The French language is not an isolated asset for us here, in Québec’s borderland, or in Canada as a whole. Some 220 million people across the world speak French; it is a significant means of communication on all continents, except, perhaps, Australia.  This is why the Francophonie is marked every March around the world – to celebrate this [...]

Almost a year ago, April 13, 2011, the Bulletin d’Aylmer raised the alarm about automated political phone calls here in Aylmer. Several readers had complained of receiving robo-calls, in which the caller claimed to be calling from incumbent Marcel Proulx’s Liberal headquarters. The calls were designed to discredit Mr Proulx during that federal election. Some calls directed [...]

On a parfois l’impression que l’ingratitude des Québécois envers leurs leaders politiques occupe une place prépondérante dans notre folklore politique national. On encense nos leaders de l’opposition en progression dans les sondages, mais dès que ces personnes prennent le pouvoir on se détache, on s’éloigne. Dès les premiers gestes qui s’écartent moindrement de nos idéaux, [...]

Borrowing a clue from my neighbour on this page, I’m writing about one of the big, general issues of the day, rather than my usual municipal concerns. Not that I’m giving up any fascination with seeing the universe, not in a grain of sand, but in a new traffic light. Today’s big issue is Bill [...]

L’actualité comporte ces temps-ci son lot d’enjeux de relations internationales, de conflits internationaux et de crises humanitaires. Plus souvent qu’autrement, ces nombreuses situations portent en elles une démonstration de l’impuissance relative de l’Organisation des Nations Unies (ONU), cette organisation dont l’humanité s’est pourtant dotée, en 1945, pour éviter de tels désastres au plan humain. Il [...]

If you think twentysome-year olds are the world’s worst drivers, you haven’t tried a crosswalk on Wilfrid-Lavigne, made a turn off Lucerne, or cycled along any street in town.  Aylmer drivers are infamous for their “rolling stops”, especially those turning right who barely slow as they cruise through a stop, pretending that a glance in [...]

En suivant l’actualité des dernières semaines, on remarque que le débat politique entre les protagonistes de gauche et de droite s’est tout d’un coup enflammé. De quoi parle-t-on ici? Quelles sont ces deux grandes familles d’idées qui s’entrechoquent ainsi? Il vaut la peine d’explorer ce thème et de répondre à ce questionnement en ces quelques [...]

“Despite the positives, there’s something missing,” I thought as I sat in the fancy ballroom for this year’s business excellence awards, last Friday evening.  The room was full, everyone in great spirits, the music was incredibly good (speaking as someone who loves to dance), and the meal was nothing short of spectacular (speaking as someone [...]

Dimanche dernier, à près de 200 km de chez nous, dans le beau petit palais de justice de Kingston, un jury de 12 personnes ordinaires, comme vous et moi, s’est réuni et s’est prononcé sur un verdict pour une cause qui a fait le tour de la planète. Leur jugement aurait été la nouvelle la [...]

What isn’t local!  Well, a single-minded focus on events or places in Ottawa — as we hear too often — seems very non-local to me.  If we lived in Calgary, Ottawa would seem local to Aylmer, but we don’t live there, we live in wonderful Aylmer, once considered a better choice for the capital of [...]