It happened in…

January

Language war hits Montreal city hall
Marvin Rotrand and Michael Applebaum were criticized for the quality of their French by a popular radio host, and a much-publicized Twitter war followed. Rotrand dismissed Vision leader Louise Harel’s complaint about “the quiet anglicization of Montreal,”  calling the controversy a “media-driven attempt to shore up the moribund Parti Québécois.”

Parents fight plans to close English schools
After organized opposition from parents and borough politicians the English Montreal School Board backtracked on its proposal to close, merge or relocate some local schools.

The fate of the Empress up in the air
The CDN-NDG borough launched its public call for tenders to develop a cultural usage project to revitalize the former Cinema V building. The project had to be functional and viable in the long term without expecting funding from the City. Eligible applicants were non-profit organizations dedicated to local economic, community, cultural or social activities, or applicants who submitted a project with a main objective of organizing or promoting cultural activities.

Man found dead in Wendy’s parking lot
A 22-year-old man was found mortally wounded in the parking lot of the Wendy’s restaurant at the corner of Décarie Blvd. and Isabella on Jan. 19. The victim had gunshot wounds to his upper body. A 24-year-old man known to police was arrested on Jan. 25 in connection with the shooting.

February

NDG CC marks its 70th anniversary
The NDG Community Council launched its 70th birthday celebrations with the slogan “70 years of acting together.” The NDG CC’s many achievements over the past seven decades were highlighted at a press conference with guests like Mike Duckworth, son of NDG CC founder Jack Duckworth.
March

C-10 passes final vote
The federal government’s omnibus crime bill went from the House of Commons to the Senate.  The Safe Streets and Communities Act, which bundles 9 previous bills into one, expands the prison system at increased cost to the provinces due to an expanding prison population. Irwin Cotler, MP for Mount Royal riding, pointed out that prevention, not after-the-fact punishment, is the most effective deterrent to crime.

More social housing planned
The construction of 66 affordable units on Victoria at Barclay was announced, using funds that the developer provided in return for the construction of new condo units in the Triangle.

April

Graffiti removal bylaw takes effect
The bylaw requiring large property owners to remove illegal graffiti from their buildings went into effect Apr. 1.
Proprietors of commercial buildings with more than 300 square metres of floor space, or residential buildings of six or more units, must remove graffiti vandalism within 14 days of its appearance. Cleaning kits are available and Prevention CDN-NDG is committed to removing graffiti at ground level free of charge. Those wishing to receive the services must complete an authorization form.

UdeM heritage building trashed
Just six days shy of the 30th anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedom, the recently renovated Roger-Gaudry amphitheatre was stormed and vandalized by around 700 angry protesters in their second month of strikes and protests against the 75% hike in tuition fees. Waving signs and chanting slogans, they demanded that Guy Breton resign as president. No particular group claimed responsibility for the attack.

May

Accurso wins train bridge contract
NDG Projet Montreal Councillor Peter McQueen called the lowest bid problematic. He sounded the alarm as the City of Montreal was poised to award the MUHC train bridge contract to Louisbourg SBC SEC, a company belonging to relatives of Tony Accurso. The arrested businessman is facing six criminal charges related to fraud, conspiracy and bribery in the construction industry, but still holds a valid construction licence and cannot be disqualified until a trial finds him guilty.

Help line gets more calls than expected
In its first year of operation, Quebec’s Elder Abuse Help Line received 4,879 calls, 50% more than anticipated. The high call volume shows that the elderly need someone to talk to anonymously about problems of abuse. It’s rare that they’re in a sudden crisis when they call – the situation usually has been going on for many years, according to Maryse Soulieres, principal co-author of a CLSC René-Cassin study.

June

Tandem celebrates 30 years of service
The urban safety program Tandem CDN-NDG celebrated thirty years of community service.

July

New collective garden opens
A new collective garden at 6897 Somerled was inaugurated by Action Communiterre, Eco-Quartier and a church. 20-30% of the harvested crops will benefit the NDG Food Depot and Pois Chic. The remaining bounty will be shared by the garden’s 25-30 volunteers.

Quebec amends animal safety and welfare laws
The Quebec government adopted Bill 51, giving itself new powers to euthanize and sterilize cats and dogs. But, according to ASAP, a NDG watch group for animal welfare and safety, the bill says nothing specific about the least painful and humane method of intravenous injection. They say that small breeders who sell animals for profit should also have a permit.

August

MP upset by proposed federal ridings
Irwin Cotler says the proposals for new ridings are “uninformed, arbitrary and prejudicial.” The human rights activist says the Federal Electoral Commission is creating divisions in what are now cohesive communities. The fact that the map was drafted without prior consultation is “an effective denial of due process.”

September

Liberals still reign supreme
Liberal MNAs Raymond Bachand, Kathleen Weil and Pierre Arcand made it seem like a one-way race as they swept to victory in their Outremont, NDG and Mount Royal ridings in the Sept. 4
provincial election. But the former Liberal ministers are now members in opposition to Pauline Marois’ minority PQ government.

Cinema NDG gets Empress
Cinema NDG’s project to breathe new life into the Empress was endorsed by a majority of CDN-NDG borough councillors at the Sept. 5, meeting. Peter McQueen dissented, decrying the lack of public consultation and clarity in the bidding process on a proposal to integrate artistic activities into the architecture and environment of a publicly-owned building.
October

Human trafficking victims await ruling
Eight Filipina live-in caregivers, backed by PINAY, a local social justice advocacy group, crossed swords with the Human Rights Commission in a Montreal courthouse during a judicial review of the commission’s decision. The domestic workers are seeking $10,000 each from the commission for alleged gross negligence and irregularities in the handling of their complaints and for failure to protect them from racial and gender discrimination.

November

Pedestrian injuries in NDG: a ten-year study
A Montreal public health study of the number of pedestrians and cyclists hit by cars between 1999 and 2008 identified the most dangerous intersections in NDG. They stretch along Sherbrooke between West Broadway and Vendome, with Cavendish, Girouard and Decarie being the prime hotspots. In NDG, two cyclists a year are hit by cars and require ambulance services. Province-wide,
10 pedestrians a day are hit by cars.

December

CDN-NDG council meetings online
Citizens can now watch CDN-NDG council meetings live on the borough’s website. Residents in four boroughs out of 19 (CDN-NDG, the Plateau, Verdun and Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie) can now watch council meetings online if they can’t make it in person. Interim mayor Lionel Perez said that he’s looking for the most effective ways to restore the citizenry’s trust.

Green living and social housing at Blue Bonnets site
Nearly fifty North American and European specialists gathered in Montreal as part of a three-day forum to discuss the development of the Blue Bonnets site. The forum’s general consensus was that this avant-garde neighbourhood should put active transportation and public transit ahead of cars. Another important issue raised was the inclusion of social and affordable housing on the site.

Marie Cicchini | redaction@lesactualites.ca
Photo : Les Actualités