergo intensive treatment.
“When you go through something like this, it raised many questions, including the way in which one lives,” she said. “When you overcome a challenge such as this, there is a before and an after. I was my wish that my after would serve the community.
“It occurred to me during this reflection that the person I am, with values and acquired experience, could serve the public good,” she continued. “I have always found political commitment very noble. It is a noble calling. Taking an interest in public affairs, having the desire to contribute to the well-being of the community, I want to be part of this.”
Economic development
Regarding Laval’s potential for ongoing economic development, Haytayan said the Centre Québécois d’innovation en biotechnologies (a science-based business incubator on Cartier Blvd. West), in conjunction with provincial and municipal economic development agencies, stands to attract more biotech businesses to Laval in the future.
“If I am elected, I will work in conjunction with Mayor Boyer’s team to attract more businesses of this specific sector, in life sciences and health technology, in technology proper,” she said, while adding that she also plans to pay close attention to problems that impact families in Laval-des-Rapides, such as social exclusion and poverty.
Longtime Chomedey resident chosen by riding association with 51.5 per cent support
Following one of the rare nomination contests Quebec Liberal Party supporters in Chomedey have seen in decades, members of the PLQ’s Chomedey riding association have chosen Sona Lakhoyan Olivier from a field of five candidates to represent the party in the Oct. 3 provincial election.
A nomination and investiture meeting held at the Château Royal on Aug. 8 drew up to 1,200 enthusiastic Chomedey PLQ supporters, of which 1,106 were entitled to vote as card-carrying riding association members.
A winner at 11:30 pm
Because of the exceptionally large turnout and the elevated number of candidates, three rounds of balloting were needed. The final decision – declaring Sona Lakhoyan Olivier the winner with 51.5 per cent of the votes – wasn’t announced until 11:30 pm.
The candidates for the PLQ’s Chomedey nomination were (from the left) Nezha Omary, Sona Lakhoyan Olivier, Peter Papadakis, Sayed Melhem and Abderrahman Essayh. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)
In a biographical brief furnished by the PLQ, the party says Sona Lakhoyan Olivier has been a resident of Chomedey for more than 30 years and a longtime PLQ supporter.
She has been an employee of Loto Québec for the past 25 years, and has served as a school commissioner with the former Commission scolaire de Laval and as a member of the board with the Fondation de la Cité de la Santé.
A process of elimination
Her nearest rivals in the race, Sayed Melhem and Peter Papadakis, managed to win 37.5 per cent and 11 per cent support respectively each.
Nezha Omary, a former chief of staff and political attaché to ex-PLQ cabinet minister David Heurtel, was eliminated after the first round of balloting, followed in round two by Abderrahman Essayh, a one-time candidate for the Parti Laval in the municipality’s Saint-Martin district.
As has sometimes been the case in the past during political party candidate investitures in Chomedey, there were significant partisan overtones during this one, divided along multicultural and ethnic lines.
Multicultural interest
Virtually all the candidates and their close supporters arrived with sizeable delegations, consisting of a mix of long-time and newly-minted riding association members, with roots in the Armenian, Lebanese, Greek, Syrian and Maghrebi communities.
Sona Lakhoyan Olivier will be representing the Liberal Party of Quebec in the riding of Chomedey in the Oct. 3 provincial elections. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)
The event was reminiscent of the November 2014 investiture held by the Liberal Party of Canada to choose a new candidate for the riding of Laval-Les Îles for the 2015 federal elections.
While Fayçal El-Khoury ultimately finished first in that exercise in democracy and has won three elections since then, there was a similarly intense but ultimately friendly competitiveness between factions from the communities during his initial investiture.
Winner’s unifying message
In a statement Sona Lakhoyan Olivier issued the morning after her investiture, she said, “This was a truly open and invigorating investiture race. It’s now time to unite our efforts in order to win Chomedey next Oct. 3.”
It’s worth noting that the provincial riding of Chomedey has been a Liberal Party of Quebec stronghold for more than 40 years without interruption, with PLQ support as high as 73 per cent in the 2014 election. As such, the Liberal candidate is routinely regarded as a shoe-in provincial election after election.
The evening proved to be a little bumpy at times for some of the candidates, given the large number of new riding association members. As the signing-up deadline for new members to have voting privileges had been set at July 19, there were inevitably some contestations and not every new member passed muster.
With more than 1,100 of the 1,200 people attending entitled to vote for their chosen candidate, there were long waits outside the voting room at the Château Royal on Aug. 8. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)
Contested voting privileges
At one point earlier in the evening, Sona Lakhoyan Olivier herself was complaining that a number of her supporters were rejected. “They’re saying they’re not on the list,” she told the Laval News, maintaining she had personally overseen the registration of the members being contested, but adding that some of the other candidates were no doubt also dealing with the problem.
“I think we all had challenges,” Peter Papadakis, who tried unsuccessfully to win the federal Liberal nomination in Laval-Les Îles in 2014, acknowledged in an interview before he was knocked out of this latest race. “There are well over a thousand people here tonight, and we’re all going to have to work out our challenges as a team.”
Half-day celebration of community brought together hundreds of residents
After two years of having to lie low because of the Covid pandemic, the people of Chomedey were primed to get out and celebrate in Pie-X Park last Saturday when they turned out in large numbers for the 14th annual Chomedey Neighbourhood Party.
Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer (far right) and city councillor for Souvenir-Labelle Sandra El-Helou are seen here with volunteers Mariane and Édith last Saturday during the Chomedey Neighbourhood Party in Pie-X Park. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)
Back ‘in person’
It was the first time the party was held ‘in person’ since 2019. Because of the pandemic, the traditional festive gathering took a whole different form over the two past years.
After having organized alternative neighbourhood party events in 2020 and 2021, the organizing committee was very excited and impatient to have the opportunity to finally celebrate with the citizens of Chomedey in-person last Saturday afternoon at Pie-X Park.
Back on the menu: corn
In keeping with late summer as harvest season, there was lots of corn on the cob on the menu at the Chomedey Neighbourhood Party. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)
Once again, many community organizations from the neighborhood were present at kiosks to entertain and to explain themselves and their missions. The famous corn roast also made a comeback. By late afternoon, the celebrations were being capped with a performance by Kattam and his Tam-Tams.
Among the few hundred people who passed through the park grounds to join the party over the course of the afternoon were Laval city councillor for Souvenir-Labelle Sandra El-Helou and Mayor Stéphane Boyer.
A fitting end to summer
“In Chomedey these days, there is a need for events which are positive like this,” said El-Helou, while adding that she believes the Chomedey Neighbourhood Party is a great way each year to begin to bring summer in Chomedey to a close.
“I think it’s very important to have events like the Chomedey Neighbourhood Party because they allow us all to get out and meet our neighbours,” said Mayor Boyer.
Natalina Pace, a project coordinator for Agape’s Healthy Early Years (HEY) Program, was among the representatives of local community groups that sponsored information booths during the 14th Chomedey Neighbourhood Party.
“There’s been a lot of talk this past year about the increased violence in the community. But when people are able to get out like this to speak with and get to know one another, it helps to counter the other type of phenomenon and builds a stronger community spirit.”
Election year hopefuls
This being a provincial election year, last Saturday’s event brought out a number of political hopefuls running for National Assembly seats on Oct. 3 in Laval, including Québec Solidaire candidate in Chomedey Zachary Robert.
“It’s good to be here – just being around all these people and in contact with them feels great,” he said in an interview with the Laval News.
“There’s a strong sense of community here. It’s just what’s needed. There have to be connections between people. That’s very important to us at Québec Solidaire, where we are working constantly to bring people together.”
Potential constituents
There was even a chance to play a BIG game of chess during the afternoon at Pie-X Park.
The Quebec Liberal Party’s Chomedey candidate, Sona Lakhoyan Olivier, was also out and about at the neighbourhood party last Saturday afternoon, meeting some of her potential constituents.
“It’s going to be my main objective to create new opportunities for all the families and kids like those we see here today for a better quality of life,” she said.
The Chomedey Neighbourhood Party has been part of a neighborhood summer tradition for 14 years. The celebration was originally a community initiative and one of the results from the 2008 Chomedey social forum. It was all made possible thanks to the financial support of many partners, including the Caisse Desjardins de Chomedey, IGA Extra Gagnon et Filles, The Laval News and the City of Laval.
Laval undertakes voting measures for its first consultative budget
From now to Sept. 30, residents of Laval are being invited to take part online or at municipal library branches in choosing which out of 21 projects should be selected for support by the city in its next annual budget.
According to the city, each vote will have a direct impact on the choice of projects, for which a budget of $600,000 has been set aside.
During an initial stage of this consultative process, the city received 322 suggestions from residents. More than 125 residents took part in virtual workshops to develop the ideas for the projects.
Hand holding ballot paper for election vote concept.
“The participative budget is an initiative in participative democracy that allows you to influence the realization of projects thought up by and for the community,” says Laval city councillor Alexandre Warnet, an associate member of the executive-committee with responsibility for citizen participation dossiers.
Voting for projects
He urges all Laval residents to take advantage of the voting period. “As the person responsible for dossiers relating to citizen participation, I can only rejoice at the success of this first attempt at a participative budget, while encouraging young and old to vote for their favourite projects. This way there will be a little bit of you in each of the projects.”
Residents are invited to vote for up to seven projects, based on what they consider would be the best projects in terms of their benefits for the community. Anyone who lives in Laval or who owns a business on Laval territory is eligible to vote, regardless of age or Canadian citizenship status.
Vote online or in person
Voting can be done online at the City of Laval’s website, or in person by filling out and handing in a paper voting ballot at any of the branches of the Laval municipal library. The chosen projects will be those selected through the greatest number of votes by residents. An announcement will be made this fall. The city will then undertake the implementation of the chosen projects over a period of two years.
In its 2021 annual report, the Service de sécurité incendie de Laval says it finally reached a strike force level of 10 firefighters in 10 minutes last year for 97 per cent of interventions, with an average response time of five minutes and four seconds for the arrival of the first vehicle.
The fire department says the goal was achieved through some major investments, including the implementation of a new GPS system in vehicles, as well as the addition of a new pump truck at the Saint-François district firehall.
According to the report, a new collective agreement for 2019-2024 was signed last year between the firefighters and the fire department, with the addition of level one first responders being part of the agreement.
“When we call the fire department, we are often in the midst of a crisis situation and a few minutes can make all the difference,” says Laval city councillor and executive-committee member Sandra Desmeules who is responsible for public safety issues.
“I therefore salute the work of all our firefighters who unhesitatingly are implementing new practices to be able to intervene faster and more efficiently. The fact that they are able to intervene in less than 10 minutes in 97 per cent of situations, above the 90 per cent target set the Ministry of Public Security, is exceptional and worthy of mention.”
In spite of the fact the last two years left the fire department preoccupied with sanitary issues linked to the pandemic, Laval fire chief Patrick Taillefer said they were still years of great change for the department.
“We improved our services to citizens, with the addition of four firefighters and a first responder chief, the addition of an ice-rescue service at Firehall No. 5 in Saint-François, the optimization of our operational material and the renewal of our vehicles fleet,” he said.
“All these investments were such that our strike force rose to a high level, which allowed us to live up to our mission, which is essentially to protect the lives and property of the population.”
Over the course of 2021, Laval’s fire department received 5,706 calls for assistance, of which 257 concerned building fires. Of these, 63 fires required a level of alert (1 to 5) with a significant deployment of firefighting personnel.
In addition to fighting fires last year, the fire department also dealt with these issues:
Spills of dangerous materials;
Road accidents and freeing accident victims;
Assistance to persons stranded on ice or in the water;
Former Marc-Aurèle-Fortin councillor, who died in 2019, was well-liked
Parc Gilbert, a public park located in Laval’s Fabreville district, will henceforth be called parc Gilbert-Dumas in honour of the former city councillor for the district of Marc-Aurèle-Fortin who passed away suddenly in August 2019 after six years in office.
(From the left) Marc Demers, former mayor of Laval and close friend to Gilbert Dumas, Mayor Stéphane Boyer, and Roseline and Valérie Aubin-Dumas, the daughters of Gilbert Dumas. Photo credit: Martin Alarie
Had a big heart
A dedication ceremony was held at the green space with surviving relatives of Dumas on Aug. 20, making the name change official, while recognizing his contributions to the community.
“Gilbert Dumas always had a big heart, generosity and regard for the improvement of the quality of life of the citizens of his district,” said Mayor Stéphane Boyer.
“The new name of the park is a natural legacy, taking into account the involvement by Gilbert within the community, which went well above and beyond his role as a municipal councillor,” the mayor added.
Supported seniors
During his time in office, Gilbert Dumas was president and a member of the governing board of the Société de transport de Laval (STL).
As well, he was involved with several organizations and causes for senior citizens, including MADA (Municipalité amie des aînés) and the Axion centre for seniors’s activities on Curé Labelle Blvd.
A big fan of baseball, he followed the sport closely in Laval and was frequently seen at local sports events. The City of Laval’s toponymy committee recommended the name change to city council, and city council formalized it with a resolution on Aug. 9.
Appointments are already being made for the City of Laval 49th Blood Donor Drive which is taking lace Friday Sept. 9 from 10 am to 7 pm at the Centre sportif Bois-de-Boulogne. The goal the city has set this year is 600 blood donations.
If you’ve never given blood, there is a good chance you will be able to. The majority of people 18 years of age or older and in good health are allowed to donate blood. The blood donor clinic held in Laval is one of the largest in Canada. Since it started, it has succeeded in providing 50,000 donations of blood.
“Supplying blood is a collective challenge that requires a significant mobilization every year,” says Mayor Stéphane Boyer. “For 49 years now, Laval’s blood donor collection has been an important event for this cause. I invite everyone to show generosity: your gift has the power to change lives.”
Blood donations help furnish crucial blood products to hospitals where they are needed for a variety of medical purposes. In addition to making donations of blood, people from Laval may also want to invite friends or family members to make donations of their own.
For the past three years, it has been possible to make an appointment online to donate blood, which streamlines the process and leads to faster service. A few spots will also be available for people who turn up on the spur on the moment.
Appointments can be made online or by phone at 1 800 343-7264. Additional information on reservation procedures, admissibility criteria and sanitary measures to be followed are available on the City of Laval’s website.
The current issue of the Laval News, volume 30-21, published on August 24th, 2022. Covering Laval local news, politics, sports, and our new section Mature Life. (Click on the image to read the paper.)
Front page of the Laval News, August 24th, 2022 issue.
Starting at 8:30 p.m on Thursday August 18, a new documentary series on the TVA specialty channel Moi et Cie will feature 20 paramedics in Laval and Montreal from the Urgences-santé ambulance service.
The twelve-part series entitled Nos paramédics (Our paramedics) gets a behind-the-scenes look at the paramedics profession.
A film crew followed Urgences-santé crews on various calls during their shifts. Episodes underscore the empathy, dedication and passion shown by paramedics every day.
“The series protagonists honour the profession through their words and actions,” said Urgences-santé president and CEO François Charpentier.
“They are worthy representatives of the 1,100 paramedics working for Corporation d’urgences-santé. I hope that Quebecers will be touched by their humanity.”
“The series shows the real work we do every day; the challenges we face, the range of emotions we may feel, and the issues that may arise.,” said Pascale Boies, one of the paramedics followed during the series.
“It also reflects the deep-seated sense of accomplishment that comes from helping those in need.”
