SPRING IS FINALLY HERE... REGISTER NOW ENJOY IT LONGER! www.pilaros.com 3,/$526450.681.6900 Laval’s English Paper, Since 1993 Vol. 25 • No. 09 • May 3 , 2017 • Tel.: 450-978-9999 • www.lavalnews.ca • e-mail: [email protected] • 34, 200 copies SIX ¶683(5˨&/,1,&6· /DYDO01$VODXQFKSHWLWLRQ Page 5 )25/$9$/ WRVWRSSODQQHGVSOLWRI*UHHNYRWH /$9$/·6 <281*92/817((56 +21285(' ƓƆƌƊƅƂ LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER 2017 LAVAL DIGITAL ARTS | BEAUTY | INTERIOR DESIGN 1595, Daniel-Johnson boulevard • Courses are offered in English and French. Montmorency © Wendy Jazmine PhotPho o COCO, Alias; Colombe Photographe 514 939-4444, ext. 4917 | interdeccollege.com 03,DFRQRVXSSRUWVIHGHUDOVWDIIOHW GRZQE\3KRHQL[SD\V\VWHP Blames Harper and Conservatives for botching system installation Supports PSAC members In a statement issued last Monday, Iacono said he supports the workers who are members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, which has locals in Laval, the Laurentians and Lanaudière. “I am before you here as MP for Alfred-Pellan, but at the same time I am a former federal functionary, a father to family and some who naturally wants to help,” he said. “I understand full well your anguish and your challenges and I want to assure you that you have my support.” Blames Harper Iacono blamed problems with the system on former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper who decided to adopt Phoenix and did it in such a way as to make it impossible to return to the old system. “The workers paid the put an end to these problems with the Phoenix and issuing emergency payments until a perma- prise for the bad decisions of the Conservative pay system.” nent pay system can be reliably counted on. government by losing their jobs,” Iacono said, After meeting with the demonstrators, (TLN) Around 70 people took part last alluding to layoffs that resulted from the new Inherited by the Liberals Iacono invited the president of the union, Saturday in a peaceful demonstration outside system. The Liberal government, which came into Annick Lamoureux, as well as other union the riding office of Alfred-Pellan MP Angelo to “They continue to pay today because of a power in 2015, has been dealing with fallout officials to take part in a conference phone call protest the Liberal government’s ongoing issues system for which the implementation wasn’t from the Phoenix pay system for the past year. with a member of the staff of Public Services with its Phoenix pay system, which is causing properly planned by a government whose only Measures taken by the Liberal government in and Procurement Minister Judy Foote who some federal employees problems. concern was balancing its budget on the backs the meantime to have included hiring more is responsible for the Phoenix pay system of Canadians. Our government is determined to staff, opening temporary satellite pay offices, dossier. They discussed short-term solutions. • May 3 , 2017 The Laval News • 2 /DYDO01$VODXQFKSHWLWLRQWRVWRS SODQQHGVSOLWRI*UHHNYRWH Electoral reformers taking ‘easy way out,’ say Ouellette and Sauvé MARTIN C. BARRY aries redistribution process, We the under- signed, residents of the Chomedey and Fabre Several members of the Quebec National ridings in Laval, are opposed to the Quebec Assembly from western Laval have started a Electoral Commission’s March 2nd 2017 decision petition supporting the Hellenic Community of and request a reversal of said decision. Greater Montreal’s bid to persuade the Quebec Electoral Commission to abandon a plan to HCGM letter to QEC restructure the ridings of Fabre and Chomedey In a letter to the QEC from the Hellenic which would split the Greek vote and render it Community of Greater Montreal signed by less powerful electorally. HCGM president Nicholas Pagonis, he says Greek natural community boundary reform alternatives proposed by the HCGM ought to have been considered by “Since the beginning of work in Quebec the commission. He also noted that Ouellette, on the reform of the electoral map, we have Sauvé and Habel supported the alternatives been very busy defending the Greek natural and remain dissatisfied with the new map being community,” said Fabre Liberal MNA Monique proposed by the commission. Sauvé who took part with Chomedey Liberal “This is something that is going to diminish MNA Guy Ouellette in a press conference on our political clout,” Pagonis said during the press the issue at HCGM headquarters in Montreal conference, “something which should not be on April 19. allowed to happen because it is our natural “In as much as we respect institutions, it’s right to maintain that ability that we had up very clear that our position is that the division to now.” Pagonis also pointed out an irony in of the Hellenic community in virtue of Article the redrawn riding map: two Greek Orthodox 15 of Chapter 1 of the Elections Act for us churches located in the same riding until now is a priority,” she continued. “Well above the would henceforth be split between Chomedey mathematical equations, and above the calcu- and Fabre. lations which might be made, the essence of this community which we all value must be ‘Easy way out,’ says Ouellette ing the six ridings in Laval in some other way, Because of the growth of the population in respected.” While Ouellette acknowledged that an Ouellette said that he, Sauvé and Sainte- because I’m way above average, Fabre is under Chomedey they will have to do their homework important reason the map of Chomedey is average, Laval-des-Rapides and Mille-Îles are again after the next election. The scenario that Rose MNA Jean Habel made representations being redrawn is that the riding is growing on the issue to the electoral commission last under average, so we need to divide Laval in Guy proposed was on a long-term basis reality fast and the size of its population is no longer some other way,” Ouellette said. “But it takes rather than just doing their homework again, September. “As Monique said earlier, the Greek within electoral norms, he said the QEC took community in Chomedey is the largest in the time and a lot more work to do.” doing it not the right way, and splitting again the easy way to making its reform: they based it the community.” She said that what the three province of Quebec,” he said. th largely on an arbitrary line drawn at 100 Ave. ‘Short term solution,’ says Sauvé MNAs and the HCGM are proposing “is harder Against electoral law in Chomedey, which is the virtual heart of the Sauvé added that the solution the QEC work, but also a long-term solution.” Laval Greek community. “The simple way that the Commission is proposing “is only a short-term solution. “They have to work a little bit harder in divid- électorale split the Greek community was denounced by Monique, by Jean Habel from Sainte-Rose and by myself. It goes against our own electoral law and it goes against Article 15 that we pleaded in September 2016. “That is the reason why there will be a peti- tion on the National Assembly network which will be grandfathered by Monique,” Ouellette continued. “There will also be a petition in churches in Laval and in Montreal just to make sure that the voice of the Greek community will be heard at the electoral commission.” Text of the petition The text of the petition reads: In consideration of the Quebec Electoral Commission’s (QEC) March 2nd 2017 deci- sion to modify the electoral boundaries in the Laval-area ridings of Chomedey and Fabre respectively; In consideration of the definition of a ‘natural community’ as defined in Article 15 of the Quebec Elections Act, being “an electoral May 3 , 2017 • division, which represents a natural commun- ity established on the basis of demographical, geographical and sociological considerations, such as the population density, the relative The Laval News growth rate of the population, the access- ibility, area and shape of the region, the natural local boundaries and the territories of local municipalities…” (450) 933-6138 In consideration of the QEC’s disregard of the patricialagopatis.com • above-noted Article 15 in the electoral bound- 3 Opinion & Editorial 2QWKHFXWWLQJHGJHRI&DQDGD·VHFRQRPLFIXWXUH Don’t leave the skilled trades out of Canada’s innovation conversation. High-tech isn’t just about apps - it’s also about developing apprentices anada’s economic landscape is skills for innovation), skilled tradespeople, ary teams that can update a car’s software success. When an HVAC technician goes out changing. Look no further than the and the apprentices who make up their future over Wi-Fi, understand car-to-car wireless on a job, she or he needs to be able to diagnose CMarch 22 federal budget and follow cohorts, must be included. Technology’s communication and integration into the issues with a 10-year-old furnace or a new one, the money. Big chunks of funding will be deliv- impact on industry is undeniable and the Internet-of-things, repair on-board hardware, and everything in between. ered to the likes of artificial intelligence (AI), trades are no exception. In a multidisciplin- and care for the mechanical functionality of As lines between specializations blur and clean tech, the digital economy and agri-food. ary, increasingly science-technology-engeer- hybrid, electric and combustible engines. technological complexity increases, skilled Lost in the budget, however, was any explicit ing-math-(STEM)-intensive world, that’s To keep pace and ensure the success of tradespeople become indispensable to multi- mention of the skilled trades, apprentices or especially true. apprentices, classrooms are as innovative as disciplinary teams and must learn to function the role they will play in Canada’s new innova- To cope with technology’s impact, those in the environments in which they will operate.