Catégorie : Tribune-Express (Hawkesbury)

All charges, including four first-degree murder charges against Dr. Brian Nadler, the former Hawkesbury and District General Hospital doctor accused of murdering four of his patients, were dropped today on the first day of the highly anticipated trial.

Late last week, Dr. Nadler’s defence lawyer Brian Greenspan, with confirmation from Crown prosecutors, announced that they expected all charges against their client to be dropped when the trial was set to start this morning at 10 a.m. at the Ottawa court house on Elgin Street.

Past reporting from the Ottawa Citizen and CBC Ottawa revealed the Crown had little other choice but to drop their case against the Montréal-based internal medicine specialist after certain evidence presented by the Crown was deemed inadmissible during pre-trial, making the Crown’s case ultimately impossible to pursue.

The Crown indicated it chose those route in order to maintain its ability to appeal the pre-trial decisions.

Speaking outside of the court house, Greenspan stated that the case has been difficult for his client after three years of suspicion.

“Three years under the cloud of four charges of first-degree murder, obviously has impacted enormously one’s life, one’s prospect in terms of the future,” he stated. “The cloud, and I refer to it as the innuendo of suspicion, is something which is difficult to overcome.”

After several delays including a change of venue from L’Orignal to Ottawa, the long-awaited trial was expected to start Tuesday, July 2, more than three years after Dr. Nadler was initially charged with first-degree murder of the first patient Albert Poidinger, 89. The Crown said it would drop the case on the first day of trial on Tuesday.

Dr. Nadler was first arrested in March 2021 and charged with the first-degree murder of Albert Poidinger, 89, of Pointe-Claire, Québec, who was a patient at HGH. In August 2022 three more murder charges were laid against the doctor, resulting from a continued investigation of suspicious deaths at the hospital. The alleged victims are Claire Brière, 80, of Rigaud, Québec; Lorraine Lalande, 79, of Hawkesbury; and Judith Lungulescu, 93, of East Hawkesbury Township.

Dr. Nadler’s medical licence was revoked by the the College of Physician and Surgeons of Ontario soon after the he was charged with Poidinger’s death.

Announced on The Windsor Tavern’s public Facebook page on Thursday, June 20, Lynn St Denis, the long-time owner of the pub and local politician, died Wednesday, June 19. He was 84 years old.

Lynn St Denis was the third generation of his family to own the storied tavern on Vankleek Hill’s Main Street, and passed on the business to his two sons, the fourth generation of St Denis’s to run the local haunt.

St Denis served as a Vankleek Hill town councillor from 1968 to 1976 and as Reeve from 1976 to 1997, dedicating 27 years to serving his community in the public service. He also served as warden of the United Counties of Prescott and Russell in 1985.

He is survived by his siblings, Patricia and Joe, and his sons Michael and Robert and their kids Olivia, Liam and Hannah. He was married to Mireille Lalande for nearly 59 years.

“A father figure to all. Thank you for paving the way. You were so loved, respected, and will be forever in our hearts,” read a message on the tavern’s Facebook page from St Denis’s sons.

A reception for St Denis was held at the Hillcrest Funeral home on Sunday. A ceremony and burial at Paroisse Church of Saint-Grégoire was held on Monday, June 24, followed by a reception at the family’s tavern.

The family ask that donations in Lynn St Denis’s memory can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society.

In an effort “to build connections” with the community, the Hawkesbury detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) launched a bicycle patrol unit to pedal the streets of the Town.

Seven police officers from the OPP were trained to operate police bicycles and “will focus on crime prevention, enforcement of various laws, and being highly visible throughout the Hawkesbury detachment area, including on trail systems, at parks, and throughout residential areas,” according to the police.

The OPP believes the bicycle patrol unit will be a unique way to make connections with the community and engage with residents in a way that cannot be replicated with patrol cars. OPP stated residents can expect to see the bicycle officers at community events this summer like parades, fundraisers, and police-led initiatives like R.I.D.E. programs and seatbelt clinics.

A part of the farm-to-table movement, farm-gate sales extend to interactive “You-Pick” farming operations which invite customers into the fields to do their own harvesting for a range of produce that includes strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples, pumpkins and more.

You-Pick, in fact, is likely the best way to get the freshest fruits and vegetables right out of the field – virtually on the day they are at peak ripeness – and with premium quality.

With lower labour costs, no packaging and handling costs and no transportation costs, You-Pick prices can be lower. And the produce is certainly fresher.

But there is also a perhaps unmeasurable benefit in giving kids a chance to see where their food comes from, how it’s grown and help them better understand – by getting their hands a bit dirty – how a farm operates.

Here is a selection of “You-Pick” farms in the area. Please respect the rules and processes the farms have established to ensure health and safety and in order that a regular and plentiful rotation of crops is available throughout specific seasons.

It is also important to note that weather determines crop availability, so it is highly recommended before visiting that you check with individual venues for hours of opening and for what produce is available and when. Appropriate dress and footwear is also recommended.

Les Fruits du Poirier
2535 Concession Road 3, St-Eugène
(613) 402-3599 or (514) 792-3599
www.lesfruitsdupoirier.com

Open Friday to Sunday, Les Fruits du Poirier is chock-full of berries (except the ubiquitous blueberries and strawberries, which they don’t grow): an assortment of raspberries, haskaps, aronia, red currants, blackcurrants, Saskatoon berries and sea buckthorn (a hardy shrub bearing tart orange-yellow berries).

“We’re at the peak of flavour right now,” says co-owner Robert Poirier at the time of writing in mid-June.

The berries you pick at Les Fruits du Poirier are sold by weight and grow out of Poirier’s 24 “permaculture” acres of farm that produce what they describe as “superfruits” for You-Pick.

Les Jardins Lamoureux
1960 Highway 34, Hawkesbury
(613) 632-9600
www.facebook.com/lesjardinslamoureux

You-Pick strawberries right now with raspberries and blueberries coming this summer at the Hawkesbury farm (with kiosks of ready-picked in Vankleek Hill and Alexandria). There’s a $5 fee per person (waived if you purchase three litres).

Domaine Cleroux
199 Route 300 East, Casselman
(613) 764-5543
https://domainecleroux.ca

Domaine Cleroux has about 800 fruit trees and features a 3,000-tap sugar shack, a kiosk with re-purposed 120-year-old ecclesiastical materials such as slate, wainscotting, tin ceilings, church benches and stained glass. The apple orchard produces Paula Red, Lobo, McIntosh, Honeycrisp and other varieties for weekend You-Pick starting in September. The apples are also used by Cleroux to make hard cider, apple butter, apple sauce, dried apple slices and apple juice.

Ferme Dagenais
1155 Stevens Road, Embrun
(613) 448-3167
www.fermedagenais.com

Later this summer, head to Ferme Dagenais, a biodynamic operation (organic practices and beyond) for You-Pick apples and pears. There are about six heritage apple varieties including Novamac (a McIntosh-style apple developed in Nova Scotia) and Purple Passion, an apple ideal for cooking, juicing and cider.

Also available for You-Pick are So Sweet and Northbrite pears. Honey from their on-farm bees is available. Bring suitable footwear. Refer to their website for a list of apple- and pear-picking dates.

Ferme MISA
669 County Road 8, Casselman
(613) 915-6953
www.facebook.com/p/Ferme-MISA

From June to early July (and possibly mid-July), MISA offers You-Pick June-bearing strawberries, sold by weight, from two acres of intensive-production rows. Check their Facebook page for daily updates and hours of opening.

Fraisière Duquette Strawberries
2236 rue Champlain Road, Clarence Creek
(613) 488-3284
www.duquettestrawberries.com

Several June-bearing strawberry varieties take the season at Duquette from now until early July. Open until 7 p.m. or until picked out, whichever comes first. Priced by weight, with four litres of berries roughly $15. Picnic tables are available on-site. In the fall, You-Pick pumpkins will be available. Call ahead as hours vary depending on strawberry availability.

Lalonde Raspberries
1115 Baseline Rd, Clarence Creek
(613) 488-2845

A small You-Pick on Baseline Road just west of Lacasse Road. The Lalonde’s anticipate the raspberries for You-Pick will be ready in the next several weeks. Bring your own You-Pick container, pick and pay by the pound.

Les Verges Villeneuve and Blueberry Farm
1341 Rollin Road, Saint-Pascal Baylon
(613) 488-3077
www.vergersvilleneuve.com

Not quite open yet – start looking at their website in a week or so – Vergers Villeneuve in Saint-Pascal Babylon is anticipating an exceptional year when it comes to their fruit.

“For the first time ever, we had blueberries at the end of May. There was no frost,” says Michel Villeneuve who owns and operates the farm with his wife Carrie McKay.

In the early weeks of July, cherries, blueberries and raspberries will be ready to roll out on the family-oriented farm. Then in mid-August to September 20 varieties of apples will be awaiting You-Pick along with Golden Spice and John pears, the latter being good fruit for making perry.

The farm also makes more than a dozen fruit wines – dry, sweet, dessert and sparkling – including a bottle that sources sea buckthorn berries from Les Fruits du Poirier.

“But when we open depends on Mother Nature,” Villeneuve adds.

Pine Hill Orchard
1818 St Félix Road, Bourget
(613) 487-2064
www.vergersdespins-pinehillorchards.com

Come to Pine Hill for the You-Pick apples, plums and pears. The farm supplies the containers, and you fill them by volume: small, medium or large.

About 21 varieties of apples are grown on the orchard: while most apples fall from the tree (and not far from it), the historic Cortland is the last variety to ripen – and has the ability to stay on the tree through winter, according to owner-farmer Paul Doran. Six years ago, he started growing “Clapp’s Favorite,” a pear that was discovered in Massachusetts in the mid-1800s. At the beginning of September, you will also find Italian plums ready for You-Pick.

“In a perfect year,” says Doran, “we have fruit starting on Labour Day and going until Thanksgiving.”

Food writer Andrew Coppolino lives in Rockland. He is the author of “Farm to Table” and co-author of “Cooking with Shakespeare.” Follow him on Instagram at @andrewcoppolino.

Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute teacher Dan Tremblay and Principal Ewen McIntosh were recognized by the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) as part of an award ceremony celebrating the board’s outstanding employees. 

On Monday, June 10, the UCDSB handed out awards across four different categories at its annual Board Celebration Evening at North Grenville District High Schoo. Thirty-six different UCDSB employees were recognized over the course of the night with either a Service Excellence Award, Ontario Principal’s Award of Character, the Trustee Innovation Award or the Director’s Red Apple Award 

Of those awarded, two came from Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute. 

Physical Education teacher Dan Tremblay was given a Trustee Innovation Award for his efforts in promoting physical and mental health among both the staff and students. Tremblay was lauded for his efforts to improved student participation in lifelong fitness by implementing new and unconventional extracurricular activities like Ultimate Frisbee, Arm Wrestling, and CrossFit, appealing to those who don’t usually join traditional sports teams. 

Tremblay spearheaded the first eastern regional CrossFit « Throwdown » Competition at VCI, which brought together 100 students from nine regional schools. The bilingual event emphasized individual goal setting and inclusivity. 

VCI Principal Ewen McIntosh was also awarded a Trustee Innovation Award as part of a group of teachers and administrators involved in the Reading and Writing Strategies pilot course. McIntosh and eight others from across the UCDSB worked collaboratively and ran the program aimed at Grade 9 students who needed to boost their reading skills. The team implemented high-impact instructional practices and met monthly to create a UCDSB-wide learning community. 

Ultimately, the program led to significant improvements in students’ reading abilities and confidence, with both students and parents “reporting positive outcomes. 

Le canton de Champlain se joint à Hawkesbury, Alfred et Plantagenet, et Clarence-Rockland en adoptant une nouvelle méthode de collecte et de gestion des amendes pour les infractions aux règlements municipaux. 

Lors de la réunion du comité plénier du 13 juin, les conseillers du canton de Champlain ont convenu que la municipalité travaillerait à l’adoption d’un système de sanctions administratives pécuniaires (SAP) visant à donner à la municipalité un plus grand contrôle sur la perception des amendes pour des infractions telles que les contraventions de stationnement, les normes de propriété, le zonage et le contrôle des animaux, entre autres. 

Depuis 1999, les Comtés unis de Prescott et Russell (CUPR) et la Cour des infractions provinciales sont responsables de la collecte des amendes et de la redistribution des revenus aux municipalités. 

Les amendes non résolues passent par le Provincial Offences Court avant d’être réparties entre les municipalités de niveau inférieur en fonction de la population et non de l’endroit où l’infraction a été commise. 

Les municipalités de niveau inférieur ne reçoivent qu’une fraction des revenus générés par les amendes. Pour une amende de 100 dollars, la municipalité reçoit généralement entre 2 et 5 dollars. 

Le passage à un système de SAP permet à la municipalité de gérer et de percevoir directement les amendes liées aux infractions aux règlements administrées par ses propres agents municipaux, ce qui permet de verser directement ces recettes dans les caisses de la municipalité. 

Les amendes impayées sont d’abord examinées par un employé municipal (et un agent d’audition, si nécessaire), au lieu d’encourir le coût d’une audition devant la Cour des infractions provinciales. 

Outre la baisse des recettes provenant des infractions aux règlements municipaux, la nouvelle procédure devrait permettre de remédier à la lenteur et à l’inefficacité des délais de traitement. Un système de SAP peut réduire de 51 % le délai moyen de résolution des infractions. En outre, moins de 15 % des sanctions ont fait l’objet d’une demande de révision et moins de 1 % ont donné lieu à une révision par un enquêteur, selon un examen du système effectué lorsque Hawkesbury a envisagé d’adopter son propre programme de sanctions administratives pécuniaires. 

La conseillère Ginette Clément présente la motion qui est appuyée par le conseiller Michel Lalonde. Le conseil doit encore voter et approuver la motion lors d’une réunion ordinaire du conseil. 

Le Bureau de santé de l’est de l’Ontario recommande aux résidents de prendre des précautions alors que la vague de chaleur devrait s’installer dans la région au début de la semaine prochaine.

Le lundi 17 juin, les températures devraient atteindre 28 degrés Celsius, pour grimper à 33 degrés en milieu de semaine, avec peu de répit pendant plusieurs jours. Les prévisions à sept jours annoncent des températures maximales ne descendant pas en dessous de 25 degrés pendant la majeure partie de la semaine suivante.

Le BSEO a émis un avertissement indiquant que les températures élevées attendues la semaine prochaine, bien qu’elles représentent un risque pour tout le monde, constituent une menace particulière pour les personnes âgées, les nourrissons et les jeunes enfants, les personnes souffrant de maladies chroniques et celles dont la situation de logement est précaire.

Pendant les périodes de chaleur extrême, la BSEO recommande de boire beaucoup d’eau, de reporter les activités de plein air à plus tard dans la journée, de porter des vêtements amples et d’éviter de s’exposer au soleil.

Les animaux domestiques et les personnes dont on s’occupe ne doivent jamais être laissés dans un véhicule en stationnement ou en plein soleil. Les personnes qui travaillent ou qui participent à des activités de plein air devraient faire des pauses régulières dans un endroit frais et ombragé.

Les symptômes des maladies liées à la chaleur, telles que le coup de chaleur, l’épuisement par la chaleur, la chaleur et l’œdème, comprennent des vertiges ou des évanouissements, des nausées ou des vomissements, des maux de tête, une respiration et un rythme cardiaque rapides, une soif extrême et une diminution de la miction avec des urines d’un jaune anormalement foncé. Les personnes présentant l’un de ces symptômes doivent se rendre dans un endroit frais et boire des liquides.

Appelez immédiatement le 9-1-1 si une personne a une température corporelle élevée, est inconsciente, confuse ou a cessé de transpirer. Refroidissez la personne en la déplaçant dans un endroit frais, en appliquant de l’eau froide sur de grandes surfaces de la peau ou des vêtements, et en l’éventant autant que possible.

Hosted in the parking lot of Maximum Powersports, Hawkebury’s Bike Night tradition kicked off its 2024 season of gatherings on Friday night, June 7, even if mother nature was testing their persistence with a mix of rain and sunshine.

The annual gathering in support of the motorcycling community in the region held its first evening of food, music and fundraising, welcoming over 200 participants despite a less-than-ideal weather forecast for those looking to ride their hogs.

The event included food trucks, live music, vendors and, of course, a lot of polished chrome on two-wheeled gas-powered vehicles.

“Everybody seemed really happy,” said Nathalie Lessard, the lead organizer of the event.

On top of the events main purpose, creating a space for the area’s motorcycling community to gather, Bike Night à Hawkesbury also held a 50/50 draw in support of the non-profit security organization Coyote security and the Vankleek Hill Army Cadet Corps. The lucky winner of the draw walked away with a $500 purse, the other half being divided between the two organizations.

The Cadets also stood guard before the Footsteps of Canadian Heroes mobile monument for Canadian soldiers who lost their lives during the Afghanistan War.

During Friday’s festivities, the organizers of the event presented a $250 cheque to Biker’s Against Child Abuse International, a non-profit organization which works with children of abuse to empower and encourage them, as part of the Bike Night’s 2023 fundraising activities. According to Lessard, the funds will go towards counselling for an abused child.

“I really want to thank the team and the sponsors for making it possible. We had more than 30 local businesses offer up door prizes for the event,” said Lessard. “I also want to thank everyone who came out and braved the weather and give a big shout out to those who came from out of town to support us.”

Bike Night à Hawkesbury is hosting three more events this summer and fall and hopes to get attendance numbers back to their normal levels of around 700 people throughout the evening. The next events will be held on July 26, August 23 and September 13.

More information about future events can be found on the Bike Night à Hawkesbury’s Facebook page.

The eastbound Highway 417 Aberdeen Road overpass closed Wednesday night after a concerned citizen noticed the structure was « buckling ». The eastbound lanes of the major highway connecting Ontario and Quebec remain closed.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a call from a concerned citizen regarding the state of the overpass around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 5. Police subsequently closed the eastbound lanes of the 417 between Highway 34 and County Road 10 in Vankleek Hill.

Shortly after the Ministry of Transportation confirmed the overpass to be « structurally unsound », according to the police.

« There is no concern to public safety on Aberdeen Road if it remains open, »  said Hawkesbury OPP spokesperson Constable Sydney Jones. « That would have been a decision made by the MTO. »

In a response to a request for comment, the MTO clarified that the buckling had occurred on the approach to the overpass and was likely caused by the concrete expanding in the extreme heat over the previous several days.

« The affected concrete in the second lane was removed overnight and replaced with asphalt as a temporary repair so that the approach could open to one lane, » said MTO spokesperson Tanya Blazina on Thursday, June 5. « A contractor will begin replacing the concrete on Monday. »

Over the weekend, the Highway 417 eastbound will remain reduced to one lane at this location until repairs can be made.

Au cours des derniers mois, Aude La Haye, Maïté Poulin de Courval et Andréanne St-Pierre, trois élèves de 12e année à l’École secondaire publique Le Sommet, ont œuvré à l’organisation d’une soirée reconnaissance aux bénévoles, tenue le jeudi 30 mai dans l’agora de l’école.

L’idée pour la soirée hommage aux bénévoles est survenue en décembre 2023, alors que l’enseignante Marie-Michelle Saucier visite avec ses élèves la Banque alimentaire centrale de Hawkesbury (BACH), où elle rencontre Johanne Gratton, secrétaire administrative de la BACH.

Les deux femmes échangent leurs informations de contact en vue d’organiser d’autres rencontres éducatives ensemble dans le futur. Puis, en janvier, Mme Gratton envoie une proposition à Mme Saucier qui intéresse immédiatement l’enseignante de l’école secondaire.

« Pour qu’une idée germe, elle doit se trouver dans un terreau fertile », a affirmé Mme Gratton, remerciant l’ouverture de sa collaboratrice.

À titre personnel, Mme Gratton prépare un plan de recherche qu’elle donne à Mme Saucier. L’enseignante se charge ensuite de diriger la recherche auprès de ses élèves. « Je trouvais ça important que l’école s’implique dans la communauté, a expliqué Mme Saucier. Il faut que les jeunes ouvrent leurs yeux et voient d’autres réalités. »

Depuis février, les trois élèves ont fait tout le travail de recherche bénévolement, à l’aube de leur graduation. Toutes trois ont terminé leurs cours réguliers à la fin d’avril, puisque les examens du programme de baccalauréat international offerts à l’école Le Sommet se tiennent en mai. Elles ont tout de même décidé de demeurer impliquées au sein de leur école secondaire et de leur communauté.

Maïté et Aude avaient d’ailleurs lancé, plus tôt cette année, une campagne de lettre auprès d’amnistie internationale au sein de l’école, faisant des présentations dans chacune des classes de l’école pour convaincre les élèves d’envoyer des lettres de soutien aux résidents de pays en situation de crise.

« On veut montrer qu’il y a une relève qui s’en vient », a dit Maïté Poulin de Courval.

L’événement

Vers 19 h, plus de 100 personnes étaient assises dans l’agora de l’école Le Sommet, incluant des membres éminents de la communauté tels que le maire de Hawkesbury Robert Lefebvre et la conseillère Jeanne Charlebois.

L’événement a commencé avec un discours de Mme Gratton.

Après les discours de M. Robert Lefebvre, maire de Hawkesbury, et Gilles Fournier, conseiller scolaire au CEPEO pour le secteur de Prescott, Mme Saucier a pris la parole.

Elle a donné un discours émotif se remémorant la passion qu’avait sa grand-mère, Rita Charrette Durocher, pour le bénévolat. Mme Charrette Durocher participait à tous les événements communautaires, ce qui lui a valu la médaille du gouverneur général en 2001. « Elle a changé ma compréhension de ce qu’est le don de soi », a-t-elle relaté lors de son discours. De sa grand-mère, Mme Saucier a hérité du désir d’aider sa communauté. Elle termine son discours avec une phrase digne du plus grand des sages : « Si le bénévolat n’est pas payé, c’est parce qu’il n’a pas de prix. »

Le discours de Mme Saucier fut suivi de la présentation des élèves. La présentation donnée par Aude et Maïté traçait l’histoire du bénévolat, de ses débuts en Grèce Antique jusqu’à aujourd’hui et offrait des statistiques pour démontrer l’importance du travail des bénévoles.

À la fin de la présentation, le jeune et talentueux pianiste Tristan Das Eiras a joué deux morceaux avant que les invités se rejoignent dans l’entrée de l’école pour déguster le dessert et discuter.

Ce qui était toutefois le plus important dans la présentation était les remerciements adressés aux bénévoles.

« L’importance des bénévoles ne peut pas être mesurée », a dit Maïté Poulin de Courval.

« Merci pour votre temps, votre dévouement et votre amour, a ajouté Aude La Haye, s’adressant à tous les bénévoles dans la salle. Vous êtes la preuve vivante qu’ensemble, on peut créer un monde plus uni et plus solidaire. »