SPRING IS FINALLY HERE... REGISTER NOW ENJOY IT LONGER! www.pilaros.com 3,/$526450.681.6900 Laval’s English Paper, Since 1993 Vol. 25 • No. 07 • April 5, 2017 • Tel.: 450-978-9999 • www.lavalnews.ca • e-mail: [email protected] • 34, 200 copies Laval-Les Îles MP Fayçal El- Autism Khoury working month to get AGAPE’s launched Wellness Centre in Laval funding SEE PAGE 11 SEE PAGE 17 HELLENIC COMMUNITY MARKS ANNUAL GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY Leaders from the Hellenic community were joined by elected officials from all three government levels and by Rev. Fr. P. Salatelis, Rev. Fr. Z. Nterekas), and Rt. Rev. Fr. N. Mostratos of the Greek Orthodox church who recited prayers at the Laval Cenotaph for Greek Independence Day. A reception followed at City Hall. Pages 12-112-133 ServingS the community for over 25 years... Notre-DameCentre Dentaire Our priority is your healthy smile... Dr. Savas Fortis, DDS Dental Center Chirurgien dentiste / Dental Surgeon 4375,4375, Notre-Dame,Notre-Dame, suitesuite 77,, Laval For your entire dental needs call : Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 7:00 pm (corner Elizabeth) 450-682-3921 Saturday 8:00 am to 1:00 pm Quebec budget 2017: After 3 lean years, Liberals boost spending in ‘sustainable, responsible’ budget Small tax cuts and bigger-than-expected billion for 2017-2018, those ministries will Public transit on track system in the greater Quebec City area. increases for health and education will drive see overall spending increased by 4.4 and 4.3 Leitao’s budget also puts measures in place What does it all mean? Quebec government spending in 2017. per cent respectively. for several major public transit projects, which The Liberals will table one more budget The Liberal government’s fourth budget, But for many who work in those fields, the the finance minister hopes will have long-term before heading to the polls in the fall of 2018. tabled Tuesday, continues an effort begun last reinvestment won’t compensate for the funds benefits for the province’s economy. Leitao’s prudent budgets of the past two years year to ease the pain of the austerity measures lost in previous years. “If we look at the new The most glamorous and ambitious of these are likely to be a central plank of their re-elec- that marked the beginning of its mandate. money that is put in the education system this projects is the $6 billion light-rail project for tion platform. In his speech before the National Assembly, year, it’s only $170 million,” said Pierre-Antoine Montreal, spearheaded by Quebec’s public For partisans of the government, Leitao has Finance Minister Carlos Leitao called it a good Harvey, an economist with the CSQ, one the pension fund, the Caisse de dépôt et placement. managed to rein in spending and debt costs. news budget that is “sustainable and respon- province’s largest teacher unions. The light-trail transit system will connect With large-scale reinvestments in public tran- sible” — one that balances “renewed hope” “That’s not enough. We’re talking about $800 Montreal’s South Shore to downtown sit on the horizon, and a competitive edge in with prudence. million in cuts in the last seven years of Liberal Montreal, the airport, and the West Island. technology, Leitao says he has positioned the The showcase element for the Liberals, governments.” (Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec) The province for the future. who campaigned on promises of tax cuts, is Overall, Quebec’s consolidated expenditures Caisse has already committed $2.7 billion. In But for detractors, the Leitao budget does the retroactive elimination of the so-called are slated to increase by 3.8 per cent for 2017- Tuesday’s budget, Quebec promised to fork little to reverse troubling trends. Health care health contribution. Its abolition for 2017 was 2018, compared to last year’s increase of 4.5 over $1.3 billion. But none of that will be announced last fall. Now Quebecers earning remains starved, schools crumbling and infra- per cent. Those stand in sharp contrast to the spent for another five years. Quebec is waiting less than $134,095 won’t have to pay their structure in rural Quebec underfunded. paltry increase of 1.4 per cent in 2014-2015 anxiously for Ottawa to match that commit- 2016 contribution, which will put between $50 Making debt payments a priority, while being and 1.1 per cent in 2015-2016. ment, an announcement likely to come later and $175 back in their pockets this year. That this year. The rest will be made up by a contri- stingy with spending, amounts to fiddling while retroactive payout was one of the worst-kept Declining debt bution to the electrification of the network by Rome burns, the Opposition said. secrets in Quebec City in the weeks leading But 2015 also represented a turning point Hydro-Québec, as well as various real-estate “We want the whole surplus to be reinvested up to the budget. in Quebec’s wrestling match with public taxation schemes. in services,” said Nicolas Marceau, the Parti But surprising most observers was addi- debt. Since then, the province’s gross debt With much of the funding now solidified, Québécois finance critic, himself a former tional income tax relief in the form of an as a percentage of GDP has declined, and it’s construction on the 67-kilometre network is finance minister. increase to $14,890 for the zero-tax thresh- projected to continue decreasing into the near scheduled to get underway this year. Leitao was “The cuts of the last three years were old. That translates into an income tax cut future. brimming with confidence about the project. tremendous … They’re trying to repair the of $55. As Coalition Avenir Québec finance Even if this year’s budget doesn’t entirely “It will meet users’ expectations and be an damage. But it’s only a partial repair.” critic François Bonnardel pointed out, that’s make up for past cuts, some public finance exceptional showcase for Quebec know-how,” François Legault, leader of the Coalition not quite enough to cover a weekly cup of experts believe it buttresses the government he said in his budget speech. Avenir Québec, derided the government’s coffee at Tim Hortons. against potential downswings in the global Along with the LRT, Leitao’s budget also “stop-and-go” approach to spending as a cheap Injections to health care, edu- economy. brings the much-discussed extension of the electoral ploy. cation “This government is doing something Montreal Metro’s blue line one step closer to “It’s a way to try and win some votes,” Legault Education and health were among the responsible; it’s giving itself some wiggle room reality. Funds for the extension, while not in said. “It’s bad management.” sectors hardest hit by lean budgets tabled in if things go south,” said Marie-Soleil Tremblay, this year’s budget, will be factored into the The National Assembly will spend the next 2014 and 2015. associate professor at the École Nationale d’Ad- government’s ten-year infrastructure plan. The several weeks studying the budget before it With a projected surplus of nearly $2.5 ministration Publique. same was done for a proposed bus rapid transit comes up for a vote. • April 5, 2017 The Laval News • 2 Laval’s Liberal MNAs Quebec budget 2017: praise budget What it means for you Contains measures for health, Highlights of Quebec’s 2017-2018 education and the economy financial plan: (TLN) The 2017 provincial budget tabled on the budget to encourage economic growth in March 28 by Quebec Finance Minister Carlos Quebec and which will continue to benefit all For your pocketbook: to help integrate immigrants into the labour Leitao contains measures to encourage the food Quebecers.” No health tax for 2016 for people making market. and beverage industries, tourism and economic Encouraging community less than $134,095. If you’ve already submitted development in the province’s more distant your taxes for 2016 1) wow! and 2) expect a new Smarter Fabre Liberal MNA Monique Sauvé said regions. notice of assessment by June 30. 17.9 billion for education (including higher the government “recognizes the importance Among other things, the government is allot- education). of autonomous community action. More than $55 income tax cut. The zero-tax threshold ting $3 billion over two years to improve health intentions, it is concrete actions which are will be raised to $14,890. That means all 4.3 Money to hire 1,500 new staff members for and social services. The government’s goal is present in the budgetary credits which count. million Quebecers making more will see a little Quebec schools, who are to start in September. to reduce waiting lines in hospitals, to make extra cash on their 2017 returns. I think of Groupe d’entraide La Rosée and of all $100 million, between now and 2021-2022, to surgery and diagnostic tests more accessible, the organizations in my riding and I am happy One year extension to the RénoVert tax develop Montreal as an artificial intelligence to train more specialized nurses, to add more with the true commitment of our government credit. If you spend more than $2,500 on home super-cluster. medical personnel in CHLSDs, to provide more in devoting an additional $107 million over five renovations that support Quebec’s sustainable support for persons with autism, to encourage years to supporting community action.” development goals, you qualify for a 20 per good lifestyles in schools, at work and at home, Healthier Laval-des-Rapides Liberal MNA Saul Polo cent tax credit.