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LAVAL | barbiesgrill.com www.pilaros.com Suggested presentation. 580 SAINTMARTIN WEST BLVD. | 4506680033 1.888.PILAROS • 450.681.6900 Laval’s English Paper, Since 1993 Vol. 28 - No. 07 April 1, 2020 450-978-9999 www.lavalnews.ca [email protected] 120,000 readers PRIME MINISTER TRUDEAU ANNOUNCES $107 B COVID EMERGENCY FUNDING PREMIER LEGAULT ANNOUNCES NEW AID TO QUEBECERS SEE PAGES: 3, 8 Coronavirus COVID-19 Don’t forget about mental health! stress • anxiety • depression Information and advice inside. 19-210-XX_Post-it_VF_2-5poX2-5po_EN.indd 1 MATURE 20-03-26 13:49 L I F E TENOR JOHN MACMASTER’S PHOTOS: CBC/RDI SCREEN CAPTIONS MISSION: BRINGING OPERA Our elected coping with the COVID-19 Crisis TO LIFE Editor’s note: This week’s profile we feature the extraordinary contributions made by Chomedey-raised internationally-renowned tenor MP Faycal El-Khoury: Page 5 Councillor Aglaia Revelakis: Page 24 and McGill University music teacher John MacMaster, to the advancement of Opera world- wide. Here, in part, is John’s story, a privileged look into the life and times of an exceptional MP Annie Koutrakis: Page 5 MNA Guy Ouellette: Page 25 man, as told to Renata Isopo. Mayor Marc Demers: Page 7 MNA Christopher Skeete: Page 25 Pages 11-22 To all my constituents of Chomedey, my warmest wishes for a Happy Passover and a Happy Easter ! Guy Ouellette 450 686-0166 | [email protected] MNA for Chomedey 4599, boul. Samson, Bureau 201, Laval (QC) H7W 2H2 JOB SEARCH CLUBS EXIST! nd Yes! They are still an effective way to unite job seekers, break isolation and Ashare the trials and tribulations of searching for that next career opportunity. A job search today is not what it was 20 years ago. Technology plays a big part in how we connect and communicate with employers; this can leave anyone feeling overwhelmed, alone and in some cases questioning if anyone notices us or our specific qualifications. Job seekers admit to feeling alone, isolated and unsure of the best methods to get the attention of potential employers. If this sounds fa- miliar, then you are certainly not alone! Laval’s Groupe Priorité Travail Job Search Club has been helping Anglophone job seekers for over 20 years. Our interactive group workshops help participants fine tune their technics and connect with other job seekers. A proper job search is a process and why go through it alone? Become a part of our club, challenge yourself and learn to put your best foot forward in a proactive, motivating and learning environment. TRACY ARTEMCHUK 450 681-4472 ext.232 Employment Counsellor / Coordinator gptlaval.com Groupe Priorité Travail • April 1, 2020 The Laval News • 2 $107 billion emergency federal aid package adopted by parliament and senate Early Wednesday morning of March 25th, The In the end the bill received all-party support. Who qualifies for The Canada The aid package House of Commons passed emergency legis- With the bill approved by the Commons, the next Emergency Response Benefit The proposed aid package from Ottawa lation to free up $107 billion to help Canadians step was to seek approval from the Senate to be includes: weather the COVID-19 crisis, but its approval followed immediately by royal assent. (CERB)? A temporary boost to Canada Child Benefit came after a late night of wrangling to limit Housakos presiding the Senate It’s available to wage earners, contract workers payments, delivering about $2 billion in extra the Liberal government’s ability to spend more and self-employed people who don’t qualify for support. money without Parliamentary approval. employment insurance (EI). A new Emergency Care Benefit of up to $900 The federal government decided the best way Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday biweekly, for up to 15 weeks, to provide income to support Canadians who are out of work, sick, that nearly one million people have applied for support to workers, including the self-employed, supporting loved ones or in isolation due to the EI in the last week alone. In his daily address to who have to stay home and don’t qualify for paid novel coronavirus is to have one emergency the nation from his residence at Rideau Cottage, sick leave or employment insurance. The meas- benefit – the Canadian Emergency Response he acknowledged that many Canadians are feel- ure means up to $10 billion could be disbursed. Benefit. ing stressed about paying their bills as they lose A new Emergency Support Benefit to provide “Extraordinary challenges necessitate extra- income due to the global pandemic. up to $5 billion in support to workers who are not ordinary measures, and that is indeed how we’ve “The hard truth is people are out of work eligible for EI and who are facing unemployment. gotten to where we are with the benefits that we because of this crisis and worried about what A six-month, interest-free reprieve on student are putting forward to Canadians, the benefits we comes next. So I want you to know that we’ll loan payments. are putting forward to support businesses, and be there to help you. Our government is doing A doubling of the homeless care program. the benefits we are putting forward to support everything we can to be there for you,” he said. An extension of the tax filing deadline to June 1. our economy,” Federal Finance Minister Bill If the federal government determines that There is also a policy change allowing taxpayers Morneau said,(photo above). someone received an income support payment to defer until after Aug. 31 tax payments that are The portion of benefits to help Canadians for which they did not qualify, they will have to due after today and before September. and small businesses cope with the COVID-19 repay that amount as soon as they can. Finally Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced pandemic is almost double what it was expected The repayment amount will be determined by 75 per cent wage subsidy and $40 000 guaranteed to be, the federal finance minister said last the government. No interest payments would interest-free loans to help small and medium-sized Wednesday March 25th. be charged on the amount owed. businesses to keep employees on the payroll. The total aid package was initially proposed at Faith had it that it was Conservative senator –a Details to come shortly. $82 billion, but is now $107 billion, with direct former Chomedey resident– that presided the support to Canadians and small businesses passing of Bill C-13 from the Senate. In phone increasing to $52 billion. interview asked how he felt that day, he said: “It was surreal presiding over the Senate today Long negotiations as we granted approval to Bill C-13 appropri- Following a day of tense negotiations, MPs ating to our Government Billions of dollars in began debating the bill in the wee hours of response to this major crisis. My thoughts were Wednesday morning, and a vote took place that the Trudeau government accumulated over shortly after. 80 billion in deficits over their first four years An emergency sitting of the House of Commons in power during good time. Now that we have was suspended Tuesday moments after it began hit a serious crisis the cupboards are bare. I am ProfessionalCentre Auto de Body Collision Repair & Painting as Conservatives balked at provisions that would concerned that this first phase of bailout won’t give the government sweeping powers to unilat- make a dent in our 1.6 trillion $ Economy that erally spend, borrow and change taxation levels has gone in lockdown. I am also concerned if • Insurance Work Accepted • Import Car Specialists without Parliament’s approval for the next 21 this lasts more than 6 months the treasury can months. run out of money.” • All Work Guaranted • American Muscle Cars Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said Morneau: $2,000 a month for four • Expert Color Matching • Towing early in the day that his party would support • Factory Genuine Parts • Major & Minor Repairs emergency efforts to get money to Canadians months. struggling with the COVID-19 crisis, but would Morneau said the benefit of $2000, is designed oppose any attempts by the Liberal government as a wage subsidy, delivered directly to people. to expand its power. His warning came before a “We think that is critically important.” small group of 32 MPs gathered in the Commons The government is targeting week of April 6 to to debate and vote on legislation to deliver $82 make the benefit available. billion in financial aid and tax deferrals to indi- The impact on the Canadian economy is signifi- viduals and businesses, as proposed last week cant, Morneau added. by the government to deal with COVID-19 and “It means we are entirely funding this through its ensuing economic havoc. the federal government.” They convened as scheduled. However, the “On top of that, there’s $55 billion in tax defer- sitting had only just begun when the House rals that we’ve said are there because neither leader asked that it be suspended so that the individuals nor corporations will be forced to pay government could continue negotiating details their income tax before Aug. 31,” Morneau said. FREE ESTIMATES! April 1, 2020 • of the legislation with opposition parties. Morneau said the federal government is also “Canadians need support to get through this. working with Canadian banks to credit avail- Fast,” Rodriguez tweeted shortly after the sitting able to businesses, but that benefit program is was suspended.