MNA call for action from provincial government
The Pontiac’s women’s shelter L’Entourelle is joining others across the province in a call for the Quebec government to implement recommendations for increased resources, as there have been eight femicides within Quebec within the last eight weeks. In a 2018-2023 action plan, 190 recommendations were put forward by the province’s secretariat for the status of women with 28 of them being directly linked to issues of domestic violence impacting women. A femicide is a type of hate crime that is defi ned as the murder of women or girls because they are female.
Quyon couple seeks help for flooded property
A couple in Quyon is frustrated after their yard and basement filled with water on March 23 that has yet to be removed. Beverly Stanley and her husband live in Quyon right off the intersection . . .
at Egan Street and Hwy. 148. For the last two weeks, the pair have been pumping water out of their basement to no avail, and have had their front and back lawns submerged. Stanley said the water from the rainfall the week the flooding began has been traveling from the highway into her basement.
Should you get screened for cancer?
April brings warm weather and sunshine, but it also brings attention to a deadly disease that is all too familiar to many people; it’s cancer awareness month. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, there were about 225,800 new cancer cases in Canada in 2020, and it is the leading cause of death in the country. Dr. Keith MacLellan, a Pontiac doctor for many years and chief of service of cancer treatment at the Pontiac Community Hospital, said that the three big cancers are breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer. At the Pontiac Hospital — which is the only small hospital in the area that gives treatment for cancer — there are screening tests which can be done to detect cancers early.
Hunting for eggs at the Chutes
The Chutes Coulonge Adventure Park in Mansfield et Pontefract opened their season this past weekend complete with some Easter festivities. The park’s social media manager and administrative assistant Katrina Saroka explained that children attending the park could search for eggs and more as they made their way around.
Coronation Hall opens newly-renovated space
On Saturday, Pontiacers got a first glance at the newly renovated shop at Coronation Hall Cider Mills in Bristol, to celebrate their grand opening for the season. Owner Greg Graham said that they had redone their shop entirely over the winter, putting down new flooring and adding fresh shelving, in addition to some new products like dried apple chips. “People have been dropping in and just checking us out as the cottage season starts to roll,” he said. “[It’s to] remind people that we’re here. We’re a food producer so of course we’re still open.”
Teachers strike on April 14, class online for WQSB students
Quebec teachers were on strike throughout the early hours of April 14, causing classes to move to online learning for Western Quebec School Board (WQSB) students throughout Pontiac on that day, according to a letter sent out to parents by the WQSB. The letter, dated April 12, said that teachers were planning to strike from 12:01 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., with the virtual school day set to start at 9:45 a.m. Meanwhile, students in the Centre de services scolaire des Hauts Bois de l’Outaouais (CSSHBO) had classes move to in-person learning on that day, but the start to the day was delayed until after 9:45 a.m. School buses were delayed by two hours, but the school day is scheduled to end at the usual time. The entire public sector union has been without a contract since March 31, 2020 and continues to negotiate a new deal. According to WQSB Director General Mike Dubeau, the union properly notified him of their intention to strike and is doing so well within their rights.
Pontiac MNA talks CAQ budget
With the CAQ government unveiling the provincial budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year on March 25, Pontiac MNA and opposition finance critic André Fortin pointed out several different areas where he feels it falls short.
The government announced that it intends to balance the budget by 2027-28, an extension of two years past the previously stated goal of balancing it within five years. The budget includes a $12.3 billion defi – cit for 2021-22, with the debt standing at $219 billion as of March 31. The impact of the pandemic caused the government to increase its budget projection from March 2020 by 15 per cent.
Quebec firefighters using green light on personal vehicles here to stay
A pilot project that saw Outaouais-area firefighters use green lights on their personal vehicles to facilitate quick passage to an emergency scene has become permanent, effective April 1. According to Municipality of Pontiac (MoP) fire chief Kevin Mansey, the pilot program was initiated in 2016 in the two regions across Quebec, the Outaouais being one of them. He said that usage of the green lights is common-place in Ontario and used to be in Quebec, but was at one point stopped due to abuse. Mansey said that it is a positive for the program to be permanent, but he also said it wasn’t an “end-all, be-all solution.”
MRC introduces art fund with grants worth up to $750
The MRC Pontiac is launching a new funding program to assist local art, announcing on April 6 the creation of the Creative Development Fund. The fund is worth $5,000 a year in assistance, with the money being divided up into two separate calls for projects, with the first one launching on April 14 and the second one taking place in the fall. An MRC Pontiac press release explained that the fund will address “the gap and challenges in the MRC’s ecosystem by providing grants to our local artists and cultural centres, investing in their ability to focus on their art.” The areas of focus for the grants are on projects of music, visual arts and galleries/ artist centres.
Chapeau ranch offers wellness through equine assistance
A new ranch in the Chapeau area is hoping to make Pontiac a better place by pairing those in need with an equine companion on a journey to wellness. Nathalie Bourque opened Authentik Wellness Ranch in January of this year, after many years of dreaming about it. Bourque has worked with the animals for her whole life, and for the last 25 years has dreamed of opening her own ranch to help people with the aid of horses.
Naked Amos photo leaked to media
Pontiac MP Will Amos made international headlines last Wednesday after he appeared naked during a video conference with fellow members of parliament and a leaked photo was widely circulated on social and traditional media outlets. Amos was in his parliamentary office participating in a hybrid sitting of the house, where some MPs appeared via video link. Only his fellow MPs and some parliamentary staffers witnessed him in the nude, as the video feed is only visible to the public when someone is speaking. At the end of question period, Bloc Québécois MP Claude DeBellefeuille raised a point of order, emphasizing that members should respect the dress code and noting that an MP had appeared naked, but didn’t identify Amos as the culprit.
Pontiac council members air views on dump truck purchase
Council members sparred over the circumstances surrounding the purchase of a new dump truck for the Municipality of Pontiac (MoP) during an April 13 meeting. The council ultimately voted for the purchase by majority, but not before a lengthy discussion between MoP councillors Tom Howard, Scott McDonald, Mayor Joanne Labadie and Director General Pierre said regarding why the council did not have more control over the specifications of the dump truck that was being purchased through the resolution. The resolution called for the purchase of a new truck from Inter Outaouais for $196,942.17, one month after calling for tenders through the provincial electronic tendering system (SEAO) and receiving just the one offer.
Negotiations continue following province-wide teachers’ strike
On April 14, teachers from French and English schools across the province took to the streets to strike, making their voices heard in their bid to improve working conditions. The strike took place from midnight to 9:30 a.m., which caused classes to be moved online, pushed back in time, and, for students attending in-person classes, buses were delayed. The public sector has been without a contract since March 31, 2020, and it continues to negotiate following the strike. “We aimed to improve our working conditions: a reduction in the ‘burden’ of the task, better professional integration, reduction of precariousness and an increase in salary for all,” Guy Croteau, secretary-treasurer of the Syndicat du personnel de l’enseignement des Hautes Rivières, wrote in an email through his secretary, Nathalie Tremblay.
Shawville-born reverend leads Canada in honouring Prince Phillip
A Pontiac face led the country in remembering the late Prince Phillip at the national ceremony on April 17. The Very Reverend Elizabeth J. Bretzlaff made her hometown of Shawville proud last weekend after speaking at the national commemorative ceremony for the Duke of Edinburgh. Phillip passed away on April 9 at the age of 99. But according to Bretzlaff, the ceremony for his eventual passing began being organized far in advance.
BQ MP admits to taking screenshot of Amos, apologizes
A Bloc Quebecois MP has claimed responsibility for taking a screenshot of Pontiac member Will Amos, who was apparently caught changing during a hybrid meeting of Parliament two weeks ago. Sébastien Lemire, who represents the neighbouring riding of Abitibi-Temiscamingue rose in the house on April 21, a week after the incident, and apologized to Amos and his family. “Today I would like to present my apologies to the House for breaching the standing orders by taking a picture of a member on April 14th,” he said in French. Despite admitting responsibility for taking the photo, Lemire claimed that he had “no idea” how the image was leaked to the media.
PHS students delivering convenience with new business
A brand new delivery service is coming to town, courtesy of two Pontiac High School students and a spontaneous idea. Haillee Hamelin-Dorzek and Faiza Faucher started their delivery service Pontiac Direct on a whim after partnering up in their high school finance class.
Dealing with dumping on the PPJ
The MRC Pontiac is asking the public to stop dumping their waste along the PPJ trails. MRC Engineer Kim Lesage gave a brief report on the situation at the council of mayors meeting on April 21 and provided pictures of some of the trash she had discovered. “We’ve received a number of complaints recently … about people dumping their yard waste, their compost, even Christmas trees, along the side of the PPJ trail,” she said during the meeting. She said that the most current complaints are mainly from the Shawville area, but said that it is a perennial issue that has affected other towns as well. Lesage told the mayors that their seasonal maintenance staff for the trail don’t start until May 3 and encouraged the public to report any issues regarding the trail to herself or the MRC.
Furnace catches fire in Starks Corners
A fire started by an outdoor wood furnace in Starks Corners prompted a response from the Shawville Clarendon Fire Department on April 21. Four trucks and 12 firefighters responded to the call on Stoney Batter Road, which came in at around 8:15 p.m. and took about an hour to extinguish.
