Meeting with senior condo management

I spent some time  these last few days with some of the leadership from highrise condominiums in District 2.
 

With Valerie Gibson.

Valerie Gibson, an athletic trainer originally from Russia, met me in the lobby of the grand 5790 Rembrandt building. Valerie and an entirely new executive were voted into office last year. This facility is more than 40 years old. I recall going to a bar mitzvah there 37 years ago when there was a party room, since converted to a gym. There are 96 units.

At Le Marquise on Marc Chagall, Mike Cuplowsky is the past president with Martin Goldsmith now at the helm. Mike, who has been a tremendous contact, remains on the board. I sat down with him and Eddie Bornstein, a resident of this building and the manager of the Bellagio and Le Rothchild I condos next door. 
 

With Mike Cuplowsky.

In this area of Marc Chagall people want to know what we are doing with the land across the street, news about the snow dump and whether there are any plans for development on the land between the Marquise and the Rothchild.

With Eddie Bornstein.

Well, the construction people see next to Les Cours Chagall townhouses is actually for some beautiful and permanent park benches we promised some time ago. For the snow dump, an agreement to allow Hampstead to continue to dump there will be up for a vote at our Tuesday, October 1 public meeting.  We will once again place money in the budget to chop the thick snow up in the spring to make the ugly hill disappear. As for the vacant land, we do not hear anything about possible construction.  When I was first elected, developers planned to build two 16 storey twin towers. It did not sell, they abandoned the project and we have not heard from them in years. With the Quartier Cavendish housing development and soon Griffith McConnell on  Parkhaven, there is probably time before someone takes a look at the Marc Chagall land.

Introduction to Computers and Email a must for those in the dark

Most recently I was in conversation with a constituent of mine. He is 77 years young and for the past few years I have been sending him emails, without getting any responses. So I asked him, "Do you receive my emails?"

 

The gentleman looked me in the eye with a look of sadness on his face. "I am ashamed to tell you that  I do not know how to work the email," he remarked. "My kids set it up. They check it for me."

 

In the eight years since I have been  elected to council, more and more seniors have become comfortable on the internet. But there are many like this gentleman who are simply intimidated by the entire process.

 

Well it does not have to be this way, as I have been telling many people during my door to door campaign. Our Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library offers some excellent courses and from October 1 to 18, there is an Introduction to Computers and Email. It is $90 for CSL residents and $120 for non-residents. The courses run from 10:30 a.m. to Noon Tuesdays and Fridays and this is for absolute  beginners only.

 

It is never too late to learn this skill.

 

For more information call 514-485-6900.

 

Missing Montreal senior found in Côte Saint-Luc

There is never a dull moment on the election campaign trail. On this night, I took a break from my door to door activities and headed towards Pharmaprix at the Quartier Cavendish. As I entered via Mackle Road, I noticed a number of police cars on the scene, an ambulance and our Emergency Medical Services and a crowd of people circling a white car.

 

On Saturday evening an 87 year old man from St. Laurent went missing. He had left his home to go pick up dinner. At one point during the night he called his wife and indicated he was lost and in Repentigny. That is when the communications  ended. The family went frantic. There were no more calls and everyone thought the worst. Then tonight, the man ended up at the Esso station in Quartier Cavendish. Family members were contacted. As I arrived they were all hugging each other as the man got medical attention. He sat in the driver's seat smiling.

 

"I think that is the last time he will driving his car," one person was overheard saying.

 

"Thank goodness he is ok," said another. "It is a miracle!"

Chabad CSL holds big celebration at Trudeau Park

Mayor Anthony Housefather and members of city council  were pleased to participate in Beth Chabad CSL's Simchat Beth Hashoeva celebration at Trudeau Park on September 23.  Hundreds of people gathered  to hear renowned Israeli singer  Shimon Sibony perform.

There was a festive atmosphere in the park and weather conditions were pretty good for the affair. CSL resident Amir Toledano was there with his mobile food truck, serving up items from his Mega Burger Glatt Kosher Restaurant -a real hit on Decarie Boulevard.

Congratulations to Rabbi Mendel Raskin and his team for another wonderful event.

With Rabbi Mendel Raskin at his concert.

New police commander meets with council and hears District 2 concerns

Over the course of my door to door campaign, I have received many requests and concerns related to traffic safety, moving violations and areas in need of police surveillance. Police Station 9, which covers Côte Saint-Luc, Hampstead and Montreal West, has a new commander in Marc Cournoyer. He succeeded Sylvain Bissonnette at the beginning of September.

While members of council had the opportunity to meet Commander Cournoyer recently, I thought it would be appropriate to have him meet us in a caucus session with his lieutenant Jean-Pierre Theoret. Such was the case on Monday evening, September 23. We spent 45 minutes with the commander. Each of us provided a brief introduction of our roles on council and the constituencies we cover. Furthermore, we all touched upon hot button issues in our district. This was a very productive exercise. Commander Cournoyer and Lt. Theoret were taking notes feverishly.

Commander Cournoyer and Lt. Theoret take notes.

Where District 2 is concerned, I spoke about traffic safety and parking violations around Bialik High School; stop sign infractions at the corners of Kildare Road and Merrimac and Sir Walter Scott; speeding on Marc Chagall in front of the new Les Cours Chagall Town Houses,  on Rembrandt Avenue and on Cavendish near the overpass turnaround at Heywood; loitering in Rembrandt Park and suspicious behavior during certain hours.

We spoke about the busy corner of Cavendish Boulevard and Kildare Road, asking for his evaluation about automobile and pedestrian traffic.

Lt. Theoret has been with Station 9 for three years and previously worked with Commander Cournoyer in St. Laurent.   He also has a number of key staff who have served the community for many years. I believe we are in good hands.

Councillor Mitchell Brownstein speaks out against the Charter of Values

Bravo to Councillor Mitchell Brownstein for this wonderful opinion piece against the Quebec government's proposed Charter of Values. Below are copies in English and French.

“Immigrants not welcome here?”               

 

By Mitchell Brownstein

 Immigration Attorney and Cote Saint Luc Municipal Councillor

As an attorney practicing Immigration Law since 1990 and more recently representing clients in wrongful dismissal claims, it is clear that the proposed Quebec Charter of Values is a wanton aggression on fundamental rights. In a province with such a rich diversity of communities I cannot believe that this is something that could ever come into law. The Parti Quebecois government is sending an insidious message that some people are not wanted here. As responsible Quebecers we must oppose it and let all Quebecers know what the dangers of such a proposal are.

Lawyers from our firm have travelled on business missions with the Government of Quebec (Team Canada and Equipe Quebec Missions) and have watched our provincial governments whether Liberal or Parti Quebecois promote Quebec as a multi-cultural community that welcomes individuals from around the world, offering them the opportunity to become full members of our society, while maintaining their religious beliefs and culture. They have encouraged immigration and presented Quebec as a place that welcomes individuals of diverse religious beliefs and culture.  It is ironic that after such solicitation and encouragement, that the Marois Government has now decided that these same individuals are not welcome. 

 Many of our clients, who have chosen Quebec as their home, wear Hijabs, Turbans, Kippahs, ornamental crosses and other religious symbols. They are doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, business people, and students and come here with the greatest desire to contribute to Quebec society.  They work in the private and public sector and chose Montreal as the place they thought welcomed them as full members of society, including their right to religious freedom. 

Should this Charter come into law individuals working in the Public Sector as teachers, nurses, doctors or other professions will be told to take off their religious/cultural garb or resign. Quebecers should not have to choose between their religious beliefs and economic well-being.   In Labour law this is called constructive dismissal and under existing law,  provides the individual with the same rights and recourses against their employer as wrongful dismissal, since changes in the terms of employment that force an individual to quit are tantamount to being fired.  This argument is one that the Federal Government should use to illustrate the unconstitutionally of this proposed Charter of Values, should it come in to law, as it clearly infringes on an individual’s religious rights as guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

In my other job as a Municipal Councillor for the City of Cote Saint Luc, I am very proud to be a part of a Council led by Mayor Anthony Housefather, whereby we always speak loudly in order to protect individual minority rights.  We will defend the rights of our public sector employees who wear any form of religious clothing or jewelry.  It is a sad day for all Quebecers that our government is creating laws to divide us rather than unite.

 Mitchell Brownstein is managing partner of the Law Firm Brownstein, Brownstein and Associates specializing in Immigration and Wrongful Dismissal Law.  He is also a Municipal Councillor for the City of Cote Saint Luc.

 

: Mitchell Brownstein with Premier Lucien Bouchard on Team Canada trip to the Philippines January 1997.

 

Les immigrants ne sont pas les bienvenus ici.

Mitchell Brownstein, Avocat en immigration et Conseiller Municipal de la Ville de Côte Saint-Luc

Je suis avocat exerçant le droit de l'immigration depuis 1990. Récemment, je représente des clients dans leurs réclamations pour congédiement injustifié. La Charte des valeurs québécois proposé est une agression flagrante aux droits fondamentaux. Dans une province avec une telle richesse et diversité des communautés ethniques, je ne peux croire qu’une telle chose pourrait être acceptée comme loi. Le gouvernement du Parti québécois envoie un message insidieux que certaines personnes ne sont pas souhaitées. En tant que Québécois responsables, nous avons le devoir de nous opposer et de faire connaitre à tous les citoyens les dangers d'une telle proposition.

Des avocats de notre firme ont participé a des missions d'affaires avec le gouvernement du Québec (Équipe Canada et Missions Équipe Québec) et ont observé nos gouvernements provinciaux, qu'ils soient Libéral ou Parti québécois, promouvant le Québec comme étant une communauté multiculturelle qui accueille les personnes du monde entier. Ainsi, elle leur offre la possibilité de devenir membres à part entière de notre société, tout en conservant leurs croyances religieuses et leur culture. Le paradoxe est qu’après une telle sollicitation et un tel encouragement, le gouvernement Marois décide que ces mêmes personnes ne sont pas les bienvenues.

Plusieurs de nos clients, qui ont choisi le Québec comme patrie, portent le hijab, le turban, la kippa, des croix ornementales et autres symboles religieux. Ils sont médecins, avocats, enseignants, ingénieurs, gens d’affaires, étudiants, et viennent ici avec le plus grand désir de contribuer à la société québécoise. Ils travaillent dans les secteurs privés et publics et ont choisi Montréal comme lieu qu'ils pensaient, les accueillerait comme membres à part entière de la société, y compris leur droit à la liberté religieuse.

Si cette Charte entre en vigueur, les personnes qui travaillent dans le secteur public comme les enseignants, les infirmières, les médecins et autres professions seront incités à soit renoncer de porter leur habit religieux ou culturel ou bien de démissionner. Les Québécois ne devraient pas avoir à choisir entre leurs croyances religieuses et leur bien-être économique. En Droit du travail, c'est ce qu'on appelle un congédiement déguisé. En vertu du droit existant, un congédiement déguisé confère à l'individu les mêmes droits et recours contre ses employeurs qu’un licenciement injustifié, puisque les changements dans les conditions d'emploi, forçant l’individu à quitter, équivalent à un congédiement. Cet argument est celui que le Gouvernement Fédéral devrait utiliser pour illustrer la nature inconstitutionnelle de ce projet de la Charte des valeurs québécois. Si ce projet devait entrer dans la loi, elle va clairement violer ​​les droits religieux de l'individu tels qu'ils sont garantis par la Charte Canadienne des Droits et des Libertés.

En tant que Conseiller Municipal de la Ville de Côte Saint-Luc, je suis très fier de faire partie d'un conseil dirigé par le Maire Anthony Housefather, où nous parlons toujours à voix haute dans le but de protéger les droits des minorités individuelles.

Mitchell Brownstein est Directeur Adjoint au cabinet d'avocats Brownstein, Brownstein et Associés, spécialisé en immigration et en droit du licenciement injustifié. Il est également Conseiller Municipal pour la Ville de Côte Saint-Luc.

A visit to the Parkside 21 Condominium

With Barry Rotschild.

The Parkside 21 Town House Condominium Complex got its name for being next to Rembrandt Park and having 21 units. Seven are on Rembrandt Avenue, with steps to climb, while the remaining 14 share a nice common courtyard. They also have a seasonal outdoor pool, a common indoor garage and a guest parking lot.

I knocked on every door and many of the residents had me come inside and sit down to chat. It was a real pleasure to formally meet Barry Rotschild, his wife Patricia and their beautiful nine month old daughter Sofia. is part of the six-person board which manages the complex. That is quite a responsibility given the fact there are absolutely no paid staff.

Sofia really likes that Mike Cohen electoral card Patricia is holding.

Questions and concerns dealt with issues related to Rembrandt Park, speeding in the area and traffic at the busy corner of Kildare and Cavendish. A number of the residents here have communicated with me regularly by email and that I truly appreciate. One such case involved restricted parking on Kildare Road for certain days of the week. Over a period of time I repeatedly brought this to the attention of our Traffic Committee and council, ultimately working out  a resolution to the problem. Now, when those living on the Kildare side of the complex come home from work they can leave their cars on the street for the evening instead of always having to go back in their garage.

Members of council help celebrate 50th anniversary of St. Richard'

The only church in Côte Saint-Luc, St. Richard’s Parish,   is planning a series of special events to mark its 50^th anniversary.

On Sunday,  September 22, a formal celebration of this milestone took place, officiated by Bishop Thomas Dowd and Father Peter Laviolette, who was installed as the new Pastor.  Mass was celebrated at 10:30 a.m.,  followed by a multicultural luncheon in the Church Hall.   Among those in attendance were Mayor Anthony Housefather, Councillors Dida Berku, Steven Erdelyi, Allan J. Levine, Glenn J. Nashen, Mitchell Brownstein, Ruth Kovac, myself, Liberal Member of Parliament for Mount Royal Irwin Cotler along with his chief of staff Howard Liebman and D'Arcy McGee Liberal MNA Lawrence Bergman.

Here I am with Father Laviolette and Bishop Dowd.

Congratulations to program chairs Doreen Chartier and Brenda Panunto and of course Joseph Panunto, a former member of our council, who has played a leadership role at St. Richard's for many years. I saw many familiar faces, including brothers Patrick and Kevin Shanahan. They grew up in Côte Saint-Luc and played in all of the local minor sports associations.

Those in attendance were entertained by the wonderful Church Choir and  were able to view a photo exhibit featuring family and Parish events, which have taken place over the past 50 years. The lunch was delicious, every dish prepared by members of the church.

Bishop Dowd presided over the formal installation of Father Laviolette, who  now has a commitment to stay on at St. Richard's until August 31, 2019. He has served in this role at the same church from 1996 to 2000.  Bishop Dowd explained to everyone about the evolution of the "pastor," noting that its roots go back to Moses who led his people out of Egypt. Pastors were originally known as "judges,"   

Honoured guests help cut the 50th anniversary cake.

A number of activities  honouring past and present clergy and parishioners have already taken place. “For 50 years we have provided services to the Catholic community of Côte Saint-Luc,” noted Ms. Panunto.

“We are very proud of our achievements,” added Ms. Chartier. “Now it is time to celebrate.”

Ms. Panunto and Ms. Chartier said that they are buoyed by the success and popularity of  events, held so far and they plan to continue to plan new programs through to the end of the Jubilee year.

A Commemorative Jubilee Book, written and edited by Linda Serpone and featuring the history of St. Richard’s Parish and the Catholic Community of Côte Saint-Luc, will be available at the end of the year and include details of the Jubilee celebrations. 

The closing gala dinner-dance will be held on Saturday, November 23 (6 p.m.) at the Centre de Reception Sorrento in LaSalle. There will be cocktails, followed by a four course meal.  Music will be provided by Gregg Inniss. Tickets for this gala ($65) may be obtained by contacting the church office at 514-488-0778.

You can also see Councillor Glenn J. Nashen's blog.

Rabbi Raskin's annual Sukkot Dinner

On the evening of September 19, I joined Mayor Anthony Housefather and members of city council at the home of Rabbi Mendel Raskin and his wife Sarah. It is a tradition for the Raskins to hold festive dinners in their Sukkah. We were among a group of close to 100. Israeli Consul General Joel Lion was there as well and I was pleased to see many of my constituents from District 2.

Rabbi Mendel Raskin

I remember  meeting Rabbi Raskin a decade ago at Bialik High School. It was a very cold winter night and they were holding a dedication ceremony for the planned Beth Chabad Community Centre, which was to be built across the street at the corner of Marc Chagall and Kildare. For years Beth Chabad worked out of the former Eaton locale at Cavendish Mall and prior to that at the Côte Saint-Luc Shopping Centre.

Our council works very closely with Rabbi Raskin. He goes out of his way to include us in his many activities. Coming up is a concert at Trudeau Park on September 23 and the lighting of the large menorah in front of City Hall at Chanukah. Beth  Chabad's beautiful facility has been in operation for two years now and hosts many simchas.

Please read Councillor Glenn J. Nashen's excellent summary of our evening in the Raskin Sukkah.

I also recommend you read this wonderful piece by Menachem Posner,.

Nominations papers submitted as campaign officially begins/Le début de la période électorale municipale

Even though I have already been in campaign mode for several months now with my amazing campaign manager Reuben Spector,  knocking on doors and meeting with constituents, Friday, September 20 marked the first day someone could submit their nomination papers for the November 3, 2013 municipal elections.

Richard Alary accepts my nomination papers.

Richard Alary, representing the City of Côte Saint-Luc`s Director of Elections Jonathan Shecter, accepted my forms and had me make my declaration of candidacy for District 2 under oath. I am now seeking my third term in council. In 2005, running for my first time, I defeated my lone competitor by garnering 92 percent of the vote. I was acclaimed in 2009.

A lot of my elections sign are already up on the poles. Thanks to my team of volunteers who worked so diligently to make that happen.

What I have heard from everyone I met so far is they are extremely pleased with how our city is run. Mayor Anthony Housefather and all eight members of city council are seeking re-election.

 Élections municipales du 3 novembre 2013 - C'est aujourd'hui le début de la période électorale municipale au Québec

C’est aujourd’hui que débute la période électorale précédant les élections générales municipales du 3 novembre prochain. Il s’agit d’une étape particulièrement importante dans les 1 103 municipalités du Québec et particulièrement dans les 184 municipalités où s’appliquent, à compter d’aujourd’hui, les règles sur le contrôle des dépenses électorales, de même qu’au regard des 13 municipalités régionales de comté où le préfet sera élu au suffrage universel. Ces chiffres tiennent compte du projet de loi no 57, déposé cette semaine à l’Assemblée nationale, et qui prévoit qu’il n’y aurait pas d’élection à Lac Mégantic et dans la MRC du Granit. 

Les campagnes électorales s’accéléreront également alors que débute aujourd’hui le dépôt des candidatures, qui pourront être reçues par les présidentes et présidents d’élection jusqu’au 4 octobre à 16 h 30.

Meet the two newest kittens in CSL District 2

Bravo to District 2 resident Brandee Adler.

She and her husband have three children and a dog. Now add two gorgeous kittens to the family.

I stopped by the house to see Brandee and family during one of my door to door evenings this week upon learning via Facebook about the wonderful thing they did. As the city councillor responsible for the Côte Saint-Luc Cats Committee and a strong advocate for people to step forward when there are kittens in need, I applaud them.

These were babies born from a homeless mother cat. Brandee's sister took the other three kitties from the litter while the mom was sterilized so she won't bring anymore unwanted animals into the world.

 

My two newest feline constituents: Coco and Molly

The kittens are about two months old and still small enough to practically fit in the palm of my hand. They will be sterilized and Brandee plans to keep them as indoor cats only, something I wish every cat owner would do.

Anyone who wishes to get involved with our committee as a volunteer or to foster can email me at mcohen@cotesaintluc.org.