Les éditions André Paquette

Catégorie : Tribune-Express (Hawkesbury)

  • CUPE, Ontario reach deal, avoids strike

    CUPE, Ontario reach deal, avoids strike

    The ongoing education negotiations are ending as the provincial government and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) have reached a tentative agreement. The union planned a general strike for all its 55,000 education workers on November 21, but an accord was reached the day before.

    “There will be no job action tomorrow (November 21)”, the union’s bargaining team said in a Tweet. “Our members will be reporting to schools to continue supporting the students that we are proud to work with.”

    The four-year agreement includes an annual raise of $1 per hour, or about 3.59 percent. CUPE was also looking for $100 million in guarantees of higher staffing levels for educational assistants, librarians, custodians and secretaries, as well as an early childhood educator in every kindergarten classroom, but members voted to forgo those demands in favor of bringing negotiations to a close.

  • Hacker attack hits paramedicine program

    Hacker attack hits paramedicine program

    Marc-André Périard, chief of paramedics and United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR) emergency services director, issued a notice November 17 about a « cybersecurity incident » within the infrastrucure of the UCPR Paramedic Services’ information technology service provider.

    « The service provider is still working on the system, » said Périard during a Friday follow-up phone interview. The security breach has affected other paramedic services in other parts of Ontario.

    The attempted cybersecurity breach has resulted in a temporary and voluntary shutdown of the electronic health record management system that deals with the UCPR Paramedic Services’ community paramedicine program. This program provides at-home call service by paramedics for people who need blood tests and other follow-up diagnostic services but may not be able to see their family doctor or go to the nearest medical or hospital clinic for the procedures.

    Shutting down the electronic health record management system means that the UCPR Paramedic Services does not have access to its appointments calendar data file for people scheduled for paramedic visits. The Paramedic Services can still maintain its community paramedicine program but residents in the Prescott-Russell region must either phone or send an email to schedule a paramedic visit.

    Périard noted that anyone who already has a paramedic visit scheduled should either phone or email Paramedic Services with a reminder of the date, time, and location for the visit.

    Residents can book an appointment or notify Paramedic Services of an already-scheduled appointment by phone to 613-662-2084 or by email to paramediccommunautaire@prescott-russell.on.ca.

    Périard also affirmed that the cybersecurity breach attempt does not affect the Paramedic Services’ regular operations. Ambulance units will respond to all 911 and other emergency calls as usual.

  • Library opens annual Christmas book project

    Library opens annual Christmas book project

    The annual A Book on Every Bed campaign begins this month. Library staff at the Vankleek Hill branch accept donations of new books to go to children of families in the township who are on the lists for Christmas Hamper baskets from the Vankleek Hill and L’Orignal food banks.

    The goal of the project is twofold: library staff want to enourage a love of reading among children in the community, and the project provides residents with an opportunity to help make sure that no child in Champlain Township wakes up without a present on Christmas Day.

    The library’s Book on Every Bed project has been going for more than a decade, and it has now expanded to include seniors at local retirement residences in the municipality. Book donors can drop off new magazines or activity books, like word searches, crossword puzzles, or colouring books, to present to seniors Revera Heritage Lodge and MacDonald Residence in Vankleek Hill and Champlain Long Term Care Residence in L’Orignal. The magazines and activity books will help bring some cheer to seniors at the residences.

    Deadline for donations of books, magazines, and activity books for this year’s campaign is November 26. Books and magazines must be unwrapped and placed inside a gift bag. Library staff will also accept cash donations towards the purchase of books and magazines for distribution.

  • Cougars lose to Rockets

    Cougars lose to Rockets

    “We started slow but we adjusted ourselves,” said Franky Dopelhamer, Cougars head coach. “We stepped up in the second and third period but we let in three bad goals and that cost us the game.”

    The Cougars are now four points behind the Clarence Creek Castors with three games in hand, and seven points ahead of the seventh-place Morrisburg Lions.

    Even after the recent defeat, the Cougars’ coaching staff are positive as to the team’s position in the standings.

    “Our expectations are growing,” said Dopelhamer, adding that his team has been outshooting and creating more chances than their opponents almost every game. He also said that, while his team is in sixth place, it can compete with any team in the league.

  • Fatal accident over weekend

    Fatal accident over weekend

    The OPP, Prescott-Russell Paramedic Services, and The Nation fire department responded to a call November 12 about a vehicle going through the guard rail of the Henri Séguin Bridge at the intersection of County Road 9 and Concession 12.

    The accident report was called in after 4 p.m. Police, paramedics, and firefighters arriving on the scene found a large truck upside down in the South Nation River.

    The driver of the vehicle, a 27-year-old Rockland man, was pronounced dead on the scene. His name has been withheld pending notification of next of kin.

    The OPP Technical Collision Investigation and Reconstruction Unit continues its investigation of the incident to determine the reason why the vehicle went off the bridge.

  • Truck rollover near Maxville

    Truck rollover near Maxville

    The accident occurred in the early afternoon of November 10 on County Road 20 at the intersection of Kippen Road, halfway between the Village of Maxville and the hamlet of St. Elmo in North Glengarry Township.

    A MacEwen transport truck went off the road and landed on its side on the edge of a field alongside Kippen Road. There is no report yet from OPP of any injuries resulting from the accident or if the truck was carrying any cargo.

    Three heavy-duty tow trucks arrived on the scene to remove the wrecked truck. Traffic control measures were set up for to maintain alternating traffic along the county road during the removal work.

    Further details on the accident will be provided when available.

  • Two VCI students charged with assault

    Two VCI students charged with assault

    The assault was caught on school cameras on October 7, which led to police making arrests. Following the arrests, the victim received threats of violence by a private number on his phone.

    The victim’s father says his son was being harassed and intimidated on school property and outside of the Vankleek Collegiate Institute schoolgrounds by other students since the beginning of the school year. In one case, he was allegedly threatened with a knife in one of the school’s bathrooms, which was not caught on camera.

    The victim says he had spoken with VCI principal Christie Walker two weeks prior to the incident. According to the victim’s father, Principal Walker said that intimidation does not happen in her school and that the school cannot punish students for events outside of school property.

    According to the father, the two students who committed the assault only received two and three days of suspension.

    “I don’t tolerate harassment and intimidation” said the victim’s father.

    He says he has called UCDSB several times to talk to Director of Education Ron Ferguson but has not been able to reach Ferguson.

    The UCDSB has declined to comment following requests from the Tribune-Express.

    “We cannot comment on any personal matters involving police,” said April Scott-Clarke, UCDSB manager of communications, citing the Youth Justice Act.

    The father has since then decided to change his son’s school. The student also needs to receive mental health support.

    “He is traumatized.” said the father. “He does not sleep at night. We have to see a mental health professional in the private sector.”

    The names of both the student and the father, and also the two students charged as a result of the police investigation, are withheld under the guidelines of the Youth Justice Act.

  • Premier Ford to repeal controversial Bill 28

    Premier Ford to repeal controversial Bill 28

    Bill 28 included the “notwithstanding clause” which allows provincial legislatures to override parts of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms on a short-term basis.

    CUPE representatives said at a press conference on Monday that Ford has put his commitment in writing. Negotiations are due to restart.

    “CUPE’s frontline education workers, 70 per cent of whom are women, stood firm,” said Mark Hancock, CUPE president. “They took on the Ford government. And the government blinked. We’ve shown that when our rights are under attack, our movement is strong, and we will stand up for each other.”

    The legislature is not sitting right now, which means MPPs will have to be called back to Queen’s Park early to vote to repeal Bill 26 this week.

     

    CUPE demands

    The government offered a two-per-cent annual increase for all workers with annual wages under $40,000 per year and a 1.25-per-cent increase for all others. The government’s new deal would give a 2.5-per-cent annual increase to all workers with annual wages under $43,000 per year and a 1.5-per-cent increase for all others.

    CUPE has been demanding an 11.7 per cent increase, overtime at double the regular pay rate and 30 minutes of paid prep time for educational assistants and early childcare educators. The union said it cut its wage increase demands by half and made substantial concessions in different areas last week.

    The support workers included in the deal are maintenance staff, school office and clerical staff, educational assistants, early childhood educators, library workers, and information technology staff.

    School closures

    “CUPE makes up approximately 25 per cent of the UCDSB workforce and holds critical positions that support our students and school system.” said UCDSB Director Ron Ferguson.

    With all schools from the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO), the Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO), and the Conseil scolaire de district Catholique de l’Est-Ontarien (CSDCEO) facing a similar situation regarding staff, all schools in Prescott-Russell were forced to shutdown and move to online learning on Friday November 5 and Monday November 7. Schools will reopen to students on Tuesday November 8. Parents are advised to check with the school district if their local school has resumed in-person classes.

  • Enbridge to expand natural gas into Chute-à-Blondeau

    Enbridge to expand natural gas into Chute-à-Blondeau

    On November 7, Enbridge Gas announced a $4,446,983 project to expand natural gas services to Chute-à-Blondeau in East Hawkesbury Township. The current natural gas pipeline in Hawkesbury will be extended through East Hawkesbury to the Village of Chute-à-Blondeau, with houses and businesses along the new pipeline able to hook up to natural gas services.

    “Enbridge is happy to announce that this project will connect about 320 households, businesses, and farms in East Hawkesbury to affordable natural gas,” said Stéphane Sarrazin, MPP for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell. “Natural gas is the most commonly used heat source in Ontario, and it is also one of the most affordable ways to heat your home. Switching to natural gas can save local customers up to 60 per cent on energy costs per year. Businesses are expected to save close to 30 per cent on energy costs per year.”

    Construction will be completed by 2025, although further expansions aren’t out of the question.

    “This will be a game changer for the local community, and there is no limit to the new opportunities it will help create,” said Sarrazin.

  • Cougars win big against first-place Gatineau

    Cougars win big against first-place Gatineau

    The Cougars took the lead early in the first period. After scoring three goals in each of the two first periods, Gatineau took scored a consolation goal in the third.

    The Cougars currently stand in sixth place, two points behind third and six points behind first. They will be facing North-Dundas Rockets Saturday November 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Robert Hartley Sports Complex in Hawkesbury.