One consideration that may slip through the cracks for many travellers is the threat of carbon monoxide. Commonly known as CO, it is an odourless, invisible and poisonous gas. CO can be emitted by fuel-burning appliances such as water heaters, stoves, furnaces and more, and it can only be detected by a CO alarm.

Here are some tips to incorporate CO safety into your next trip, whether near or far.

• Do your research. Booking a place to stay through a private rental company or individual is a great way to experience a more local side of your destination – but there can be a lot of variables when booking a private space. Read online reviews and, if necessary, reach out to the host to ask about the safety measures that will be available to you on-site.
• Add safety to your packing list. Even where CO alarms may be required, if one is missing from your space or not working properly, it’s better to be safe than sorry overnight. A travel-friendly alarm, like the First Alert 10-year sealed battery carbon monoxide alarm – which you can simply place on a tabletop – can help you rest safely on your trip.
• Scout the area. In case of a carbon monoxide emergency, it’s vital to get to fresh air immediately. Whenever you check into new accommodations, locate all exterior doors and fire exits so you can act quickly if needed.
• Stay safe on wheels. Recreational vehicles (RVs) offer the best of both worlds: transportation and accommodation. However, having a full kitchen and bathroom on wheels often means a reliance on propane. It’s important to regularly check propane-burning appliances like refrigerators, hot water heaters and stoves/ovens for leaks and ensure everything is in good working order. When you purchase a CO alarm for your motor home or campervan, ensure it is RV-certified.

(Source : News Canada)

L’article Stay safe on your next road trip est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

Thanks to a grant from the Government of Quebec’s Young Volunteers program, and months of hard work, the young artist’s first album was officially launched on Sept. 30.

Responsible for the entire development process and deployment of her work, Girard now travels to theatres in Greater Montreal, to the delight of the Quebec public.

Journey

Girard made her debut in music by singing in a choir, then in musical comedy at Georges-Vanier high school in Duvernay. She continued to gain experience by attending Cégep Marie-Victorin, and McGill University in jazz singing.

In addition to pursuing her musical career, the young woman is a music teacher, and works in the restaurant industry.

For Some Reason

The album has 13 songs and is titled like of of them. When asked why that name, Girard said “the album reflects [her] life”.

“I think we do things for some reason,” Girard said. “We don’t know how things will be received, what will happen, but we have to get started.”

The song also represents well the particular style of the artist because of the significant contrasts between the sections.

Highly influenced by United Kingdom’s (UK) jazz, Girard is also inspired by several aspects of her life when composing her melodies.

Language

Although Girard’s mother tongue is French, most of the songs of her first album are in English. Some are also bilingual, while her favourite melody is in French.

In addition to the fact the international fanbase mainly speaks English, that language also allows her to go further into introspection.

“[Performing in English] allows me to put myself in a bubble,” confessed the singer. “Sometimes, I find French very close to me. When I sing in French, I feel more exposed.”

Engaged Music

The Laval native’s goal isn’t necessarily to create committed music, but, because of her experience, several pieces are nonetheless.

It’s the case of the song “Graceful Earth”, which sends a very clear message related to climate change. In that song, the artist thanks the Earth, and apologizes for everything humans are doing to it.

translated by Alec Brideau

L’article A Laval Artist launches her First Jazz Album est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

The management and presidency of that new Maxi was there to officialize the opening. A photo with ribbon cutting to immortalize everything also took place.

In addition, store manager Patrick Gauvreau highlighted the opening with a donation to help the community. Gauvreau donated $5,000 to the Centre de bénévolat et Moisson Laval (CBML), an organization whose goal is “to ensure the supply and fair redistribution of foodstuffs to organizations working in food security, and to individuals in difficulty,” a press release specified.

Many people were already there yesterday for shopping, taking advantage of the new colours of the place and the staff on site, present to welcome the new customers.

“We’re looking forward to see our customers, and are firmly believing they will discover this new store with enthusiasm,” said Gauvreau.

L’article Opening of the New Maxi in Laval est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

That team, that will be named the Laval VC, thus becomes the main version of the hockey club of the same name. Laval’s organization already had several AAA-level training courses for the youngest, including at the U16 and U18 levels.

The awarding of this expansion team was confirmed in July, allowing the VC to become the 13th club in the LHJAAAQ. “We will provide an ideal new home market for the league in the future,” said President Mario Nobili via press release.

A few weeks later, Michel Barrette was hired as head coach and general manager of the team.

Building a Team

Since it’s a new team, VC leaders needed to build a roster in just a few months.

The first step was the expansion draft, in which they selected a player from each of the 12 other LHJAAAQ clubs. They then drafted about 20 young hockey players during the league’s annual draft, benefiting from two selections in each round.

“We’re going to have six 20-year-old players in our roster,”Barrette said. “We don’t want to be just an expansion club, and have a few tough seasons to build a project. We’re coming into the league wanting to be on top.”

Although he’s aiming for the first place, the head coach believes that making it to the top seven teams would be a positive result for this year.

Offensive philosophy

Barrette thinks Tristan Gagné, Yan Nadon and Justin Charette are players to watch. To no one’s surprise, they’re all forwards, which fits with the model preconized in the LHJAAAQ.

“It’s an offensive league,” Barrette said. “We’ll be honest, it won’t often be 1-0 games. We need to produce a lot of offence, and we have surrounded our offensive elements with physical players who are working hard on the ice. We’re also having a lot of speed.”

Laval’s VC first regular season game will take place on Friday, Sept. 9, against the Cégep Beauce-Appalaches Condors. The home opening game will be on Sunday, Sept. 11, against the Collège Français de Longueuil.

translated by Alec Brideau

L’article The Laval VC, New Junior AAA Expansion Club est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.