Donald Teuma-Castelletti
FORT COULONGE
Sept. 9, 2018
The current Pontiac MNA set forth his priorities if re-elected this October, highlighting two early-in-development recreational projects amongst them.
Meeting with local mayors and business leaders outside of the Draveurs Leisure Centre on Sunday morning, Pontiac MNA and Transport Minister André Fortin outlined three commitments for the Pontiac, while speaking about the Quebec Liberal Party’s (PLQ) platform on healthcare, education, and high-speed internet access.
“[The commitments] are all based on things that we’ve heard from the community, needs that we’ve heard from the community, and I’ve found over the last term that the projects that were easier to move along but that meant more to people were the ones that were community-based,” said Fortin, of developing his promises.

Fortin listed both the Pontiac pool project for Fort Coulonge as well as the development of a new arena in Shawville as efforts he will support in a second term.
“There’s a deal that was struck between the federal government and the provincial government for sports infrastructure dollars right now,” said Fortin, of working towards the Shawville arena. “There is maybe an opportunity to get some outside funding for the arena in Shawville, so should the arena project take shape, and should they have appropriate funding for their part, it’s obviously something that over the years will be needed in the community.”
Despite the arena being in the early stages of talk, Fortin said that without the support of the local elected official, it is harder for the municipality to see the project succeed.
He also committed to working with the Villa James Shaw committee to ensure the project receives all the necessary funding so that it will be built. The senior residence, set to be built in Shawville, is important for ensuring that locals can stay close to their families and receive the care they require, all within their own MRC.
“It’s a loss for the province of Quebec when a senior has to move from Chapeau to Pembroke, when a senior has to move from Shawville to Renfrew,” said Fortin. “It’s a loss for the community, it’s a loss of our collective history, it’s a loss of intergenerational possibilities and so there are projects that are being worked on that I will support, including Villa James Shaw.”
As well, he listed working to revitalize the Ottawa River shoreline in Quyon as a mandate, saying he would work with the Municipality of Pontiac to prevent further damage from flooding, into the future.
Finally, he renewed his pledge to continue attracting new business to the Pontiac, by working with regional bodies to further economic development in the Pontiac.
Fortin then dove in the PLQ’s platforms, beginning with protecting supply management and the rural way of life. After this, he detailed the plan on healthcare, acknowledging a shortage of healthcare staff.
“We’re short on healthcare staff everywhere across the province of Quebec and it’s no different here,” he said. “We do want to do a simplified training form.”
He also shared that the Liberals are planning to provide better measures for those looking after elders in their lives, on their own time, though no concrete plans were put forth.
Aware that many teachers, especially this close to the border prefer to work in Ontario because of better starting pay, the Liberals have pledged to increase the initial rates of a teacher’s salary by 18 per cent.
“Teachers here in the Pontiac, because of our geographical situation, teachers always have a choice to where they practice and traditionally, Ontario has paid their teachers more than we have,” said Fortin.
Finally, Fortin highlighted that the Liberals plan to provide all Quebecers with high-speed internet access, within the next two years.