From year-long healthcare concerns, fires, municipal politics to the dialysis unit and spring flooding, pictured above, we here at
THE EQUITY have been reporting the stories that affect us all and now it’s time for the Year End Review
January
Pontiac has a voice
Several thousand community members in the Pontiac have banded together to form a group opposed to the changes to healthcare services in the area. Called Pontiac Voice, the group was created on Facebook in late December and already has over 2,300 members.
Although the proposed implementation of paid parking at the Shawville Hospital is the primary concern of members, the group’s leaders intend to tackle a host of healthcare issues affecting local residents.
According to one of the group’s organizers, Josey Bouchard, their first objective is obtaining a face-to-face meeting with officials from CISSSO.
Dogsledders mush into Bristol
On Jan. 14 and 15, competitive dogsledders from across the world came to Timberland Tours in Bristol for the Pontiac International Sled Dog and Skijoring race.
More than 60 teams participated, competing in 4-,6- and 8-dog sled classes, as well as kicksled and skijoring, where the pups pull a racer on skis.
Although the course hosts the Canadian Dryland Championships in the fall, this was the first year that the venue has held a winter equivalent. Owner and organizer Denis Rozon was pleased with the turnout, as freezing rain had forced some potential participants to back out.
Clarendon man charged with second-degree murder
A 50-year-old father of two is dead and a 68-year-old man is in custody after a horrific tragedy unfolded in the wee hours of Jan. 18.
Around 3 a.m., police were called to a residence on 4 Concession in Clarendon where they discovered the unresponsive body of Shawville resident Darwin Zimmerling. He was transported to the Shawville hospital where he was pronounced dead.
He leaves behind a 17-year-old daughter and a 20-year-old son.
68-year-old Brian Brownlee of Clarendon was arrested at the scene for questioning. He made a short appearance at the Gatineau courthouse where he was charged with second-degree murder and will remain in custody until his next scheduled appearance on Feb. 13.
Amos hosts forum on regional economy
Over 100 people filled the hall at the Spruceholme Inn in Fort Coulonge on Jan. 19 for a forum on economic development hosted by Pontiac MP Will Amos. The event was attended by local business owners, officials and ratepayers who came together to discuss economic challenges in the region as well as brainstorm possible solutions.
The event kicked off with a brief message from Pontiac Warden Raymond Durocher. He emphasized the importance of community involvement when it comes to local development and economic policy.
Amos took to the podium after Durocher and after a word of thanks to both the local public servants in attendance and host Jane Toller, quickly got down to business.
He spoke of his efforts to reinstate the rural secretariat, an institution that champions rural issues at a federal level and was abolished under the previous conservative government.
Provincial hockey tournament comes to town
The Shawville Arena was buzzing throughout the weekend of Jan. 27 to 29 for the second annual Atom-Peewee Tournament. The event featured 16 teams, some from as far away as Montreal.
The Atom division featured ‘A’ and ‘C’ categories while the Peewee level had a ‘B’ and ‘C’ division. Twenty-five volunteers kept the weekend running smoothly, from running the music to updating the scores online.
The Pontiac Lions came away successful, winning both the Peewee divisions and the Atom ‘C’ division. The Aylmer Vikings beat the Clarence Castors in the Atom ‘A’ finals.
Murray inducted into Ring of Honour
Shawville native and former Ottawa Senators GM Bryan Murray was the first person to be inducted into the organization’s Ring of Honour on Jan. 24. The Ring is meant to be an Ottawa Senators Hall of Fame of sorts, with each new member getting a display on one of the pillars at the 300 level in the Canadian Tire Centre.
Murray served as the team’s GM from 2007 to 2016 and head coach from 2004 to 2007. During his time as the Senator’s head coach, Murray put up a record of 114-64-22 and led the team to its only modern-day Stanley Cup final appearance in 2007.
Murray got his start in hockey in Shawville, playing for the Pontiacs and also worked for a time as a physical education teacher at the local high school
He was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2014 and raised awareness for men to get screened for the disease.
Arsonist blazes trail to own front door
A 28-year-old Eric Lortie of Quyon is facing arson and weapons charges following an early morning house fire in the Municipality of Pontiac.
Authorities responded to a fire at a residence on 15 Chemin du Cerfeuil at 5:40 a.m on Jan. 28. After the fire was put out, investigation led police to believe the blaze had been set intentionally.
Evidence collected at the scene enabled officers to arrest Lortie, who was known to police and residing in the area, several hours later.
“He’s a neighbour [of the victim] and with the snow we just had to follow the footprints … right to the house.” said Sergent Martin Fournel of the MRC des Collines Police, explaining that officers had to obtain a warrant before entering the home. “We seized six or seven firearms, which he was not allowed to have in his possession.”
Lortie will face charges of arson, illegal possession of firearms and negligent storage of firearms.
February
Fort Coulonge-Mansfield hosts fifth Winter Carnival
The parking lot was jammed at the Centre de loisirs des Draveurs in Fort Coulonge on Feb. 4 for the fifth iteration of the Winter Carnival. The event featured sliding, face-painting, outdoor and indoor hockey games and even a bouncy castle in the shape of a hockey rink.
The event started back up in 2013 after a 17-year hiatus. The money it raises goes to the arena cooperative.
The festivities kicked off on Jan. 26 with a pagent. The title of ‘Queen’ was awarded to Rianna Gervais.
Local farmers meet the Ag Minister
On Feb. 10, several farmers from the Pontiac got the opportunity to have a meeting with the minister of Agriculture Lawrence MacAulay along with local MP Will Amos at a special town hall session on Parliament Hill.
Several organizations were represented at the meeting, from the Community Economic Development and Employability Corporation (CEDEC), to the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) as well as Pontiac Dairy Farmers and Grain Producers. Many different types of farming were represented, ranging from organic vegetables, to beef or dairy cattle and chickens.
Though the minister was on a tight schedule and speakers had to keep their questions and comments short, the atmosphere was constructive and a wide variety of opinions were voiced. Amos emphasized that a direct meeting between stakeholders from a particular riding and the agriculture minister was a rare occurrence.
Local dairy farmer and president of the Pontiac Dairy Farmers association Robbie Beck spoke about issues in a supply-managed industry like dairy farming and the uncertainty surrounding President Trump’s plans to renegotiate NAFTA.
Fire in Vinton leaves family homeless
A family in Vinton is starting over after a fire on Feb. 7 destroyed their home and much of their business.
Richard Lepack and his wife Martha Drolet operated a trucking company out of their home just off Hwy. 148 in Vinton. They purchased the former schoolhouse back in 2006 and moved into it in 2009. They have five children, as well as several relatives who lived at the house. Lepack kept his tools at the home as well as the company’s paperwork.
The family has been living in a hotel room while they figure out their next move. Drolet said that her two youngest daughters have health issues and replacing their medical supplies has added another dimension of complexity to the family’s plight.
Eleven years of old sleds
The rumble of snowmobile engines filled Quyon on Feb. 19 as the 11th annual Old Sled Run and Vintage Snowmobile Show slid into town.
The run began across the Ottawa River in Constance Bay, Ont. and served as a fundraiser for the West Carleton Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. The event kicked off at the legion hall with a breakfast hosted by Ottawa Ward 5 Councillor Eli El-Chantiry.
Organizer Mike O’Reilly estimated that about 125 people participated. He co-ordinated the event on the Quebec portion of the run with the help of Pontiac Snowmobile Driver’s Association (PSDA) president Alain Goulet as well as PSDA member Jeff Campbell.
After a short rest at Gavan’s Hotel, the convoy of sleds rolled out across the river for a complementary chilli dinner along with an awards ceremony.
Universally Elected Warden
The citizens of the Pontiac may have the chance to vote on the next Warden of the MRC in the upcoming election.
The issue was discussed at the council of mayors meeting on Feb. 21 and the official decision will be made at an administrative meeting on March. 7. The meeting will be open to the public.
Under the current system, taxpayers elect their mayors and councillors every four years and they elect a warden among themselves who will split his or her time between municipal and regional duties. The warden advocates for the Pontiac territory as a whole, organizing resources and keeping tabs on legal and regulatory changes and many other variables that could impact taxpayers.
Pontiac Warden Raymond Durocher said the move is necessary, as juggling the duties of both a mayor and a warden is just too much for one resident to handle effectively.
The cost of the election has been pegged at approximately $80,000 per election cycle or $20,000 annually, which works out to about $1.50 per person per year.
Mayors honour long-time councillor
The mayors of MRC Pontiac held a moment of silence at their meeting on Feb. 21 to mark the passing of long-serving Litchfield councillor Ken O’Leary. The MRC released a statement expressing their condolences to the O’Leary family, emphasizing the hard work he put in during his lengthy tenure in the public service.
Litchfield mayor Colleen Larivière was saddened by her colleague’s passing.
“It’s a huge loss for the community, Ken was a visionary,” she said. “He had a very clear way of seeing things … of seeing how things should progress. He’ll be missed at council, missed in the community and I’m going to miss him – personally – very much. He brought a lot to the table.”
O’Leary’s funeral service was held at St. Elizabeth’s Church in Vinton.
Feasibility study for Villa James Shaw
The Villa James Shaw committee hosted their annual general meeting on Feb. 27 at the Pontiac Reception Center in Shawville.
The not-for-profit group has been working to establish a senior’s residence in town for several years. The meeting began with the adoption of the previous year’s minutes and a review of the financial reports. Albert Armstrong conducted an overview of the past year’s accomplishments.
In May 2016, they reached a major milestone by being awarded Charitable Status from the CRA, which allowed them to issue tax receipts for donations. The property on Rue Centre that the group plans on using, donated by member Gord Black, was officially deeded in the name of Villa James Shaw in December.
Numerous fundraisers and promotions were held throughout the year, including a large dance and auction in July, and a kiosk at the Shawville Fair. The committee was also approved for a grant of $30,000 and a loan of $50,000 from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation to conduct a needs and feasibility study.
After a separate meeting on Thursday night, the committee agreed to a contract with ROHSCO to conduct the needs and feasibility study, which will provide the committee with a more detailed assessment of the area’s demographics and what services they require.
March
Lepack Family Benefit
A benefit concert was held on March 4 for the Lepack family, who lost their Vinton home in a fire earlier in the year. Ten members of the family were displaced and the headquarters of the family trucking business was destroyed by the Feb. 7 blaze.
Hosted at the Spruceholme Inn in Fort Coulonge, the event featured entertainment from Phil Denault, a silent auction and a kissing booth. In total, over 300 people attended and the event brought in nearly $6,500 for the family.
A GoFundMe page was set up for the Lepacks and so far has raised more than $2,800. Family and friends say the support from the community has been overwhelming.
Economic Swat Team created
Pontiac MNA André Fortin held a press conference at the MRC office in Campbell’s Bay on March 6 to announce the creation of a tactical intervention group to support economic growth in the region. The event was attended by local mayors MRC officials.
The committee will be headed up by the regional office of the Ministère de l’Économie, de la Science et le l’Innovation (MESI) and will be made up of local stakeholders and elected officials as well as representatives from various ministries within the provincial government. Fortin said that federal stakeholders will also be invited to join.
The group will work closely with the economic intervention team that MRC Pontiac put in place in 2015, as well as the SADC. The first meeting will be held later this month and a list of projects requiring assistance will be drawn up.
New pharmacy in Shawville
The new Familiprix Pharmacy in Shawville held their grand opening celebration on March 8. Dozens of local residents came to check out the new 4,000 square foot facility located at the corner of Hwy. 148 and Clarendon St. There was champagne and hors d’oeuvres and several local dignitaries were present, including Pontiac MNA André Fortin and Shawville Mayor Sandra Murray.
The Pharmacy cost approximately $600,000 and will create 12 jobs. Owner/pharmacist Marc Aufranc, who hails from Aylmer, used to work at the R. Filion & F. Laflamme pharmacy in Shawville before it closed in 2015, and said he was excited to be back working in the area.
Coulonge hosts 3v3 tournament
The Tournoi Hockey 3 vs 3 was held in Fort Coulonge over the weekend of March 12 and was a huge success by all accounts. A record 33 teams registered for the event, and games started Thursday night to be able to accommodate them all. There was a beer pong tournament Thursday and parties all weekend, so even those not participating could get in on the fun.
Mickey Creek won the open division final 5-4 in a back and forth nailbiter of a game. This is their second consecutive year winning the tournament. Canadian Shield won the A division, the Chapeau Shamrocks won the B division and the Brunets won the women’s division.
Event organizers Danick and Joel Boisvert said it was their best year yet and were thankful to all the volunteers that helped make the tournament possible. They plan on announcing the total amount raised in the near future.
$744,000 for jobs training
On March 13, Pontiac MP Will Amos announced $744,000 in funding for a six-month skills-development program through West Pontiac Connects, an organization that assists people who face barriers to the workforce, such as education.
The funding will allow WPC to provide a 10-week training program for 48 people at their computer centre, as well as a 13-week employer placement. This will also allow them to offer two training sessions a year instead of one and allow them to hire two more staff members.
Amos also announced $27,000 for St. Alphonsus Parish in Chapeau to improve its accessibility by installing a lift in the church.
Kevin O’Leary comes to Bristol
Businessman, television personality and Conservative Party leadership candidate Kevin O’Leary stopped in Bristol on March 18 for a meet and greet with local residents. Well over 100 people turned out for the event.
O’Leary gave a speech outlining his many criticisms of Prime Minister Trudeau’s leadership and economic policy. He said if he wins the leadership race and runs against Trudeau in the 2019 election, his platform would be based around growing the country’s economy at 3 per cent. He was also adamant that the Conservative Party needs soften its stance on issues such as marijuana legalization in order to attract young voters and win a majority mandate in the next election.
Later on he took questions from the crowd on a range of issues from firearms legislation to healthcare reforms.
CISSSO hosts public meeting
Over 200 people showed up at the Jack Graham Community center in Bristol on March 20 for a public meeting with the CEO of CISSSO about the state of healthcare services in the Pontiac. Local MNA André Fortin, Warden Raymond Durocher and CISSSO spokesperson Benoit Gauthier were also in attendance to field questions.
Hebert told the crowd that he is seeking funding for the Shawville Hospital’s Dialysis project, a much anticipated project that has been stalled.
The main issue at hand seemed to be the paid parking being proposed at the hospital, which raised the ire of the majority of local citizens. Durocher, along with municipality of Pontiac Mayor Roger Larose and Shawville Mayor Sandra Murray proposed a cost-sharing plan with CISSSO to keep patients and visitors from shouldering the costs.
Pontiac CHSLD jobs announced
Pontiac MNA André Fortin was in Shawville on March 20 to announce that 18 new jobs will be posted for the Pontiac CHSLD, starting in April.
Eight of these jobs are existing part-time positions that would be turned into full-time positions. This is part of a larger initiative that will be adding 74 more full-time positions at the 14 long term care facilities across the Outaouais.
Several local mayors in attendance were pleased with the announcement, as the region is in need of both jobs and improvements to healthcare services.
Relay for Life seeks volunteers
The Pontiac Relay for Life committee is seeking volunteers to keep the annual event running. This year’s relay will be the Pontiac’s 11th.
The committee’s recruitment director Rick Valin was at the most recent council of mayors meeting last Tuesday and he said that the nine members currently on the organizing committe are getting worn out and unless some fresh faces step up to help, this could be the last event held in the Pontiac.
The committee has regular monthly meetings from November to May, and then they ramp up to the event itself, which is held at the beginning of June.
Economic SWAT team meets
Members of the recently created economic swat team for the Pontiac met for the first time on March 27 at the MRC office in Campbell’s Bay. The team, whose creation was announced back on March 6, aims to bring together members of the local business community and representatives from various government organizations to stimulate economic growth in the region. This group is the second of its kind in Quebec, with the first created in 2016 in the Lac St. Jean region.
Local MNA André Fortin, who has been spearheading the project, said the group will expedite local projects and make sure they don’t get bogged down in red tape.
The group will be forming sub-groups based on expertise, like agriculture or forestry.
Proudfoot nominated for Hall of Fame
Fort Coulonge native J. Hugh Proudfoot was posthumously nominated for a spot in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in the builder category. Proudfoot came from a lumbering family and served three terms as a federal MP back in the 50s, but was also extremely influential in the horse racing world (specifically harness racing).
He sponsored races all around the Pontiac and was a vice-president and president of the Canadian trotting association. He also ran a successful breeding program and was so proud of his roots in the Pontiac that he named it Pontiac Farms.
The results will be announced on Tuesday April 4.
Loving your Muslim neighbour
Local residents looking to learn more about the Islamic faith attended a series of workshops organized through the local churches in Shawville. The series is called “Love your Muslim neighbour” and the first discussion was held March 28.
A religious scholar from Ottawa, Imam Mohamad Jebara, was the guest speaker and he talked about the similarities between Christianity and Islam, and discussed some of the common stereotypes and misconceptions about the religion. His main point was that no one religion or culture is immune to extremism, and that the portrayal of Islam that we see in Western media doesn’t reflect what the majority of Muslims around the world believe.
April
BMR re-opens
The BMR JLS store in Mansfield held their grand re-opening on March 29. There was wine, hors d’oeuvres and tours of the new facility. They also had a famous bodybuilder, Hugo Girard, in the store to sign autographs on April 1.
The original store burnt to the ground on Nov. 28, 2015, along with over a million dollars in inventory, so it’s been a long road for the owners Connie Gutoskie and Jean-Guy LaSalle. During the re-building, they were operating out of trailers but fortunately they didn’t have to lay off any employees.
Flying Elbows hits Shawville
The 18th annual Flying Elbows tournament took place over the weekend of April 2 in Shawville. They had 24 teams, divided into 3 divisions. In the past, the tournament has raised money for various local causes but this year the money’s going towards arena upgrades.
The Chainsaws from Hell won the C division final to take home the Beer Gut Cup. Pontiac Thunder won the B division final in overtime to take home the Beaver bowl trophy. Hursty’s took on Atko’s Army in the A final. These teams met in the final last year and have a bit of a rivalry going. It was a close match, but just like last year, Atko’s managed to pull off the win in overtime.
Fort Coulonge Mansfield amalgamation discussed
A proposal to study the effects of amalgamating the Municipalities of Fort Coulonge and Mansfield was rejected by Mansfield Council.
There has been a lot of discussion on this subject in the area going back years. There was a study done in 2013 that showed that residents were open to looking at the option of a merger.
On April 6, André Boisvert, a member of the citizen’s committee pushing for amalgamation, presented a plan for a 10-year study by the firm Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, at a cost of $25,000. He said that the municipalites are eligible for a grant from the ministry of municipal affairs to cover $10,000 of the cost and that he would personally pay the difference of $15,000.
Despite this, Mansfield council reiterated their position that they do not consider amalgamation a priority. They have a few objections, including the fact that it would reduce the region’s representation at the MRC and the difference in the municipalities’ sizes and provincial funding.
Erin O’Toole visits Quyon
Conservative leadership candidate Erin O’Toole was at the Quyon Legion on April 12 for a meet and greet with party members. O’Toole is a retired Air Force Captain and lawyer who has represented the riding of Durham, in central Ontario, since 2012. In the Harper government he served as parliamentary secretary for international trade and also served as minister of veterans affairs for about a year.
He gave a short speech to start the evening off, taking some shots at the frontrunners in the race: Kevin O’Leary and Maxime Bernier for their divisive policies around supply management and bombastic behavior. As a former member of the armed forces he also talked a good deal about military procurement, which he plans on overhauling.
Pontiac Tourism Association AGM
While conservatives were meeting in Quyon, the Pontiac Tourism Association held its annual general meeting in Bristol on April 12. The big news was the unveiling of their new and improved website, tourisme-pontiac.com.
The night also featured several speakers including representatives from the Canadian Parks and Wilderness society, a charity that works to protect parks and wilderness. In the Pontiac, they’ve been working for a while to have protected area status for the Dumoine, Coulonge and Black rivers and will be hosting an art camp this summer on the Dumoine.
Entrepreneur, television host and Sheeboro resident Simon Donato the Amphibious challenge, a swim/run race that he organized for the first time last summer, and is planning to continue this year.
There was also a presentation from Emerson Velasco of Les Chemins de L’eau, which is an organization in the process of creating a tourist route along the Quebec side of the Ottawa River.
Pontiac wood producers meeting
On April 13 the Pontiac Forest Producers Board met in Campbell’s Bay for their annual general meeting. The board is a non-profit organization that represents 3,650 private woodlot owners in the Pontiac. During the meeting Claude Gravelle was elected as the new president, taking the reins from Roy Herault, who stepped down for personal reasons prior to the meeting.
They announced that they had increased the number of producers and volume of wood produced by 2 per cent in 2016. Their total volume produced was 111,247 cubic meters, which they say injected $5.8 million into the local economy. After the mill closed down in 2008, they saw a huge drop off in volume, it went from 290,000 cubic meters to 49,000, so there’s still work to be done to get it back to those levels, but they’re making progress.
Last year they also created a transport costs committee which aims to set the price of transportation, in order to give the truckers hauling the wood out of the bush a fair profit for their labour.
Worst flooding in the Municipality of Pontiac
The Municipality of Pontiac experienced the worst flooding since 1978 last week. Mayor Roger Larose declared a state of emergency on April 21, which was lifted on April 25. The municipality is now helping residents to clean up.
Municipality of Pontiac spokesperson Dominic Labrie said that the municipality has been working hard to help residents affected by the flooding. He said that as of April 26, Chemin du Ruisseau, Chemin Bord de l’eau and Chemin Dion were still covered with two inches of water. Pontiac MNA André Fortin toured the affected areas on April 21 and advised those with damaged property to contact their municipality. There is a provincial fund set up to provide compensation for those who had serious damage done to their properties.
This fund extends to affected residents in Otter Lake, Municipality of Pontiac and Mansfield.
Pontiac member on CISSO board
MRC Pontiac is requesting that the CISSSO Board of Directors include at least one representative from the region. Pontiac residents and officials are feeling left-out because they did not have a say when the board proposed to implement paid parking at the hospital. Warden Raymond Durocher says it’s important for the MRC Pontiac to have someone on the board representing the people’s interests.
CISSSO Board of Directors is made up of 17 people. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Gaetan Barette, appointed the majority of these positions, which are based on expertise (things like human resources, mental health or government and ethics). The members’ term limit is three years.
CISSSO spokesperson Geneviève Coté says that the process of choosing the members started in the spring of 2015 with the publication of all nominees in various territories around the province. She said that while the minister takes it into consideration, there is no seat that is dedicated to specific territories.
CISSSO issues warning tickets
Several employees at local health centres received warning tickets under their windshield wipers on April 26. The warnings were given to employees that had not yet registered their license plates with CISSSO in order to have their parking fees taken off their paychecks.
Paid parking for visitors at the Shawville hospital was supposed to be implemented on April 1 but has been suspended until further notice. Employees at the hospital, as well as long-term care facilities and clinics in the area, still have to pay for parking however and have been asked to enter their license plates in a database.
The tickets state that subsequent infractions might lead to the vehicle being towed without warning.
Splash pad fundraiser
The Litchfield splash pad project got a big boost on April 29 from two different fundraiser events.
The project is the brainchild of the Litchfield Leisure committee, made up of Kristin Morin, Jenna Pilon, Adele Denault and Courtney Harris, who were fed up with the lack of children’s areas in the community. They went to their municipal council who agreed to purchase the equipment if the committee covered the costs for labour, installation, infrastructure etc.
On Saturday morning the Pontiac Quad Club hosted a charity ride from Quyon to the Litchfield Halte, which is where the splash pad will be constructed. It brought in just over $600.
That evening, there was a concert at the Litchfield municipal hall with local band Beyond Driven performing from a flatbed trailer that doubled as a stage. The place was packed, and there were tons of prizes and draws. Several large donations were presented from Promutuel insurance, Bikes in the Bay and Burkes Sheet Metal. All told, the evening brought in just over $6,500 and the committee sold 12 benches for the park. It’s great to see the community band together with this project.
May
Nuclear waste site raises ire
On May 2, there was a meeting in Sheenboro about a new disposal site for nuclear waste at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ property in Chalk River, Ontario. CNL is a consortium of private companies that operate nuclear facilities across Canada, and they’re trying to build what’s called a near surface disposal facility or NSDF.
Many residents are concerned with the project and were out in force to ask questions.
The proposed site will take low and intermediate level waste and bury it in an engineered containment mound about 1 km from the Ottawa River. It’s going to be 16 hectares in size, and will take on about 1 million cubic meters of waste over its 50 year lifespan. It will be operational until 2070 if all goes according to plan.
Roughly 90 per cent will come from Chalk River Labs. Some waste (5 per cent) will be shipped in from other CNL operations in Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec as well as another 5 per cent that comes from hospitals and universities.
Low-level waste will make up the majority of the waste directed there, including things like building debris, protective clothing for workers at the plant or contaminated soil.
West Quebec flooded
Over the weekend of May 6 and 7, the Pontiac, as well as many other waterfront communities across Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, were hit with extensive flooding. Snowmelt, along with heavy rain over the last little while, have caused the riverbanks to swell and many are calling this flood the worst in 100 years.
The municipalities of Pontiac and Mansfield were especially hard-hit and declared states of emergency last week.
On May 6, Canadian Forces troops from Valcartier, Que. were deployed to these communities. The water was so high that the Quyon ferry had to close down. The owner of the ferry, Don McColgan, said that this is the first time in 50 years he’s had to close down. He expected it to re-open late this week.
As the waters hit their peak on May 8 and 9, hundreds of people were forced from their homes and tens of thousands of sandbags were deployed. On Allumettes Island they went through 5,000 sandbags in a couple of days and had to get another 10,000 from the military on Sunday.
Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard was in Quyon on May 8 for a tour of the affected areas. Local representatives Will Amos and André Fortin were also out over the weekend, meeting with flood victims and assessing the damage.
Thorne-TCRA update
An agreement was reached between the municipality of Thorne and the Thorne Recreation Association. On May 3, the TCRA inked a deal to sell a portion of their property to the municipality for a dollar, after several years of legal wrangling. The council claimed they were unable to receive grant funding to build a municipal garage because the land didn’t belong to the municipality, and tried to take back ownership of the hall.
Thorne council will pay an annual rent of $5,000 to the TCRA, as well as an additional $12,000 for the back-rent they owe. Also, should the TCRA ever cease its operations or become bankrupt, the municipality will have the right of first refusal, which means they will have the first crack at purchasing the hall.
The deal is set to be finalized with all fees paid, by Sept. 29 of this year.
Amalgamation meeting in Coulonge
Over 100 people came out for an information session on a potential amalgamation between the municipalities of Fort Coulonge and Mansfield. It was organized by the Comité de citoyen ouvert à la fusion en Mansfield et Fort Coulonge or CCOF, which is a group that has been pushing for a merger for quite some time.
Their spokesman, André Boisvert, answered questions about many of the concerns residents had, like tax rates and jobs of municipal employees. Attendees were given questionnaires which asked their opinion on amalgamation before and after the meeting and around 10 per cent went from the anti-amalgamation side to the pro side over the course of the session.
Boisvert has made attempts to have a study done on the subject, even offering to pay for them out of his own pocket but Mansfield Council has repeatedly shot him down. He’s promised that the next local election will be centered around amalgamation.
Campbell’s Bay Litchfield Fire Dept. celebrates 60 years
The Campbell’s Bay-Litchfield Fire Department celebrated their 60th anniversary on May 13 at the RA Hall in Campbell’s Bay.
Several members received plaques for their time served on the department. One in particular, Atholl Smith, was a founding member of the department 60 years ago. In addition to his plaque, he was also presented with the Medal of the National Assembly by local MNA André Fortin.
Other firefighters that were recognized were Lionel Gravelle, for 50 years, Keith Racine, for 30 years, Gerry Graveline, for 15 years and Maurice Beauregard, for 10. Alain Dubeau was also awarded the Charles Burke memorial award.
At the end of the ceremony, the whole department received personalized jackets.
June
11th annual Relay For Life
The 11th Pontiac Relay for Life was held on Saturday evening and brought out several hundred people to the Shawville Fairgrounds. The Relay is a fundraiser where teams of people walk around a track overnight for 12 hours to raise money for cancer research. They do it at night to symbolize the fact that cancer never sleeps.
Unfortunately it could be the last one in the Pontiac, as several members of the organizing committee have announced they’ll be retiring. The goal this year was to bring the grand total raised over the past 11 years to $1 million and they succeeded, by raising an incredible $124,371.
Coulonge Country Festival a hit
While some people were camped out in Shawville for the relay, others were camped out by the Centre de loisirs des draveurs for the second annual Fort Coulonge Mansfield Country festival. Hundreds of people came out to take in several dozen live acts, who performed in the arena.
Local country singer Phil Denault was one of the organizers and performed on stage as well. He said they had over 1,000 people come through the gates on Saturday.
In addition to local acts like Denault and fiddling legend Louis Schryer, there were musicians from all over the place, like Kathy Levigne, who is known as “The guitar woman” and made the trek out from Quebec City.
McDowell Bugs
Well the mystery may be over about what bugs are infesting Dr. S.E McDowell elementary school in Shawville. Back in mid-April several students at the adult education center, which is located in the school, reported that they had been bitten by bugs. They brought in an exterminator but students kept getting bit and the infestation spread to some classrooms in the kindergarten wing.
The school was closed on May 3 while an exterminator treated the affected areas and they sent the bugs they recovered to a lab for analysis. They ripped out carpets, steam cleaned the place, everything. Parents were told to wash their children’s belongings.
Officials suspect a certain type of red mite from the Erythraeidae family could be the culprit but aren’t confirming anything yet.
Dialysis Unit a go
After 10 years of fundraising the Pontiac Hospital is finally getting its dialysis unit. Quebec’s Minister of Health and Social Services, Gaetan Barrette, picture second from the right, was in Shawville on June 12 to announce that the provincial government will provide more than $2.1 million to CISSSO for a satellite hemodialysis unit. Also in the photo, from the right, Raymond Durocher, André Fortin, Richard Grimard and Jean Hébert.
Right now there are 13 patients that are travelling from the Pontiac to Gatineau or Ontario three times a week for treatment. This will allow them to stay closer to their families.
Community fundraising for this project started back in 2007 with a goal to raise $600,000 for the machine. Since then, the Pontiac Community Hospital Foundation has raised $659,626 for the project.
The yearly operating budget for the unit will be just under a million dollars and it’s expected to be up and running in the next few months.
Calumet Mayor resigns
Calumet Island’s Mayor, Pierre Fréchette, resigned from his post after serving for seven months. In a letter he sent to CHIP FM, he explained that he was stepping down “in response to an insistent demand to turn a blind eye on a situation going against stipulated contractual obligations” and added that “no citizen or counselor should be given special treatment.”
When contacted by THE EQUITY, he declined comment, and said that he would leave it up to council to explain the situation.
At a special council meeting on Monday, Deputy Mayor Jean-Louis Corriveau was nominated by council to fill the position until the elections in November. Corriveau also declined to comment about the situation.
Fréchette was Calumet’s third mayor in four years. He was elected by acclamation, which means he ran unopposed, in October last year after the previous mayor Irene Nadeau resigned in June.
She accused the council of a whole bunch of things, from bullying her, to mismanaging the collection of municipal taxes.
Quyon Lions 50th
The Quyon Lions Club celebrated their 50th anniversary on June 10 at the Jack Graham Community Center in Bristol. They had close to 200 people out, including members of neighbouring Lions Clubs, friends, family and local dignitaries. This year is also the 100th anniversary of Lions Clubs International, which made it all the more historic.
Three charter members, who helped found the club, were celebrated for their incredible contributions over the years: Bob Young, Laurie MacKechnie and Lester McCann, who sadly passed away earlier in the year. He was represented by his widow Jean and a large contingent of family members. In fact, to honour their father’s legacy, the McCann children donated $5,000 to the club with a pledge of an additional $20,000 for the Quyon Waterfront Revitalization project.
McCann’s son Craig was the guest speaker for the evening and spoke about growing up in Quyon and the importance of involvement.
July
The annual Quyon JamFest took over the riverside town, seeing over 200 trailers roll in for a long weekend of country music. Spirits were especially high with the town’s Canada 150 celebrations happening at the same time, as folks got to take in a parade, too.
A Shawville man was arrested outside Otter Lake in connection with a fraud and robbery case. It was reported that the man was in possession of stolen jewellery and credit cards, police apprehended him and seized three wallets and more than 400 pills, believed to be methamphetamines, from his residence.
Villa James Shaw
Nearly $8,000 was raised for the Villa James Shaw project, when the second annual Canada Day fundraiser dance took over the Shawville R.A. Hall on June 30. Over 200 people were estimated to be in attendance, supporting the group’s efforts to build a retirement residence in town.
Canada Day festivities took place all over the Pontiac, and THE EQUITY was out in full force. Celebrating 150 years of Confederation, many communities held parades, fireworks, ball games and tons more, generally organized by the municipalities’ Canada 150 committees.
Despite inconsistent, and often terribly wet weather, events were packed with visitors, as Pontiacers weren’t about to let the rain ruin their celebrations.
TransporAction
The fear that volunteer drivers and funding for services like TransporAction were at risk was squashed on July 10, when it was announced that their provincial funding would be renewed through 2020. The service was initially at risk to lose funding Jan. 1, 2018, when the grants from the province’s green fund were being taken away, but money was decided to be redirected from another source.
The money was being redirected from the green fund after studies showed that volunteer drivers weren’t making a big enough difference in the greenhouse gas emissions produced. Pontiac MNA André Fortin said that the province hadn’t considered the full cost to rural citizens of removing the funding.
Arrested
A Cantley woman was arrested in Bryson on July 14, after officers pursued her vehicle down Hwy. 148. The pursuit occurred late at night, and officers had the vehicle intercepted at one point, but the woman backed her truck into a cruiser and fled. Police found her hiding under a bus, and had to use pepper spray to get her subdued. No officers were injured.
CNL Guided tour
Mayors and officials from MRC Pontiac received a guided tour of the Canadian Nuclear Labratories’ (CNL) Chalk River facilities on July 11, including a look at the proposed site for the near surface disposal facility. CNL officials held an information session for the municipal employees in the morning before the tour.
We’re fourth last
It was reported on July 26 that the Pontiac had risen from the second poorest MRC in the province to the fourth. The research was conducted by Panorama des regions du Québec, based on regional demographics, socio-economic indicators and living conditions from 2011 through 2016.
August
Floating protest
A flotilla protest took place on the Ottawa River, near the proposed site for the near surface disposal facility on Aug. 6. Organized by the Old Fort William Cottagers’ Association, 30 boats carrying 150 people took to the water that day, standing against the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ choice to house the facility at the Chalk River location. Later, Bloc Québécois leader Martine Ouellet joined the Old Fort William Cottagers’ Association at the Hotel Pontiac on Aug. 10, throwing her party’s support behind their opposition to put the near surface disposal facility a kilometre from the Ottawa River at the Chalk River location.
Ouellet joined 35 concerned citizens, hearing their cause and saying that her party is against the site in its current plans, expressing her own disappointment in local governments for not announcing sooner where they stand on the issue.
The Ottawa River, on the Quebec side, was declared an historic site on Aug. 21 by the provincial government. Luc Fortin, the Minister of Culture and Communications as well as the Minister responsible for the Protection and Promotion of the French Language, made the announcement, putting Quebec in line with Ontario, which did so the previous year.
Stolen trees
Two trees were stolen from the Portage du Fort memorial garden on Aug. 2, at some time in the early morning. Nearly 30 trees had been planted in memorial of loved ones, as part of a Canada 150 project, and residents noticed quickly that the Red Maple donated by the Elliot family and the apple tree from the Murdock family were missing.
Murray passes away
Shawville legend and most famous son Bryan Murray, picture above, passed away on Aug. 12 and the loss was felt all through the hockey community. Condolences poured in from all over through social media when the news broke. Murray lived to be 74 years-old, succumbing to colon cancer after a 2014 diagnosis.
Later on Aug. 24 a celebration of life was held at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa for Bryan Murray.
Hockey players, coaches and managers from all over the NHL came out to share a story or pay their respects. His favourite country and folk songs rang out from the speakers, and firetrucks extended their ladders to hold a massive Canadian flag out front of the stadium.
The Ottawa Senators hosted the event. Murray had been head coach of the team from 2005 through 2008 and general manager from 2007 until 2016.
Fire in Shawville
A fire destroyed the Hardy Plants building in Shawville, starting early in the morning of Aug. 12. No one was injured in the fire, and two of the three greenhouses were believed to have been saved.
Fake ice
Synthetic ice arrived in Bristol at the Rusendale Farm on Aug. 20, letting some local hockey players lace up outside, in sunshine and green pastures.
The game was organized by Shawn MacDonell, a Shawville native working for a marketing company, as he was showing off the New Brunswick product. The ice is made of plastic panels, have a three to five-year lifespan and mimic the skating ease of real ice.
September
The Shawville Fair
The annual fair took place from Aug. 31 through till Sept. 4, drawing in thousands and some big-time performances for the 161st iteration of the fun.
Thursday saw the fair kick off with a truck and tractor pull, plus the opening ceremonies inside the arena, honouring long time fair board directors, including the late Jack Lang. Friday saw 4-H livestock judging start up, plus a high energy, classic rock show in the form of April Wine take over the evening.
Saturday saw more 4-H shows, the Holstein show, heavy horse show and much more, before country rockers Cold Creek County rounded out the evening. Sunday was wet – rain kept the crowds seeking cover, but the skies cleared in time for the evening’s performance by Dean Brody. Monday saw more of the same weather, but folks were determined to take in the Demolition Derby, as cars zipped, crashed and sent mud flying all afternoon.
Pre-k costs up
Parents of young children were upset to find that the cost of a pre-kindergarten program at Dr. S.E. McDowell Elementary School had gone way up at the beginning of September.
Where it used to cost $600 per student for the school year, with assistance from a grant covering a portion beyond that amount, the cost of the program was said to change to $445 per student, every day. The change was announced in June, but the official costs hadn’t been made public until Sept. 8. The school board said that the change came because the program now must be run by a certified teacher, instead of a teacher and an assistant .
Running for Warden
Jane Toller announced her intention to run for the position of MRC Pontiac warden on Sept. 7, in what was the area’s first opportunity to elect their choice to the position. Previously, the warden was designated by the council of mayors, at their discretion.
Fiorillo charged
Quebec’s L’Unité Permanente Anticorruption (UPAC) laid charges against the Municipality of Pontiac’s former head of Public Works, Frank Fiorillo. The ex-employee had been charged with breach of trust and impersonating a peace officer on Sept. 14, after a year-long investigation by UPAC. Fiorillo served in the position from Aug. 2016 through to Nov. 2016.
Pot talk
Pontiac MP Will Amos held a forum on cannabis in Fort Coulonge on Sept. 12, in light of the upcoming legalization with Bill C-45.
Parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Health, Joël Lightbound, joined the discussion, where the Liberal Party’s plan for rolling out legalization was discussed in finer details, from new criminal offences regarding distribution to minors to the guidelines for selling and packaging marijuana.
Flood info meetings
Personalized meetings took place at the Luskville Community Centre on Sept. 21 for those in need of more information regarding relief for the damage to their property from the spring floods. Residents in attendance were provided more accurate figures in terms of what they could expect.
MRC stuff
Sept. 19 saw the announcement of the contract for the third phase of the MRC Pontiac building’s renovations awarded to the Gatineau-based company, LCC and Associates. The contract had gone to tender in May 2017, and carries a price tag of $273,000. The Council of Mayors said that no local companies had applied for the contract when it went to tender.
Changes to the MRC Pontiac’s 911 service were announced on Sept. 19, set to start in 2018.
A new, five-year contract will see all calls routed through the MRC des Collines dispatchers, instead of Groupe CLR out of Shawinigan.
The Pontiac Chamber of Commerce received an update on the Pontiac’s economic tactical intervention squad from the Ministry of economy, science and innovation on Sept. 28.
It was reported that the first phase of the group’s mandate was completed and that the group was awaiting the completion of a study by the MRC Pontiac.
October
Oktoberfest
Thorne was overrun once again by the 32nd annual Oktoberfest Ladysmith from Sept. 29 through Oct. 1, attracting thousands for the traditional German food, dancing and music.
Making her mark
An archer from Quyon made her mark at the World Youth Archery Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Oct. 11. Alexandra Paquette placed second, making her number one in Canada for her age group and second worldwide in the cadet age group.
Huge funding boost
The Heritage College location in Campbell’s Bay announced that they would be receiving a huge boost in funding, to improve their facilities and expand their distance education program. The funding increased to $90,100 for their 2017/18 season and was also given the official designation of a Collegiate Study Centre.
New Minister
Pontiac MNA André Fortin was sworn in as the Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification on Oct. 11, at a cabinet shuffle in Quebec City. He succeeded the role from Laurent Lessard, with many, including Fortin himself, surprised by the sudden appointment.
All candidate debate
THE EQUITY held its warden debate at Pontiac High School on Oct. 12, allowing voters to see where each of the five candidates stood on a variety of issues. Editor Chris Lowrey moderated the debate and the school’s auditorium was packed to the brim, with some folks stuck listening from the hallway.
Healthcare complaints up
CISSSO reported an increase in the number of complaints filed to the organization in the last year, in a public forum in Bristol on Oct. 12.
The panel also broke down the upcoming budget for the year, and listed a 10 per cent increase in complaints over the previous year, with 451 files documented in 2016/17.
Tearing down the beach barn
It was out with the old and in with the new as the Quyon’s Lion Hall was torn down on Oct. 19, in preparation for the construction of the new Quyon Community Centre.
The new hall will be able to hold 200 people, with revitalization of the Quyon Recreation Park to follow.
Dryland races
The 8th annual Bristol Dryland Canadian Championship Dog Race brought 300 racers from across the U.S. and Canada for the weekend of Oct. 28 -29. Dogs and their racers competed in a variety of lengths and styles, with the soggy weather causing only mild disruptions.
Amendments made to nuclear dump
It was announced on Oct. 27 that amendments would be made to the controversial near surface disposal facility proposed for the Chalk River location. Canadian Nuclear Laboratories said that they no longer planned to house intermediate-level waste there, but will store low-level waste at the site.
Floods again
More flooding occurred, washing out roads and more in the Municipality of Pontiac over the weekend of Oct. 30. More than 100 mm of rain fell, forcing the closure of several roads and a state of emergency was declared in La Pêche.
November
After the polls had been counted and all the marks ticked, the communities of the MRC Pontiac elected Jane Toller, pictured above, as their first warden chosen by universal suffrage. It was a tight race with five contenders, but Toller said she was pleased to have everyone’s support and confidence. She was officially sworn in at the MRC office in Campbell’s Bay on Nov. 13.
Voter turnout across the MRC Pontiac was less than 60 per cent, once it was all said and done. Of the 12,000 voters, just over 7,500 cast a vote on Nov. 5.
Big fines
Clocked doing more than 145 km/h on Hwy 148 in Bristol on Nov. 8. A 20-year-old woman driving illegally passed two other vehicles once police entered pursuit. She was given a nearly $1,200 ticket for the offences, 13 demerit points, her license was suspended, and her vehicle was impounded.
Appointed
Otter Lake Mayor Kim Cartier-Villeneuve was appointed as Pro-warden by Warden Jane Toller on Nov. 14. Cartier-Villeneuve set economic development as her top priority while helping the warden in her role.
Minor Hockey Day
Minor Hockey Day returned to the Shawville Arena on Nov. 18, culminating in a Central Canada Hockey League game at night where the Nepean Raiders took on the Pembroke Lumber Kings. The Kings won 3 – 2. The event raises funds for the Shawville Dist. Minor Hockey Assoc.
Award for Ag. Soc.
The Pontiac Agricultural Society earned an innovation award on Nov. 16, at the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibits Awards. The group was chosen because of their decision to relocate the Agri-Awareness exhibit to a permanent home at the fairgrounds.
TSN surprise
Pontiac High School students were in for a big surprise on Nov. 20, when they received a virtual visit from TSN’s Jay Onrait and Dan O’Toole. The sportscasting duo recorded a video message of support for the Pontiac Panthers, ahead of the Pontiac Cup Volleyball Tournament on Nov. 21. The PHS girls team would go on to take home the cup after these words of encouragement.
Montagne sinkhole
More damage was found to infrastructure in the Municipality of Pontiac when a sinkhole opened up chemin de la Montagne on Nov. 25. The hole was located between chemin Cregheur and chemin Townline.
Mushing for Shania
Escapade Eskimo received the opportunity of a lifetime when they were hired to provide the dogs to carry Shania Twain out during the half-time show at the 105th Grey Cup in Ottawa on Nov. 26. The owner of Escapade Eskimo, Sylvain Drapeau, had to follow some strict ground rules set by the CFL, keeping the appearance a secret before the show.
December
Scheer in Shawville
December started off with a visit from the leader of the Conservative Party to the Shawville Lions Hall on Friday, Dec. 1. Andrew Scheer met with local media, politicians and supporters, speaking about the biggest issues facing the party and the Canadian middle class.
Return to tender
Two snow removal companies submitted bids for Quyon’s snowplowing contract, but their bids were more than a bit higher than the spending in years past. While the municipality spend $99,000 on the contract the year before, the two bids that were received came in at $275,940 and $388,040. The municipality decided to return to tender, settling on a five-year contract with Mountainview Turf at $801,950.66, totaling $160,000 per year.
St. Joseph’s changes hands
The Friends of St. Joseph’s Manor were proud to share that they were mere signatures away from owning the building that they operated in Campbell’s Bay.
The organization used their Christmas wine and cheese event to say that an agreement had been reached with CISSSO that meant they would no longer be tenants, instead owning the building and property outright.
The president of the non-profit organization said that this would make applying for loans at the bank easier, and in turn, give them the ability to expand their services and building.
Community helps out
Hundreds of people descended upon the Jack Graham Community Centre on Dec. 1, when a fundraiser was held for Bristol resident Kevin Hannaberry. Hannaberry had lost his entire home in an early morning fire on Nov. 5 and the community raised over $10,000 for his benefit.
Smelly surprize
A couple were in for a nasty surprise on Dec. 4, when their vehicle was splashed with what appeared, and smelled, to be human waste. On their way to a Gatineau appointment, just before the four-lane section of Hwy 148 in Luskville, they passed three tanker trucks, which sprayed their vehicle with the mess.
Firefighter of the year
The Shawville-Clarendon Fire Department honoured their firefighter of the year at a dinner on Dec. 9. This year, Julien Gagnon was awarded the honour, for his hours and dedication to the force.
New winery
A new winery opened their doors to the public in Clarendon, offering guests an opportunity to tour their facilities and sample their wines. The Little Red Wagon Winery saw a steady stream of guests all weekend long on Dec. 9 – 10, with many in the community excited to see what they had to offer.
Bus accident
A Shawville woman was airlifted to the Hull hospital on Dec. 8, when a TransporAction bus on Clarendon Street backed into her while trying to avoid a funeral procession. The woman was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Critical report
A report compiled by a Pontiac advocacy group, Santé Outaouais 2020, criticized the health network amalgamation that occurred in 2015.
A press conference was held on Dec. 13 in Campbell’s Bay where local officials and stakeholders attended to hear the grievances. The report said that the consequences of Bill 10 has led to decreased quality of services and unnecessary procedures at the Shawville Hospital Centre, after the authors had interviewed 15 people with experience in the local healthcare sector.
MRC’s 170th anniversary
The MRC Pontiac celebrated the 170th anniversary of the county council’s first meeting on Dec. 13.
The event was commemorated with the moving of a 1947 monument to the front of the offices, as well as a smudging ceremony and prayers offered by the Broken Arrow Drummers.
