?For all your decorating needs Taxi driver Jean Guille Abeille CITY EDITION HUNTER DOUGLAS Showcase Dealer Custom Closets For Any Budget 8250 Devonshire Rd. Ville Mont-Royal 514.733.6468 www.verti-kal.com 1057 Bernard O., Outremont Taste the Tradition! OUR TERRASSE IS NOW OPEN 514-213-1313 1-866-LESTERS (537-8377) www. lestersdeli.com comments @ lestersdeli.com WEEDBUSTERS! JUDGE OVERTURNS ABUSIVE FINES, SEE PAGE 6 TAXI TAXI DRIVERS DRIVERS HARASSED HARASSED See See page page 3 3 JUNE 3, 2009 FOR MORE SUBURBAN COVERAGE, INCLUDING OUR EAST END AND WEST ISLAND EDITIONS, VISIT WWW.THESUBURBAN.COM SINCE 1963 WE MAKE IT... YOU BAKE IT NO TAX TO PAY Try our Pizza of the Month for June ?SMOKED SALMON? topped with olive oil, garlic, mozzarella cheese, smoked salmon, onions, fresh dill, fresh tomatoes and capers. Pick-up only. Open from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ? Friday, Saturday & Sunday FREE DELIVERY Medium 12? $ 9 75 Large 14? $ 12 45 X-Large 16? $ 15 75 Bring this ad and receive $3.00 OFF any pizza of your choice *Pick-up orders only upon presentation of this coupon. 1 pizza or pasta per coupon. Not to be combined with any other offers. Valid until June 30/09 6705 Sherbrooke West (corner Montclair) 514-486-ROSA (7672) 22C9 ALBERT SEVIGNY / THE SUBURBAN

2 ? THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2009 QUEBEC?S LARGEST ENGLISH WEEKLY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1963 For more Suburban coverage, including our East End and West Island editions, visit www.thesuburban.com INSIDE Editorial & Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-34 DEADLINES Commercial advertising (by Friday at 3 p.m.) Classified advertising (by Monday at 1 p.m.) Commercial: 514-484-1107 Classifieds: 514-484-3525 Publisher: Michael Sochaczevski Associate Publisher: Sari Medicoff Sales Manager: David Solomon National Sales Director: David Broadman Production Manager: Karen L. Cross Classified Manager: Charmaine Worrell Credit Manager: Carol Balinsky CONTACT US via email: Dr. Rosie has seen quite a bit of our Great White North since she graduated from McGill University three years ago. ? Page 19 Melissa Coré of Beaconsfield became the first golfer in McGill history to fire a hole-in-one at the Canadian collegiate championships ? Page 38 Letters: . . . . . . . . . .editor@thesuburban.com Entertainment: . . . . . .entertainment@thesuburban.com Items of interest: . . .anthony@thesuburban.com Sports: . . . . . . . . . . . .sports@thesuburban.com Community Events: .calendar@thesuburban.com Advertising material: . .production@thesuburban.com Editor-in-chief: Beryl Wajsman (editor@thesuburban.com) Editorial Coordinator: Anthony Bonaparte (anthony@thesuburban.com) Sports Coordinator: Mark Lidbetter (sports@thesuburban.com) Editorial Staff: Joel Ceausu, Dan Delmar, Susanne Evans, Julia Gerke, Joel Goldenberg, P.A. Sévigny, Kevin Woodhouse Editorial Contributors: Maria I. Anelli, Sam Bick, Anthony Branco, Irene Chwalkowski, Mike Cohen, Ian Howarth, David Lisbona, Megan Martin, Bernard Mendelman, Daniel W.K. Rafuse, Lisa K. Savage, Linda Zlatkin Photographers: Martin Chamberland, Rob Taussig, Andrew Soong COURTESY OF MIKE MUSACCHIO DAN DELMAR / THE SUBURBAN CLEAN TEAM: The cleanliness brigade in Côte des Neiges-NDG won?t have to ride around on man-powered bicycles or push garbage carts around borough streets any longer. Mayor Michael Applebaum told The Suburban that the borough has spent roughly $3,000 on three electric scooters for workers to ride around on this summer, picking up trash. Created in 2006, the OpérationMontreal.net cleanliness brigade also encourages citizens and merchants to pick up trash themselves in their neighbourhoods. The borough benefited from plenty of free labour on May 16 when nearly 150 residents took part in ?Everybody Pitch In / Clean-up Day.? Mackenzie King Park, Royal Vale School, Benny Farm and other public spaces in the borough were given a spring cleaning by caring citizens. ??? O?SULLIVAN?S TEAM: Running fourth out of four mayoralty candidates in the most recent poll, former city coun- n PAGE TWO n 7575 Trans-Canada Highway, Suite 105, St. Laurent, QC H4T 1V6 (514) 484-1107 (Fax) 484-9616 suburban@thesuburban.com www.thesuburban.com Some images and graphics Copyright 2006 Michael Publishing and its licensors. All rights reserved. cillor Louise O?Sullivan recently unveiled her party?s borough council hopefuls in Côte des Neiges-NDG. The Montreal Ville-Marie party will run Sergio Borja, a LBPSB commissioner, against Michael Applebaum for borough mayor. A frequent critic of the borough council, Glenmount resident Francine Brodeur will run in the Darlington district. In NDG, teacher and journalist Joey Strizzi is O?Sullivan?s choice; in Côte des Neiges, it?s Guillaume Benoit-Gagné, a Université de Montréal law student and member of the Parti Québécois. Candidates in the Loyola and Snowdon districts will be named at a later date. ??? CSL PHOTO EXHIBIT: Côte St. Luc?s Zajdel calls it quits After 23 years as a city councillor, Saulie Zajdel made a surprise announcement at Monday night?s Côte des Neiges-NDG council meeting: He will not seek re-election in November. Zajdel told The Suburban only two months ago that he would be running again in the Darlington district, but changed his mind in recent weeks, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. ?It?s time for me to step back, slow down a little bit and smell the roses,? said Zajdel, who is Montreal?s third most senior councillor. ?I shall not be seeking a seventh term and I?m more than content, thank God, with the six successful terms I believe I?ve had as a city councillor.? He said he felt no pressure from anyone at City Hall to step aside. ? Dan Delmar Merton?s junior ?Cirque de Soleil? Students at Côte St. Luc?s Merton School put on a circus last week as a year-end show, the product of nine months of training during their lunch hours. The performers were guided by gym teacher Romolo ?The Amazing Molo? Finelli, the recipient of the Heritage Foundation?s 2008 NEAT (National Excellence Award for Teacher) for having a positive impact on students. More than 30 students from grades 2 to 6 performed before a most appreciative audience of families and staff as tumblers, unicyclists, acrobats, jugglers and clowns. Merton staff point out that gym is the most popular class at the school, followed by technology. Eleanor London Library is currently exhibiting photographer Linda Rutenberg?s The Garden at Night, a collection of photos taken after dark in botanical gardens around the world. The exhibit ends July 5. According to a city announcement, Rutenberg photographs the secret lives of plants at night and reveals a luminous landscape. ?The amazing thing about the night is that even the most ordinary plant is transformed into something mysterious and extraordinary,? she says. ?These images are about a sense of place, metamorphosis and the splendours of nature.? The announcement adds that Rutenberg has ?exhibited her photographs internationally and they can be found in many prestigious collections including the National Gallery of Canada, Agnes Etherington Collection, Standard Life, Banque Nationale Collection and the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris. For See AROUND THE TOWNS, page 7 Publisher?s liability for error: The publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher?s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with any advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of any monies paid for the advertisement. Entire Contents Copyright Michael Publishing Co. Inc., Wednesday, June 3, 2009

n NEWS & ANALYSIS n Cab drivers feel harassed by city cop ?We know what justice is. That?s why we came to Canada?.and trust me! This isn?t justice.? By P.A. Sévigny The Suburban Several city cab drivers are warning the SPVM (Service de la Police de la Ville de Montréal) there could be serious trouble simmering in the downtown core if police commanders don?t do something about a police officer?s harassment of them and their business. Early last week, the city was shocked to hear how Constable Pierre Bélanger gave 32-year-old Jihad Ibrahim, a Lebanese immigrant with more than four years of driving experience, four separate tickets worth a total of $2,310 in fines for doing nothing more than going to the washroom. According to Ibrahim?s father, an urgent call of nature forced his son to pull over and park his car in a legal parking spot near the corner of St. Hubert and Ste. Catherine Street so he could duck into a local café in order to use its facilities. After paying for a few minutes worth of parking, Ibrahim was walking towards the café when Bélanger called him over and told him he had no right to park his cab in a public parking spot. When Ibrahim protested and said he had a right to go to the bathroom, Bélanger immediately called for back-up after which the taxi driver was surrounded by police in a matter of minutes. Ibrahim?s protest earned him a $500 ticket which means the driver in fact owes the city $638 after court fees are added to the ticket. After Ibrahim opened his wallet to hand over his license and registration, Bélanger noticed Ibrahim had two driving licenses because he forgot to tear up his old license after receiving his new one at the beginning of the month. Ibrahim?s oversight cost him another $600 ticket which adds up to $865 because of the usual court fees. After Ibrahim received another $638 ticket ($500 +$138 fees) because he is alleged to have refused to show the police his papers at the beginning of the incident, Bélanger topped off Ibrahim?s Willington Fontaine. collection with a final $169 parking ticket. After Ibrahim received all four tickets, Bélanger left and the cab driver was finally allowed to go into the café to use the facilities. During a telephone interview, Ibrahim?s father, Ibrahim Ibrahim, told The Suburban his son recently left to go back to Lebanon because he doesn?t know if he wants to remain in Canada after all the trouble. ?He?s very upset,? said the old man. ?He doesn?t know why the police should treat him like a common criminal. All he wanted to do was go to the bathroom.? Taxi driver Jean Guille Abeille recalls getting a ticket from the same officer when he went to pick up his sister and nephew at the Voyageur bus station after they flew into Montreal from Martinique. ?After I picked them up, Bélanger stopped me and started to write me up for having picked up a passenger at the Berri Street exit instead of at the designated taxi stand. Even after I told him I was on personal business and showed him my sister?s passport to prove it, he just ignored us as he kept on writing up the ticket.? ?Tell it to the judge,? he said as he handed him the ticket. Pierre Arice recalls how he was double-parked along St. Denis Street with his flashers on as he was helping a lady and her baby out of the taxi with all of her luggage and the baby carriage. After Bélanger pulled up behind him, the constable began to write him up a couple of tickets for being double-parked and for an illegal drop-off due to all the parked cars along the side of the street. ?You?ve got no heart, officer,? Arice reportedly told Belanger. During a tense and sometimes testy telephone interview, Station 21 Commander Alain Simoneau told The Suburban Bélanger ?worked well and was doing an excellent job in his district.? When asked how giving over $2,000 worth of tickets for simply going to the bathroom was going to help serve and protect the public, Simoneau said Bélanger was doing nothing wrong and would continue to do his work until further notice. ?Unless I have some kind of proof this officer is not doing his job ?comme il faut? or the courts have something to say, Officer Bélanger will continue to work traffic on the streets of Montreal.? As city cab drivers are among the poorest of the city?s working poor, See TAXI DRIVERS, page 8 ALBERT SEVIGNY PHOTO BLINDS & DRAPERIES ? Horizontals ? Pleated ? Ettes ? Top Treatments ? Custom Bedding ? Screens ? Shutters SHOP-AT-HOME SERVICE AVAILABLE ALL MAJOR BRANDS DISCOUNTED Jostar Decor Reva Fleischer n CORRECTION n The phone number in the Birkenstock Naturino ad that appeared in the May 27, 2009 edition of The Suburban should have read 514-939-0363 We regret any inconvenience this may have caused. VITO ATTIVISSIMO We are delighted to have found you and extend CONGRATULATIONS and GOOD LUCK!! on your new ?state of the art? body shop d é c o r FREE Shop-at-Home Service FREE Installation ALTERATIONS & REPAIRS ? RESIDENTIAL ? COMMERCIAL FASTEST SERVICE IN THE CITY! CALL DON 514-237-2871 STEAL OF THE WEEK PARIS $847 August 15 - 7 nights & breakfast ORLANDO 1 week - 7 nights + car $699 ? Dep. July 1 MAYAN RIVIERA 1 Week - All Inclusive - 5* Resort Family Special - 2 adults/ 2 children (under 12) $4,500 ? Dep. June 21 You can EXCHANGE your AIR MILES and pay off your vacation this way. 33c8 FIX AUTO CARTIERVILLE 6125 rue de Pontgravé 514-335-2525 Call the Expert! D RAPERIES , B LINDS & B EDDING D on K arp GUIDED TOURS Marvels of Egypt $2,499 Weekly Departures 12 Days/21Meals incl. cruise on the Nile River Mysterious Perou $3,999 Oct.12 - 15 Days/ 21 Meals Jordania & Dubai $4,899 Departure Fall 2009 15 Days/24 Meals Many other Guided Tours available. Earn 500 BONUS Air Miles per couple We are a ? dealer select? and offer the full line of Hunter Douglas Products (514) 334-4440 since 1995 514.482.6565 5686 Monkland www.selectour.clubvoyages.com Inquire about our 0% interest Financial Plan. Prices are per person, double occupancy. Book by June 10th/09 Not included: $3.50/$1000 purchase for the Indemnity Consumer Fund. Permit 701778. We organize Weddings Abroad & Honeymoons. Ask for Patricia. Over 20 years experience. 11C9 THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2009 ? 3

4 ? THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2009 HÔPITAL CATHERINE BOOTH DE L?ARMÉE DU SALUT WOW WOW ! 20 $* per person Taxes included + + FREE FREE RIDES RIDES The Salvation Army Catherine Booth Hospital CONVOCATION Notice ASSEMBLÉE GÉNÉRALE ANNUELLE DU COMITÉ DES USAGERS MARDI, 9 JUIN 2009, à 16h00 Conférencière : Madame Marie Amzallag ?Tout ce que vous voulez savoir sur vos droits selon la loi sur les services de santé et services sociaux? 4375, AV. MONTCLAIR NOTRE-DAME-DE-GRÂCE - MONTRÉAL VOUS ÊTES TOUS LES BIENVENUS Africa tucked in the of Québec Experiences, discoveries and fun ASSURED * Until June 19, 2009 parcsafari.com 35 minutes South of Montréal Exit Quality work time after time ! n NEWS & ANALYSIS n Equestrian and acrobatic T he A nnual G eneral M eeting of the Users? Committee Tuesday, June 9th, 2009, at 4:00 p.m. Speaker: Mrs. Marie Amzallag ?Everything you wanted to know about your rights regarding health and social services? 4375 Montclair Ave. NDG - Montreal E veryone is welcome The decision to move Cavalia, the grand equestrian and acrobatic odyssey, from its traditional Laval location to the corner of Decarie and Metropolitan Boulevard in St. Laurent, has worked like a charm. Already the extraordinary show under the white big top has seen its run extended four times and it is now set to conclude on June 21. That is a good thing, because when I reached Cavalia president and artistic director Norman Latourelle last week he made it pretty clear that the show is not likely to be back in the Montreal area for some time to come. ?We have been in Montreal five times now and sold more than 700,000 tickets,? he told me from Chicago, where he is preparing for the Cavalia debut there July 21. ?There are a lot more places for us to see, which is why we have to say good-bye to Montreal.? Cavalia (www.cavalia.net) will still maintain a strong Quebec presence, with its training centre in the Eastern Townships community of Sutton. They are also developing a second show, which should be ready to tour in 2011. From the time Latourelle, a pioneer of the Cirque de Soleil, created Cavalia six years ago he had his eye on the large empty lot on Decarie and the Met. This was originally the spot occupied by Continental Cans, which shut down in 1976 and soon after demolished its façade. ?I like to use unusual sites and I was taken by this one,? Latourelle said. ?Each time I approached the owners, they refused. We settled in Laval, but each year I called up the Decarie locale. Finally they let me use it. Yes, it is an absolutely fabulous location smack in the centre of the island. And our white top stands out when vehicles drive by on the highway Think garage door Think Garaga Experts Quality work time after time ! (514) 631-3130 21C9 odyssey trotting out of Montreal? Mike Cohen Fast Facts: Since 2003, Cavalia has visited 30 cities in the United States, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Portugal. It is now considered one of the largest touring shows in the world with its 200 employees, 40 horses, 35 artists and 100 trucks of equipment?The Cavalia village includes eight tents, including the 30metre high White Big Top, which has a seating capacity of 2,004. Some 150 people are required to erect the tents and work on the preparation of the site, which takes 12 days. The tear down can be done in three days. A 70 metre-wide screen serves as a backdrop for the projections and special effects. The stage is 50 metres wide, the equivalent of an Olympic pool while 2,500 tons of sand and dirt (100 truck loads) are required to build the stage?.The 44 artists, acrobats, dancers and riders originate from Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Great Britain, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, Russia and the United States. The troop also includes six musicians (guitar, percussions, keyboard, bass, drums, oboe, harmonica, recorder and cello) and one singer. COHEN CHATTER: Graduates from the Université de Montréal faculty of law will hold a 40th anniversary reunion tomorrow night at Restaurant Hélène de Champlain. Frank Schlesinger, a municipal judge and longtime Canadian Jewish Congress executive, is part of the group. Check out their comical video invitation at http://www.conventum-droit1969.umontreal.ca...St. Laurent native Ian Halperin, now a bestselling author living in New York, returns home tomorrow for the official launch of his new book Guy Laliberté: The Fabulous Story of the Creator of Cirque de Soleil? It seems a major polling firm , when calling Montrealers to see whom their choice is for mayor, are being given the known choices and that of former Quebec premier Pierre-Marc Johnson. Colleague Joel Goldenberg called Johnson?s office to ask whether he would consider running and was told that he was not giving any interviews on the subject. Item of interest? E-mail mcohen@thesuburban.com, call 514-84-1107, ext. 307 or fax 514- 483-7213. Our expertise makes your garage door shopping experience a no surpriser. Simplify your next door purchase by calling your Garaga Expert Dealer today. Montreal www.doordoctor.com RBQ licence: 8007-4354-91

THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2009 ? 5

6 ? THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2009 Beryl Wajsman Editor, The Suburban Remember our story on business owner Chris Karidogiannis who received an unwelcome present from the city last year? He, and dozens of other Park Ave. merchants were served with $260 fines for not trimming weeds around city-owned trees in front of their businesses. The fine, in Chris? case, was retroactive to the time when Karidogiannis had asked the city to do something about the weeds.. Chris said at the time that, ?I?m really surprised because, for one thing...at the corn roast in September [to collect funds for the Greece wildfires] , my father had the foresight YESTERDAY?S HERITAGE/TODAY?S PRESTIGE LIVING! SALES OFFICE 1000 de la Commune East, #523, Montreal Monday to Friday 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM Saturday and Sunday 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM 42,939 kms ? Stock# 09-0121 20,329 kms ? Stock# 09 -0466 40,060 kms ? Stock# 09-0186 2007 BMW 335 CI 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ SLK350 3,750 kms ? Stock# 09-0128 2005 AUDI S4 4.2 L QUATTRO CABRIOLET $ 35,900 $ $ 52,900 29,900 2007 LEXUS is250 AWD 2008 MINI COOPER HARDTOP 70,500 kms ? Stock# 09-0010 Wine cellar, 24 hour doorman, 10-12 foot high ceiling, Salt water pool, Central heat & A/C, Indoor garage and MORE... 514-987-1111 For more information about this and other projects visit us at www.tramsmgmt.com 2006 BMW 530 xi $ $ 37,900 19,500 38,655 kms ? Stock# 09-0199 DEVELOPER, BROKERS PROTECTED 2006 LINCOLN ZEPHYR $ $ 53,900 39,900 52,600 kms ? Stock# 09-0138 OPEN Monday to Thursday 9 am to 8 pm Friday 9 am to 8 pm Saturday 10 am to 4 pm AUT. DES LAURENTIDES CHEMIN CÔTE NORD UNITED CHEMIN CÔTE SUD BOULEVARD DE LA GRANDE-ALLÉE $ 42,900 $ 56,900 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ S430-4 MATIC 74,115 kms ? Stock# 09-0094 $ 34,900 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ C55 AMG 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ B200 - TURBO 54,083 kms ? Stock# 09-0193 2004 PORSCHE 911 C4 S CABRIOLET 3.455 kms ? Stock# 09-0133 2005 BMW 645 Ci CABRIOLET 81,994 kms ? Stock# 09-0177 $ $ 15,566 kms ? Stock# 09-0100 24,900 59,700 kms ? Stock# 09-0109 58,900 9,819 kms ? Stock# 09-0183 2009 AUDI A4 2.OT AVANT QUATTRO $ 16,900 2008 TOYOTA SOLARA SLE $ 34,900 4600 boul. de la Grande-Allée, Suite 100 Boisbriand n NEWS & ANALYSIS n Weedbusters! Judge overturns abusive fines to actually take pictures with the meter next to the weeds, they were past the meter,? he said. ?And he spoke to the city, and the [Plateau/Mont Royal] borough councillor Eleni Fakotakis, and he asked why the city is not doing anything, they?re not trimming the weeds this year or anything.? Neither the city nor Fakotakis responded to enquiries that Karidogiannis or his father made in regards to the weeds. ?Nothing was done and we didn?t get any response from the city until four months later we get this fine.? Well, the reason they got no response were new by-laws that put the onus on merchants in Montreal to be responsible for the public part of sidewalks in front of their businesses. This despite the fact that Montreal has the highest property taxes (and business taxes charged within them) in North America. Apparently the tens of thousands of blue collar workers we have are not enough. The City has decided to double tax merchants and owners and draft them into the sanitation corps. Well Chris and his fellow merchants decided to fight back. And last week they won . On Friday May 29 Municipal Court judge Dominique Joly ruled in favor of Park avenue merchants and Chris and his brother Vasilios were victorious.Though the judge did not comment on the appropriateness of the City ABAY SPECIALISTS IN SILK & WOOL ORIENTAL RUGS CLEANING ? HAND REPAIR ? SALES 1068 Beaulac, Ville Saint-Laurent 514-334-2778 www.abayoriental.com Professional Consultants in: ? Comfortable, adjustable beds ? Adjustable hospital beds ? 3 and 4 wheel scooters ? Electric wheelchairs ? Lift chairs ? Specialized mattresses ? Specialized pillows Pierros Karidogiannis measures the weeds outside Parc Ave. business. abdicating its public works functions, she threw out the fines on a number of grounds. Judge Joly found it suspicious that the fines were issued four months after calls from merchants to have them tended went unheeded and unanswered. She criticized the borough and city councillors ignorance of the by law itself. She said their actions were irresponsi- Oriental Rugs ? inc. Sales ? Leasing ? Repairs Proud partners of 514 482-6444 CLSC Metro, NDG-MTL W., www.blei.ca Côte-des-Neiges Financing available ? No obligation At-Home estimate Offer yourself comfort and security 5462 Sherbrooke W., Montreal (NDG) Neck or back pain? Specialized pillows and mattresses See WEEDS, page 12 New in NDG

n NEWS & ANALYSIS n $300,000 for clowns Can ?Dr. Boom-Boom? and his colleagues truly help lonely seniors? By Dan Delmar The Suburban A Quebec government plan to fund ?therapeutic clowns? is provoking mixed reactions among local community workers who deal with seniors; some say the idea is a great way to unwind and have fun, others say it?s downright insulting. Last month, Marguerite Blais, the minister responsible for seniors, unveiled a $6.6 million program to support Quebecers in their golden years. It includes funding support groups, inter-generational exchange programs and other services to combat isolation. Part of the program includes the funding of Dr. Clown, an organization that ?brightens the lives of hospitalized patients with?therapeutic clowning, which bring artists and patients together in an atmosphere of imagination and fun.? $293,000 will be spent on clowning over four years; ?Dr. Fifi,? ?Dr. Super Bill,? ?Dr. Boom-Boom,? and company will visit seniors living in long-term care facilities, known in the province as Centres d?hébergement et de soins de longue durée (CHSLD). One community worker whose organization has been helping West End seniors for three decades thought The Suburban was playing a practical joke on him when he was told about the clown cash. ?Give me a break!? said Gerry Lafferty, head of NDG?s New Hope Senior Citizen?s Centre, who has ?begged, borrowed and stolen? to get funding for his group. ?The money should be spent on centres like New Hope that fight isolation. I don?t know if this is appropriate.? New Hope offers more sustained and stimulating programs for seniors (for an annual membership fee of $10), including regular exercise programs, quilting and trivia groups; they also run a meals on wheels service, the revenues from which account for half of their budget. The other half is provided by the Quebec government, who Lafferty said should do more to help grassroots community organizations. AROUND THE TOWNS Cont?d from page 2 more information, call the library at 514- 485-6900 or visit www.elcslpl.org. ??? AUTHOR AT CSL LIBRARY: The library is also presenting author Ann Charney, who will be reading and discussing her third novel, Distantly Related to Freud, on Thursday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. Ann Charney and Guy Rodgers in Conversation: Memories of Time and Place is presented by the library and the Quebec Writers? Federation as part of the QWF?s Writers Out Loud series and with Blais defended the funding of Dr. Clown, saying that those who believe seniors are being infantilized don?t understand the benefits of therapeutic clowning. The artists bring ?tenderness, warmth and a bit of sunshine? into the lives of seniors. ?When you?re sick and lose your autonomy, you have no family and no one visits you?when our seniors say that they feel invisible, we have a societal problem,? Blais said in a recent interview with Paul Arcand of 98.5 fm, adding that the clowns have ?psycho-social training. We think of it as infantile, but when you see them on the frontlines?they do plenty of good. There are people who need to laugh in life.? The clowns have the support of Mary Clare Tanguay, the director of West Island Citizen Advocacy. She ?doesn?t know what all the kerfuffle is about,? and said she thinks a therapeutic clown would help seniors like her mother, who suffers from dementia. ?I think it?s a good idea. Seniors who are in long-term care facilities would enjoy it. It?s fun stuff,? she said, dismissing the infantilization argument. ?I don?t find it patronizing per se. If you?re a person who doesn?t want to take part, then you won?t.? The month of May was a rough one for Quebec clowns. Dr. Clown representatives tried their best to communicate the virtues of their service to the media following widespread accusations of government waste and disrespectful behaviour toward seniors. Red-nosed goofballs were also on the defensive following a controversial marketing campaign kicked off by convenience store chain Couche-Tard. In ads for a syrupy slush drink, the company features clowns giggling as they meet the most ?disgusting,? gruesome of deaths. ?Why do they use my profession? Why don?t they use a policeman and see how they feel?? said Giovanni Iuliani, a.k.a. ?Patapouf,? a 68-year-old retired clown. ?We?re an honourable profession and we don?t want to be portrayed that way. We don?t want to look like insane people.? n With files from The Canadian Press. the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. ?The novel Distantly Related to Freud is a coming-of-age story set in Montreal,? says a city announcement. ?The protagonist, Ellen, is a precocious eight-year-old living in Montreal with her mother, an expatriate from Poland. Through her thoughtful observation of a group of eastern European refugees who take shelter in her home, to awakening sexuality and an important friendship, Ellen develops her literary sensibility, leaving behind the simplicity of childhood for the complexities of the adult world.? Tickets for this program are $3. ? Dan Delmar and Joel Goldenberg www.IGA.net YOUR HOME FOR BETTER QUALITY WITH ALL YOUR FAVOURITE SERVICES OSEM CHICKEN STYLE INSTANT SOUP & SEASONING MIX 400 g MANISCHEWITZ ASSORTED EGG NOODLES 340 g BERMAN ASSORTED COOKIES 200 g 1. LIEBER?S ASSORTED CORN CHIPS 312 g 1. KEDEM GRAPE JUICE 650 mL 2. TOFUTTI CREAM CHEESE PARVE 227 g 2. LOGLO?S MALAWAH 1 kg 5. Grade no 1 CHERRIES From California Grade no 1 BLUEBERRIES From U.S. Pint 3. 39 1. 39 FRESHNESS + VARIETY FRUITS + VEGETABLES 8. 80 /kg 29 99 69 99 99 3. 99 /lb 2. 99 FROM JUNE 4 TO 10, 2009 PROUD SPONSORS OF THE MARCH TO JERUSALEM Our supermarkets carry Glatt?s and Continental Kosher fresh meat and delicatessen products. FRESH FISH ? SEAFOOD ? BBQ CHICKEN BUFFET SERVICE ? BAKERY ? CHEESE VARIETY SUPERMARCHÉ PAGANO SHNAIDMAN INC. 7151 Côte St-Luc Rd., Montréal Tel. 514-486-3254 MEDIUM GROUND BEEF 10. 12 /kg FRESH BEEF SHOULDER ROAST MOCK CHICKEN TURKEY ROLL MIDGET SALAMI 375 g CHICKEN BREAST TRAY PACK BONE IN VEAL SHANKS 19. 82 /kg SUPERMARCHÉ VAN HORNE 4885 Van Horne St., Montréal Tel. 514-731-8336 24. 67 /kg 4. 59 /lb 8. 99 /lb 10. 12 /kg 14. 53 4. 59 11. 19 3. 39 6. 59 4. /kg 29 /lb /lb /kg /lb /lb 7. 47 LES ALIMENTATIONS SHNAIDMAN PAGANO INC. 5800 Cavendish Blvd., Côte St-Luc Tel. 514-482-4710 DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE CAR ORDER SERVICE ANYTIME * Certification mark of IGA Canada ltd. These Kosher specials are available at participating IGA supermarkets only. We reserve the right to limit quantities. No sales to retailers. The AIR MILES Reward Program is available at Québec participating IGA stores only. ® Trademark of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used under licence by LoyaltyOne, Inc. and Sobeys Québec inc. THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2009 ? 7

8 ? THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2009 n NEWS & ANALYSIS n More bike paths and BIXIs, says Applebaum 12.4 km plan targets Isabella and eight other streets By Dan Delmar The Suburban Cyclists and motorists can coexist in peace, says Côte des Neiges-NDG borough mayor 1.5T Open Bore MRI Illustration Michael Applebaum, and more dedicated bike paths will make the roads safer for everyone. Applebaum spoke with The Suburban last week before the World Class MRI Scan Centre Limited Waiting Time! ? Most advanced MRI scanner in Montreal ? Leading specialists from various Montreal hospitals ? Our open MRI is much roomier & faster ? Most exams are covered by CSST, SAAQ and private insurance. For our referring physicians ? Result report within 48 hours ? Superior resolution image quality 5515 Saint-Jacques St. W., Suite 200 Corner of Girouard Ave. ? Free parking available T. 514.484.8484 F. 514.484.8400 www.irmsudouest.com THE FAMOUS LA SENZA WAREHOUSE SALE! OVER 2 MILLION ITEMS $ 5 OR LESS! MAY 21ST TO JUNE 14TH Wednesday: 10am ? 6pm Thursday & Friday: 10am ? 9pm Saturday & Sunday: 10am ? 5pm MÉGA CENTRE CÔTE VERTU 3610 Côte-Vertu Blvd., Saint-Laurent, QC (near the corner of Bégin & TransCanada highway). VISA, MasterCard, Interac & cash accepted. Sale conducted by TRAS INC. For information call: 514.685.0007 NEW STOCK DAILY! A plan to add 12.4 km of new bike paths in CDN-NDG was unveiled last week. big bike path announcement on his vision for turning the borough into a cyclist?s utopia. He said he is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the BIXI rent-a-bike service, which is now available in 300 locations downtown. BIXIs should be available in Côte des Neiges-NDG in time for summer 2010. ?I think it would be great for merchants on Monkland Ave., Sherbrooke St., Victoria Ave.,? Applebaum said, adding that he believes that the more residents adopt cycling as a mode of transportation, the safer roads will be for all. Merchants on Monkland Ave. have been complaining in recent years after the borough took away parking spots at each intersection in the commercial district as a traffic-calming measure. The prospect of the BIXI service coming to the area shouldn?t trouble business owners, Applebaum said, and offered a scenario that he thinks would work for residents: Since parking is limited on Monkland Ave., he said, a driver could drop off friends or family at a restaurant on the busy street, then park a few blocks away, near a BIXI stand. The driver could then take a BIXI to the restaurant and after the meal, bike back to his car to then pick up the rest of the party. This, Applebaum said, is a realistic portrayal for a family night out on the town in the Monkland Village. After all, ?15 blocks on a BIXI is like one block walking,? he said. Better yet, residents could take their own bikes and travel around the borough along the 12.4 km of new dedicated bike paths; the first of which will be introduced in the coming weeks. The paths won?t resemble the de Maisonneuve Blvd. route, which is separated from car traffic by a concrete median. The Côte des Neiges-NDG paths are less elaborate and less costly; only painted lines will tell drivers and cyclists where they need to be. Snowdon?s perpetually congested Isabella Ave. is among those to receive a new path. It will stretch from the Hampstead city line, across Decarie Blvd., to Westbury Ave. Applebaum said Hampstead was not on board with the plan, which would have linked the Isabella Ave. path to Fielding Ave. ?There will be a break in the path (through Hampstead),? he said. ?We asked?they are their own city and can make their own PHOTO BY ANDREW SOONG decisions.? The Isabella Ave. route is a curious choice, according to one resident who lives on the street. ?No one was aware of a bike route going through our street,? said Esther Bozzer, who has lived in her Isabella Ave. home for a quarter-century. ?I?m not against the fact that this is the era of environmentally-friendly transportation, but this is going to be to the detriment of public safely. I can get a coffee and sit on my balcony, watching the fender-benders. There?s going to be a serious accident.? Applebaum isn?t as worried, saying that a portion of the path will be placed in MacDonald Park and no parking spots on Isabella Ave. will be sacrificed in the name of environmentalism. Other borough residents won?t be so lucky; Applebaum could not say which areas would see reductions in parking space for the new paths. One year ago, Côte des Neiges- NDG?s cycling plan was released. Vélo Quebec partnered with borough officials to conceive the project, which will see reserved lanes on Fielding Ave., West Broadway Ave. and Édouard- Montpetit Blvd., among others. This fall, a route will also be created along Côte des Neiges Rd., between Queen Mary Rd. and Remembrance Rd., leading up to Mount Royal. Drivers will need to be cautious when the new routes are installed; many of them will be wedged between regular traffic lanes and parking spots. ?You cannot stop cyclists,? said Applebaum, who is pictured in the latest edition of the borough?s newsletter riding a BIXI ? without a helmet. ?You need to distinguish where [cyclists] are supposed to ride. That?s why people want bike paths.? n New bike paths in CDN-NDG ? West Broadway from Coffee to Sherbrooke and Sherbrooke to Fielding ? Fielding from West Broadway to Walkley and from Walkley to Côte St. Luc ? Terrebonne from Concordia University to Girouard ? Grand from Fielding to de Terrebonne ? Isabella from Macdonald to Westbury ? Westbury from Isabella to Édouard-Montpetit ? Lacombe from Westbury to Decelles ? Édouard Montpetit from Westbury to Côte des Neiges and Côte des Neiges to Vincent d?Indy ? Decelles from Lacombe to Édouard Montpetit

THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2009 ? 9

10 ? THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2009 By P.A. Sévigny The Suburban While a quiet afternoon on a Caribbean beach with Pina Colada in hand almost always sounds like a good idea, a lot of people thought Gemma Raeburn?s annual ?Taste of the Caribbean? was the next best thing. ?Some call it a food fair, some call it a trade show,? said well known NDG real estate agent and restaurant owner George Grant. ?But it still looks like a party to me.? While festival organizers were turning people away at the door, others were lining up at the tables for a taste sensation. While some might consider ?Jerk? chicken to be comfort food from the Caribbean, Chef Mark Ricketts? ?Jerk? chicken takes ?finger licking good? to new levels. After working for years in various European restaurants, Ricketts wanted to combine his European experience with his passion for the hot and spicy cuisine of the islands and his native Jamaica. While Anancy, located along the western reaches of NDG?s Somerled Avenue, was always known for its good food, Chef Ricketts and Franklin Brown, another Jamaican chef, are both working hard to turn what used to be known as a local gem into one of Montreal?s better Caribbean restaurants. People also wanted to see, or rather taste Les Immeubles n NEWS & ANALYSIS n Caribbean Food Fair packs them in COURTIER IMMOBILIER AGRÉÉ CHARTERED REAL ESTATE BROKER COURTESY OF JACK DEAR PHOTOS www.heidiwitt.com 514-486-9488 what Rupert Edwards, one of the co-owners of Bishop Street?s Mango Bay, could do after he put together what was described as a traditional Jamaican Sunday lunch with a traditional mix of peas and rice, ox-tail stew, a goat curry and banana fitters. It was all good but Edwards obviously took his time (as he should) with the curry. With peas and rice on the side to soak up the sauce, Mango Bay?s goat curry quickly turned into a festival favorite. Former Liberal opposition leader Realties (INC.) HEIDI WITT Chartered Real Estate Agent Proud Sponsor of the ?2009 March to Jerusalem? Come Join Us June 7th for a day of Fun in Your Community. A smaller company, A more personalized service! Stéphane Dion was shaking a lot of hands along with a relaxed and, as ever, charming Justin Trudeau who was all smiles, especially when he met people from his own east-end Papineau riding. With less than six months to go before the next municipal elections, Park Extension city councillor Mary Deros was busy working the room. ?Like everybody else, I?ve got to get my vote out,? she said. ?I?ve worked hard for the past 10 years but I can?t let anyone think ?Oh Mary?s going to win so why OCCUPANCY JUNE 2009 should I get out to go vote?? because the next election is going to be close?.very close.? During an exclusive interview, Gemma Raeburn told The Suburban she was pleased with the way the day turned out. Her food fair has been a regular event for the past 10 years but she never thought it would become such a success. While she is still on an extended medical leave from her day job as a senior auditor for the Bank of Montreal, she said she had to organize the food fair ?because I can?t just stay home and do nothing.? As a successful bank executive, Raeburn said her original intention was to help build a showcase for Montreal?s Caribbean community and its various business interests. While visibly surprised and pleased to hear the event was sold out, she also mentioned how surprised she was to see how the fair has become an expression of the community?s own unity and solidarity. ?It?s a lot of work,? she said. ?It?s still a food fair but now it?s much, much more than that.? As a showcase for Montreal?s Caribbean restaurants, Raeburn said it?s only fair to use some of the fair?s profits to send three or four young people to the cook?s school at the Pius X Culinary Institute. ?That?s one way of giving something back to the community,? she said. n Les Perles Perles sur le le Parc AFFORDABLE LUXURY $171,900 FROM on Andr André Chartrand, Vaudreuil TAXES INCLUDED GRAND OPENING PRICING NOW AVAILABLE 450-424-3888 QUALITY CONSTRUCTION MODEL NOW OPEN 2 BEDROOMS ? LARGE MASTER BEDROOM ? VERY LARGE BATHROOM ? INCLUDES FIREPLACE ? LARGE QUALITY WINDOWS ? BIG BALCONIES ? ? 2 2 PARKING PARKING SPACES SPACES NEW HOME WARRANTY www.developpementdiamant.com R.B.Q # 5587-6338-01