The meeting started with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II by Warden Jane Toller and was then headlined by two presentations. The first was by Randy Russell with the Kidney Foundation of Canada, who was raising awareness about the Pontiac Kidney Walk next Sunday afternoon at the Shawville fairgrounds.

The second presentation was the CAQ candidate Corrine Canuel-Jolicoeur, who was given the chance to speak to the assembled mayors during their regular meeting after she approached MRC staff about it, according to Toller.

When asked after the MRC meeting what her rationale was for allowing Canuel-Jolicoeur to speak without inviting the other candidates to do likewise, Toller said: “The question was, do we need to call the other six candidates? And I said, no, we are not holding an all candidates meeting. Any one of those could call and ask if they wanted to come. It wasn’t like we decided to hold a meet the candidates time. She took the initiative on her own. And I think that is great.”

Toller stated that any other candidate could have spoken at the MRC if they had have asked to.

During her remarks, which were delivered entirely in English, Canuel-Jolicoeur touched on various issues.

“I’d like to share with you what I’d like to do for Pontiac and what I could do for Pontiac,” started Canuel-Jolicoeur.

First she listed healthcare as a priority, and included making frontline health services accessible to everyone within a few hours, promised higher salaries for healthcare workers, more housing for new staff, and greater training and recruitment efforts.

“I will work hard to reopen the obstetrics unit, ‘’ said Canuel-Jolicoeur. “I don’t have a magic wand though. It’s a whole team working together.”

She also spoke about investing in services offered at the local level.

“We want to invest $470 million for small communities for services in rural areas, wherever we don’t have a large community for entrepreneurs to invest in,” said Canuel-Jolicoeur.

She also spoke of pursuing socio-economic development of the area through supporting the local initiatives of both municipal leaders and entrepreneurs.

“We’re working on high-speed internet connection, but we definitely need a better cell phone connection,” added Canuel-Jolicoeur about the CAQ’s promise to build out cellular coverage across Quebec.

She then moved on to talking about the need to offer more post secondary opportunities in the region.

“I’ve heard there is a lack of French programs when we’re talking about post secondary programs,” said Canuel-Jolicoeur. “There are programs with Heritage, but there’s a desire to have access to other post secondary and CEGEP programs.”

She also spoke of the CAQs plan to invest $1.8 billion into affordable housing, which she said the Pontiac needs to have its share of.

Finally she promised to advocate for investment in arenas and sport infrastructure.

Canuel-Jolicoeur said that she couldn’t attend THE EQUITY’s Conversation with the Candidates to discuss issues like Bill 96 on the coming Thursday, so in place of that she would talk about it there.

“The importance of Bill 96 is to protect the French language,” said Canuel-Jolicoeur. “It’s not to destroy the English communities and it’s not against anglophones. As you all know, my husband is anglophone and two out of my three kids are in the Western Quebec School Board. If we’re talking about healthcare services, it does not touch or affect health care and social services. If we’re talking about education, the three mandatory French courses that you see that have been mentioned, does not apply to any anglophone who is entitled to study in English in Quebec. So, this is not an issue for most of your communities. All the communities that are designated as bilingual are still exempted, so it does not affect those municipalities. If elected, I will ensure that everybody’s rights are respected. Francophone or anglophones, I’ll be there to represent all of you.”

Canuel-Jolicoeur’s remarks lasted about ten minutes, after which she stayed until the end of the meeting to speak with some of the mayors afterwards.

After the meeting Toller said: “I think it was good, because she probably hasn’t met all of the mayors. And at least now they know what her priorities are. And I’m glad she spoke about Law 96. I think what she said was reassuring. And one thing that makes it credible, is that her kids went to the Western Quebec School Board and her husband is English. So not such a monster.”

Regular meeting

The regular meeting also saw various updates and the passage of motions.

On COVID 19, Toller commented that the situation has changed that now there is no longer the same kind of mass testing and reliable reporting from health authorities, but it seemed that quite a lot of people were contracting covid, however they were thankfully mild cases. It was also reported that the CISSSO’s contract for the vaccination centre in Campbell’s bay was extended until June 30, 2023.

A motion was passed by the MRC to call for artists to submit proposals of original works of art of high quality for the MRC’s collection. The submissions will be determined by a committee. The formal call will start on October 7, 2022 and end on November 17, 2022.

Another resolution was passed to call for projects for the $3,850 that has not been allocated from the Creative Development Fund. The fund is meant of artists in music, literature or the visual arts. The call for projects will officially begin on October 3, 2022 and end on November 10, 2022.

A resolution was passed that affirmed the MRC’s commitment to a pilot program that aims to settle immigrants in the area in order to attract them to the agricultural sector.

A resolution was passed to provide Table Agroalimentaire de l’Outaouais $66,000 to promote the bio-food sector in the region.

A resolution was also passed to give financial aid of $500 each to both Naomi and Xavier Lusignan as they were selected to represent Canada in Olympic Weightlifting Junior Panam Championships that will be held in Peru between October 14 and October 18, 2022.

During the TNO meeting, the company FGK construction was awarded a contract worth $280,000 to construct two water crossings near Lake Nigaut.

The MRC also outlined the results of the MRCs public security committee report. The report found that over the past year there was marked uptick in both drunk driving and assault in the area.

You can watch the entire Council of Mayors meeting on the MRC’s Facebook page.

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