A FEW ACHIEVEMENTS OF LINDA CARON AND HER TEAM
1
REPAVING TASCHEREAU BOULEVARD
It’s no secret: Taschereau Boulevard is in rough shape. Its upkeep is the responsibility of the Transport Ministry. I broached the subject with the transport minister, held discussions with the minister’s cabinet, and then with the ministry staff assigned to this sector. An initial 2 km stretch starting at the approach to the A-10, going east, was repaved over summer 2023. I shall continue to push for the repair of the entire portion that runs through La Pinière.
2
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE IN DYING
I was involved in consultations on and the study of Bill 11 intended to expand the eligibility for medical aid in dying (MAID). While I agreed with the expansion of the law, I voted against it because I felt it did not go far enough to protect vulnerable persons against the trivialization of MAID. It did not go far enough to guarantee aid in living for those who demand it (such as disabled individuals) and it did nothing to improve access to palliative care for people who might prefer that option. I would have liked for the law to reach a better balance between two fundamental principles: respect for a person’s right to self-determination and the role incumbent upon the state to protect vulnerable individuals.
3
SHINGLES VACCINE
Since May 1, 2024, seniors aged 75 and up and immunocompromised adults can get both doses of the shingles vaccine for free. Take advantage of it! Book an appointment through the Clic Santé online portal or call 1 877 644-4545.
4
A VICTORY FOR DISABLED SENIORS!
I take great pride in saying that my relentless work for disabled seniors’ pensions has succeeded. I managed to have the government stop applying a 24% penalty on disabled seniors’ pension from the QPP once they turn 65. This injustice will finally end on January 1, 2025, as announced in the 2024-2025 budget speech. This means 72,000 disabled seniors will no longer see their pension reduced by 24. One of them reached out to me to say she will finally be able stop going to the food bank and regain her dignity.
5
MAKING LIFE EASIER FOR PARENTS OF DISABLED CHILDREN
After several actions to raise the government’s awareness and to assist the Étoile de Pacho organization, I successfully paved the way for the creation of an administrative bridge between two ministries to make life easier for parents of disabled children requiring exceptional care. From now on, instead of having to go through two processes to get the financial support they are entitled to, parents will need to submit their file only once.
6
TASCHEREAU BOULEVARD AND ROUTE 132
More repair work on Taschereau Boulevard was done this summer. A two-kilometre westward stretch between Auguste Street and Autoroute 10 overpass was repaved. Essentially, it is the same portion that was done last year but in the opposite direction. In addition, a section of Route 132 in Brossard and Saint-Lambert also underwent repair work this summer
7
INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS
I participated in not one, but two groundbreaking ceremonies this spring. May 10 marked the start of construction work for a new elementary school on Du Quartier Boulevard. This 32-classroom school will host roughly 650 students and will be equipped with a double gymnasium, a kitchen, and designated fine arts and music rooms. Construction cost is estimated at $45.2M and the school is set to open in September 2026.
On June 28 was the official start of the expansion of Lucille-Teasdale International School. This will enable the school to host 435 additional students in the International Program. There will be 11 new classrooms and 4 new creative and science labs. Outside, there will be an outdoor classroom, a training area, and a redesigned parking lot with a designated drop-off area. The expansion should be completed by fall of 2026 thanks to an estimated investment of $46.5M.
Antoine-Brossard High School also has a project of its own which is currently at the business file stage. This is the last step before the long-awaited expansion work begins, in order to meet the school’s urgent capacity needs.
8
PARLIAMENTARY WORK
Thanks to my repeated interventions about intermediate resources, I managed to make the government take notice of the difficulties encountered by these resources for seniors and people with physical or mental handicaps, as well as other issues. I also pressed the Minister responsible for Seniors to review the mechanism of the new personalized allocation program to avoid including the costs of public health and social services in the rent of seniors living in private retirement homes. I also had the privilege of studying several bills, including those on municipal taxation, psychological and sexual harassment, whistleblower protection against reprisals, and evictions.
Throughout the 2024-2025 parliamentary session, I made several declarations to highlight landmark moments, such as Black History Month, and milestones like the 25th anniversary of both Good Shepherd Leisure Group and FORMATIO. I also made declarations to raise awareness for arthritis, caregiving, intermediary resources, and visual handicaps.
On October 1, 2024, I tabled a motion adopted unanimously to highlight the International Day of Older Persons. I stressed how the importance of combatting ageism, isolation and mistreatment, as well as offering all seniors the opportunity to live with dignity, is a collective responsibility.
In addition to budget appropriations, I sat on parliamentary committees and intervened on several bills, notably Bill 67 amending the Professional Code, Bill 68 on reducing doctors’ administrative tasks, Bill 73 tackling the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, Bill 82 on the creation of a new national digital identity, Bill 83 on medical practice in our health and social services system, and Bill 100 on negotiations in public and semi-public sectors.
I also tabled a petition signed by 3,380 people demanding the government respect its repeated promise to proceed with an expansion project for the Bedford CHSLD in the Eastern Townships. Unfortunately, the government preferred to renege on its promise.
9
SUBSIDY FOR OUR LIBRARY
I am happy to report that I managed to convince the Minister of Culture and Communications to free up a subsidy of more than $2.1 million for the Georgette-Lepage Library here in La Pinière. This subsidy accounts for 50% of the total cost of the project, which seeks to renovate the roof, replace mechanical equipment, and refurbish the ground floor. This project will also allow for the installation of self-checkout machines, smart drop-off technology, a sorting conveyor, and new furniture.
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BOOK DROPOFF AT THE RIDING OFFICE
Did you know that the La Pinière riding office is now a dropoff point for book donations to the Fondation des Parlementaires québécois – Cultures à partager? Your donations contribute to intercultural exchanges in Quebec and the rest of the world, stocking school libraries, and improving literacy amongst francophone communities. Please call us at 450-678-0611 before bringing your books in one or more boxes. For more details, please visit: culturesapartager.org/quoi-donner (in French only).