Camping d’hiver, Groupe Scout St-Paul d’Aylmer

Les pionniers, pionnières et éclaireurs du Groupe Scout St-Paul d’Aylmer ont passé la fin de semaine du 22 au 24 février dehors en camping à la ferme Chez Cécile dans la municipalité de Thorne (MRC-Pontiac), Les éclaireurs (filles et garçons) ont transporté en traineau tout le matériel requis pour monter 2 tentes chauffées dans lesquelles ils ont bien dormi au chaud. Les pionniers et pionnières ont construit un quinzy (un abris de neige d’origine amérindienne qui ressemble à un igloo) non chauffé mais confortable.

Photos : Serge Parent

Big drop in traffic tickets connected to increased deaths

Julie Murray

In 2007, Gatineau police issued nearly 13,000 fewer traffic tickets than in 2006, with a reduction of 50% in the last half of 2007; between June and November 2006, police issued 23,446 traffic tickets, but only 11,276 in those months in 2007. The lower number of tickets has resulted in lost revenue of over $2 million and an increase in the number of citizens’ complaints about speeding, and a dramatic rise in traffic deaths. In 2007, in the province as a whole, the number of deaths from traffic accidents declined by 14% and the number of injured persons declined by 4%. But in Gatineau, the number of traffic accident deaths increased by 57% and the number of injured persons increased by 3%.

Pressure tactic for new contract?

“Citizens have the right to a certain level of service,” says Buckingham Councillor Jocelyne Houle, head of employee relations for Council, who says that the drop in traffic tickets has had a direct impact on public safety. “Last year Quebec held a Safe Streets campaign—the number of deaths went down in the province, but in Gatineau, the number jumped.” While declining to characterize the drop in tickets as a pressure tactic in the ongoing labour negotiations, she says, “All the elements are there to conclude that something is going on.”

In an effort to increase the number of tickets being issued, police administration met with police, February 20, to outline its expectations as to the level of service. However, the police union claims that during the meeting, Interim Director Mario Harel threatened to cut jobs if a quota of 15 tickets per work shift was not met within 30 days.

In an open letter to the citizens of Gatineau, appearing in a French-language daily, the union says, “. . . police must perform their duties in a neutral, impartial manner. Quotas place police in a position of conflict of interest, compromise their impartiality and negatively affect their judgment, because the quota requires police to favour the city’s goals rather than impartially upholding the law.” The union also says that quotas can compromise certain services, such as surveillance in school zones or residential areas.

15 tickets per shift

“Fifteen tickets per work shift is hardly attainable. It can get done on a nice summer day when people are speeding, but otherwise, that’s practically impossible on a systematic basis,” says Union President Rock Legault, adding, “We can’t invent motor vehicle violations.” He also says that traffic cops feel like the city is using them as tax collectors, not professional law enforcement officers.

The police and the city have been without a contract since 2006. Since that time, in addition to issuing fewer traffic tickets, police have adopted other pressure tactics such as wearing jeans, camouflage pants and baseball caps instead of their uniforms.

Last September, Ottawa Police Chief Vern wrote to Chief Harel, to inform him that Gatineau police officers without their full uniforms are not welcome in Ontario. “ This isn’t a labour issue. It is an officer-safety and community-safety issue.” Plainclothes officers and detectives may continue to go to Ottawa, as well as patrol officers in pursuit of a suspect.

In 2003, contract negotiations similarly broke down. Police protested by wearing kilts and skirts and some parked police cars at the homes of former Mayor Yves Ducharme’s and Mark Laroche, the city’s manager, turned on the sirens and flashing lights and drove away in different cars, leaving the noisy police vehicle behind.