Illegally, the deforestation work was mainly carried out on two lots, belonging to Gazaille Construction, whose president, Claude Gazaille, didn’t return our call, or respond to our emails.

Alerted on Nov. 4 by worried neighbours, Laval sent an urban forestry inspector, before requesting the work to be stopped, without success.

“No private tree felling authorization certificate has been requested or issued by the City,” affirmed Head of Public Affairs, Anne-Marie Braconnier, by email.

The following Monday, the owner, “convinced of being within his rights”, refused once again to stop his interventions, forcing Laval to turn to the courts.

translated by Alec Brideau

L’article A Wooded Area Disappears in Just a Few Days est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

On Feb. 10, 2021, Villaggi had been notified by the Jean Coutu Group that the company would not renew neither the sublease agreement for the pharmacy premises, nor the franchise agreement.

If the franchisee wasn’t leaving the premises in time, which is by Oct. 31, 2022, the date set by Jean Coutu, a consequence was imposed: expulsion.

Even if, at the time, the owner wanted to leave the premises before the end of that month, and sell the pharmacy, we can conclude today that he had time to change his mind.

Heavy Legal Proceedings

In addition to the 2017 lawsuit, Villaggi also accused Jean Coutu in September 2021 of breaching the franchise agreement.

That contract describes the granting to Villaggi of an exclusive protected territory. That means no other Jean Coutu branch could establish itself in that location.

The territory was delimited by the René-Laennec Boulevard. However, another pharmacy is established there, but “on the other side of the street”.

Villaggi requested the disaffiliation of that other business, whose existence, according to him, contravened his contract, and which was in direct competition with him.

At the time, the judge called the request “inadmissible and abusive”, and therefore didn’t grant Villaggi’s request.

On Nov. 4, 2022, Villaggi appealed the decision in a final legal attempt to save his business, which has been active in Laval for more than 30 years.

The pharmacist pleaded a double argument, consisting of administrative objects related to the lease, but above all, the harm that the closure of the pharmacy would cause to patients.

The file was deemed incomplete, and the judgment, passed on Oct. 18, ordered the owner to respect the continued obligation to leave the premises.

About the Employees

Testifying under the anonymity, a former pharmacy employee testified that employees present on Nov. 8 were brutally escorted outside by ushers. No justification was received from Jean-Coutu that day.

Since then, the company has remained silent, and the human resources department refuses to answer questions from employees and provide them with a termination.

“The Jean Coutu Group should have taken care of the employees, and given psychological help if needed, especially because of the way we were treated,” said Andrea Villaggi, former pharmacy employee and daughter of the owner, on her Facebook account. “[They could have] relocated us elsewhere, apologized for the situation, but no, instead, no explanation was provided, only savage and unjustified treatment towards the employees.”

For its part, the Jean Coutu Group said, in an email to the Courrier Laval News, that it understands the difficult situation for Villaggi’s employees.

“Although we are not the employer, we continue to remain available to assist Villaggi if he wishes,” the Jean Coutu Group added. “We’re hoping, and doing everything to get the situation back to normal as soon as possible for patients and employees.”

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L’article Closure of Vimont’s Jean Coutu: Final Decision est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

The medical staff could visually monitor the beneficiaries, and listen to what’s happening in their room, if necessary.

AQDR

President of the Association québécoise de défense des droits des personnes retraitées for Laval and the Laurentides (AQDR), Pierre Lynch, doesn’t say he’s against that measure, which could represent an invasion of privacy. Yet, he remains cautious about how that will be put into practice.

“My opinion is divided,” he said. “First, we know that there is a labour shortage, and at some point, some actions will have to be automated to make things more efficient. In that way, installing cameras in bedrooms isn’t a bad thing. On the other hand, the user must have given his authorization to put it into operation, and that he/she himself is able to decide whether to put it into operation or not.

Clarification needed

As for the management of this tool the government wants to put in place, Lynch raises a few points, which, in his opinion, should be regulated to avoid possible abuses.

“The use of cameras is a matter of personal and individual needs,” Lynch said. “It shouldn’t be treated as a collective gesture, but as an individual one. For people with a loss of autonomy, or more vulnerable, it would be important that the option isn’t only discussed with the patient, but also with family members.”

Privacy

When it comes to installing cameras in a place as private as a bedroom, the question of privacy is undoubtedly raised.

“The living environment in which the individual lives is HIS/HER living environment,” insisted Lynch. “In CHSLDs, the cameras inside the patient’s rooms are for prevention, We know the falls are on the rise. Now, we can install equipment for surveillance, but the use of the equipment must be authorized by the occupant of the room, and the members of the family.”

Possible abuses

“If an establishment transgresses the will of one of its patients, it will have to answer for its actions and put itself in a position to be prosecuted,” specified Lynch.

As for the CISSS de Laval, it’s approving those new measures, and would like to ensure those practices will be well supervised.

“The CISSS of Laval is in favor of installing cameras in the rooms of residents in CHSLDs and in elderly’s homes,” said Marie-Ève Despatie-Gagnon, spokesperson for the CISSS of Laval. “The installation of cameras in the rooms represents a solution through technology that supports the medical team, and allows better interventions with residents.”

Despatie-Gagnon also specifies that legal consent must be provided to the CISSS of Laval by residents or their families, if they’re unable to do so. Also, the project will be offered to the beneficiaries, who will have the choice to accept it or not.

The CISSS of Laval says it won’t sell the images or the data collected by the cameras.

translated by Alec Brideau

L’article Cameras to Watch the Elderly est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.