The current issue of The North Shore News volume 16-25 published September 18th, 2020.
Covering North Shore local news, politics, sports and other newsworthy events.
(Click HERE to read the paper.)
North Shore News 16-25
Rosemère News: September 24th, 25th and 26th
Town Council Blood Drive: Please Give Blood on September 24 and 25
Mayor Eric Westram and Rosemère’s town councillors invite residents to attend the upcoming Héma-Québec blood drive on September 24 and 25. The blood donor clinic, which is by appointment only, will be open between 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Memorial Community Centre (202 Grande-Côte Road).
“Even during a pandemic, there is an ongoing need for blood,” Mayor Westram said. “That’s why I want to reassure residents about the protective measures taken by Héma-Québec. They have proactively implemented the recommendations from public health officials and Health Canada in order to provide a safe environment for everyone. Join me in giving blood on September 24 and 25, and let’s help save thousands of lives. Together, we can meet our goal of 170 donors.”
Because the blood drive is by appointment only, residents must contact Héma-Québec in advance by phone at 1-800-343-7264 or by email at igive@hema-quebec.qc.ca.
Access to all donation sites is controlled, with a temperature check for donors and volunteers before they can enter.
Donor beds are disinfected after every use, as are the touchscreens used to fill out the donor questionnaire.
The set-up of the blood drive has been reconfigured to comply with distancing requirements.
Acrylic dividers have been added at all blood donation locations.
Surgical masks, provided by Héma-Québec, are mandatory for all donors for the length of their visit as well as for staff and volunteers whose duties require them to be closer than 2 metres (6 feet) to others.
Vuela Vuela : Show and dance workshop in collaboration with Odyscène
As part of the Journées de la culture, Odyscène and the towns of the MRC de Thérèse-De Blainville offer you a free tour of eight dance shows in your region from September 25 to October 4, 2020.
On Saturday, September 26th, take part in the Vuela Vuela dance activity at the Rosemère skatepark in Charbonneau Park. In case of rain, check the Facebook event update.
1:00 p.m. First performance
1:30 p.m. Youth Workshop
3:00 p.m. Second performance
Blainville tightens the leash
New regulations for dog owners
In 2018, the government of Quebec adopted Bill 128 aimed at promoting the protection of people by setting up a framework for dogs and in December 2019, it ratified the implementing regulations for this law which only potentially dangerous dogs, but also all dogs in Quebec to ensure the protection of the public.
“The municipal council, in order to strengthen animal control on its territory as well as the safety of people, adopted By-law 1620. This substantially modifies the elements relating to pets while integrating the elements of Law 128 and its implementing regulations on dangerous dogs. There were 45 incidents involving dogs in Blainville between 2010 and 2018. As a Quebec municipality No. 1 for its quality of life, even if the old regulations contained tough measures, Blainville must ensure the safety of its citizens”, declared Mayor Richard Perreault.
The City also wishes to ensure ethical and safe animal control and limit the proliferation of stray animals on the territory.
By-law 1620
The number of animals per property is limited to four, including a maximum of three dogs or three cats. A person who was already keeping more animals than authorized before the adoption of the by-law must obtain a special permit from the City. In a survey conducted by the firm Aramis in March 2019 to which 854 citizens of Blainville responded, 74% support this measure.
In a public place, a dog must at all times be under the control of a person capable of controlling it and be held by a leash of a maximum length of 1.85 meters.
It is now compulsory, under provincial and municipal regulations, for all dogs weighing 20 kg and over, to wear a halter (head harness) or a chest harness when circulating in public places (streets, parks, green spaces, etc.).
The control of dogs deemed potentially dangerous or dangerous following incidents is reinforced according to the obligations contained in the implementing regulation of Law 128 (85% support in the 2019 survey).
Under provincial regulations, registration and wearing of the medal for all dogs in the territory is compulsory. Cats must also be registered and wear the tag.
Finally, the regulation makes the sterilization of cats aged six months and over, mandatory in order to avoid the proliferation of animals (65% support in the 2019 survey).
Registration and medal compulsory for dogs and cats
“As mentioned, Law 128 and its implementing regulations make registration and wearing of the medal compulsory for dogs. Cats are also subject to this obligation in the municipal bylaw,” mentioned the chairman of the public security commission, Serge Paquette.
The registration of dogs and cats is valid for the life of the animal. To register a dog or cat, there are two options: complete an online form and receive the medal by mail ($ 25 + $ 3 postage) or go to an authorized partner to complete the form, register an animal and receive the medal ($ 25). The sums collected for registration are used only to pay the operating costs by the SPCA and to produce the medals.
Halter and chest harness
According to provincial regulations, Municipal By-law 1620 makes it compulsory to wear a halter or chest harness for dogs over 20 kilograms.
“The halter is a harness that is placed on the head of an animal in order to control it effectively. The halter is not a muzzle and does not prevent the dog from breathing freely. This device increases the effectiveness of the leash and gives the keeper better control. The halter also has the effect of calming the dog, ”added the vice-president of the public security commission, Michèle Murray.
As for the chest harness, it has the particularity of attaching to the front at chest level and not on the back as with conventional harnesses. This type of harness is designed to gently discourage dogs from pulling since it is used to restrain sudden movements without harming them.
The Order of Veterinary Doctors of Quebec is in favor of this equipment, which increases the protection of citizens while respecting the well-being of the animal.
Regulation 1620 also contains several articles relating to the welfare and protection of animals and the City of Blainville site includes more information on that.
City of Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac’s insurer is suing!
The City of Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac has been informed that its insurer has filed a lawsuit against those responsible for the containment work in 1979, in this case the firm Gendron Lefebvre and their successor entities, due to a hidden defect.
According to the lawsuit documents, those responsible for the works “(…) made significant errors in the design and construction of the dike (…) and must be held responsible. All the excavations, boreholes and exploratory wells carried out after the breakup of the dike revealed a hidden defect affecting it, demonstrating the presence of organic matter, beds of sand and a layer of debris in the backfill of the dike, in the specific section where the breach occurred (…) ”.
The lawsuit specifies that these non-compliant permeable materials would have allowed the gradual infiltration of water into the backfill, causing (…) “a phenomenon of internal erosion (piping) which developed in the presence of seasonal hydraulic pressures on the dike ”. In addition, the prosecution alleges that “this hidden defect would have been impossible to detect without the excavations, drilling and exploratory wells carried out since the event, and could not have been detected by visual inspections of the dike (…)”.
“I am disturbed by what has been observed by the experts appointed by our insurer. This is an important step in order to understand why the dike gave way on April 27, 2019. The victims and the entire population of Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac have a right to the truth. We have always worked to the best of our knowledge to protect our citizens and acted in good faith. This is what we will continue to do” said Sonia Paulus, mayor of Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac.
North Shore News 16-24
The current issue of The North Shore News volume 16-24 published September 11th, 2020.
Covering North Shore local news, politics, sports and other newsworthy events.
(Click HERE to read the paper.)
End of the COVID-19 outbreak at Saint-Eustache Hospital
The CISSS des Laurentides announced that the COVID-19 outbreak is over at Saint-Eustache Hospital -Eustace. Indeed, the establishment has not identified any new case of transmission within its walls for 28 days.
Ms. Rosemonde Landry, President and CEO of the CISSS des Laurentides, believes that the numerous efforts made by the teams have borne fruit: “The strict measures put in place to stop the transmission of COVID-19 are working. The mobilization of the staff was responsible for in a big way to the normalization of the situation,” she underlined, warmly thanking the staff and the doctors.
In addition to the application of the prevention and protection measures recommended by the infection prevention and control teams and the establishment’s microbiologists, the CISSS des Laurentides carried out various actions simultaneously, including the addition of staff, increased cleaning and disinfection and massive screening and daily monitoring.
“We know that we must remain very vigilant against the virus. The changes put in place have made it possible to block its transmission in the hospital, but all preventive measures must continue to ensure the safety of staff and hospitalized people,” said Ms. Landry.
Visits are now permitted on units previously affected by the outbreak. However, specific instructions for certain areas of the hospital, such as the emergency room, oncology, obstetrical, neonatal and pediatric care, must still be observed. All the information about hospital visits during the COVID-19 pandemic is available on the CISSS des Laurentides website.
The Pho King Bon outrage
The restaurant Pho King Bon and its owner found themselves in a whirlwind of controversy after some members of the Vietnamese community were outraged by the names of some dishes and drinks in the restaurant’s menu. Names like Viet Kong for a shooter brought back painful memories for some Quebecers of Vietnamese origin. Memories of war, atrocities and incredible hardship.
Apart from the media storm, the restaurant’s facebook page was inundated by threats and hate speech from diverse origins. Others supported the owner call the whole situation a result of a mistake which should not have as a result the closing of the restaurant which employs a number of people in Covid times, especially when the owner was quick to conform to what representatives of the Vietnamese community asked him to change.
The Town of Rosemère was quick to denounce the vulgarity and racism on the menu of the restaurant newly installed on its territory.
“The names of dishes and drinks are simply vulgar, racist and sexist. It’s disrespectful and the Town doesn’t endorse such expressions. We are a town with a country flavor character made up of restaurants and shops where good taste and respect for the French language predominate. These crude puns are simply an insult to our language, to the values we instill in our children and to the openness to the world that we advocate. This menu is extremely hurtful to the Vietnamese community. In fact, last June, the Town adopted a resolution against racism and we denounce this vulgarity,” said Rosemère’s Mayor Eric Westram.
Guillaume Boutin, the owner of the restaurant apologized with a letter on social media and is currently speeding up the changes to the menus and printed materials in order to leave behind stereotypes and insulting phrases.
“Following the opening of our restaurant Pho King Bon, its name as well as some of the names of our drinks have caused a stir within the Vietnamese community. Many people of the Vietnamese community felt targeted as well as insulted by our play on words. However, it was never our intention to hurt or undermine anyone. We now recognize that the certain play on words may have offended certain people, especially those from the Vietnamese community.
Pho King Bon apologizes on behalf of all those who felt targeted, insulted or undermined by our play on words. Certain modifications will be implemented to the menu thanks to and as a result of the helpful advice of the Vietnamese community.
As for our Adult drink menu: We understand that the name of our drink/shooter << Viet Kong >> is inappropriate. We sincerely apologize for having used that name. It will no longer appear on our updated menus. From now on we are thoroughly engaged in studying the etymology of any new names we may have for items on the menu ensuring that not even a single hint of racism is present.
We will delete the word <> before the famous drink/shooter called <> which is served in many bars across Quebec. We will also be deleting the pronunciation of <>.
The combo <> will also be replaced.
The new changes will be implemented within a week or two, while bearing in mind any delays from the graphic artists and printers. We will also be modifying our name. From now on we will be a <> instead of a <>.
As well I, Guillaume Boutin personally offer my most sincere apologies to the Vietnamese community for having offended them. Several members of that community have asked me to contribute a donation, which I will be making directly to them in order to assist and help in any causes which they hold close to their heart.
Finally, we truly hope that all those who made false or hateful comments from either side whether on social media or somewhere else will now cease. Hate is not the solution!”
Information Update – Certain hand sanitizers recalled because they may pose health risks
Health Canada is advising Canadians that the following hand sanitizers are being recalled because they may pose health risks. For more information, including what Canadians should do, visit the online safety alert.
Health Canada maintains this list of hand sanitizers that may pose health risks, so that Canadians can easily identify products they may have purchased and take appropriate action. Canadians are encouraged to check it regularly for updates.
| Product | Reason for recall | Company | NPN or DIN | Lot Number(s) | Expiry Date | Date Added |
| Désinfectant pour les mains à base d’éthanol 70% | Missing risk statements; product not authorized to contain technical grade ethanol | Duvernois | 80098158 | 200414 20005195 20005475 20005478 20005479 20005848 20005849 20005850 20006018 20006019 20006020 20005193 20005194 20005195 20005476 20005477 20005479 20005480 20005688 20005693 20006022 20006023 | April 2022 | September 4, 2020 |
| 200414 200414A 20006026 20006027 | May 2022 | |||||
| Holistic Living 70% Alcohol Disinfectant Antiseptic | Not authorized for sale in Canada; Missing risk statements; product not authorized to contain technical-grade ethanol | Lusty Libation, Inc. | None | ISO007 | May 2023 | September 4, 2020 |
Advisory – Hand Sanitizers and Children’s Safety: What you need to know
• Product: Hand sanitizers in non-traditional packaging, including squeeze pouches commonly used for food and beverages.
• Issue: Health Canada is warning Canadians, particularly parents and guardians, about the risks of accidental ingestion among children from hand sanitizers packaged in formats that could appeal to children and be mistaken for food or beverages.
What to do: Always read and follow the directions on product labels. Talk to your children about the safe use of hand sanitizers.
Issue
Whether your child is learning from home or at school this fall, Health Canada is reminding Canadians, particularly parents and guardians, that hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of germs, including COVID-19. Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. When that is not an option, Health Canada recommends using an authorized hand sanitizer that has an alcohol concentration of at least 60%. All hand sanitizer products authorized for sale by Health Canada have an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN) or Natural Product Number (NPN) on the label, and are listed on the List of Hand Sanitizers Authorized by Health Canada, which is updated regularly on the Health Canada web site. Some hand sanitizers that may not fully meet Health Canada’s regulatory requirements and may not have a DIN or NPN on the label are being permitted for sale as an interim measure given the shortage of supply of hand sanitizers because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Check for these products by searching the list of Disinfectants and hand sanitizers accepted under COVID-19 interim measure.
Certain hand sanitizers are being sold in packaging that could appeal to children, such as squeeze pouches that typically contain food or beverages. Parents and guardians should be particularly vigilant about these products because children may accidentally mistake them for edible products and consume them. Health Canada recommends against using hand sanitizers sold in packaging that resembles food or beverage containers in settings in which direct adult supervision cannot be assured at all times, such as at school.
To avoid accidental ingestion, hand sanitizers should be stored away from, and out of sight of, children under six years of age. They should always be used with adult supervision. As with all health products, always read and follow the directions on the product label. Never eat or drink hand sanitizers because ingesting even small amounts can be dangerous or fatal. Health Canada recently issued an advisory about the risk of poisoning from hand sanitizers sold in beverage containers.
Health Canada continues to monitor the situation. If a safety concern or non-compliance is identified, Health Canada will take action and inform Canadians.
What you should do
• Always read and follow the label directions on hand sanitizers.
• If you choose to send children to school with hand sanitizer, avoid products packaged in containers that resemble food or beverage containers to avoid possible confusion with edible products.
• Always supervise children when they use hand sanitizer.
• Store hand sanitizers out of the reach of children.
• Talk to your children about the safe use of hand sanitizers.
• Children should not use hand sanitizers containing technical-grade ethanol. Always check the label to ensure the product does not contain technical-grade ethanol.
• If hand sanitizer is swallowed, call a poison control centre or get medical help right away.
• Report any health product adverse events or complaints to Health Canada.
• To help limit the spread of COVID-19, wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers if soap and water are not available.
Electric vehicle showoff in Boisbriand
The City of Boisbriand is hosting the Info-expo of the Electric Vehicle Association of Quebec (AVEQ). The activity will take place on Saturday, September 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the parking lot of the town hall, located at 940, boul. from the Grande-Allée.
“This day fits perfectly into the shift towards electrification of transport initiated a few years ago by the City of Boisbriand,” says Mayor Marlene Cordato.
Headed by AVEQ, the info-expo offers information kiosks run by volunteer electric motorists on the different models of cars, their recharging as well as the government subsidies offered.
The activity is free, but registration at www.aveq.ca is recommended since the number of people admitted to the site is limited, due to health.
The day will also be an opportunity for the City to introduce residents to its municipal fleet of electric vehicles, which includes several hybrid or electric vehicles, including four “mobipods”, used by municipal employees.
It should be noted that the City of Boisbriand also has 18 charging stations on its territory, many of which are direct current charging stations (DCFC).
