Ottawa moved officially to La Malbaie in view of the G7 summit and opened a management office

Photo Pierre-Paul Biron

Pierre-Paul Biron

Monday, 28 August 2017 12:43

UPDATE
Monday, 28 August 2017 12:48

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LA MALBAIE | The G7 summit in Charlevoix has taken another step on Monday morning with the official opening of the office organizer in La Malbaie, where citizens and people in the community find answers to their questions, which continue to be many for the moment.

After the visit of the prime minister Justin Trudeau earlier this summer, it was now the turn of his deputy minister in charge of the organization of the summit to make a stop at La Malbaie for the inauguration of the office of management. Installed at the entrance to the city centre in a building freshly renovated, the location will be the meeting point of the federal government with the population here on 8 and 9 June 2018.

Pied-à-terre

“The prime minister believes it necessary to have a pied-à-terre here to give information, but also to receive suggestions, complaints, in short, everything that the citizens will have to tell us,” insisted the deputy minister Peter Boehm, who also announced the establishment of a web site and a telephone line.

For the mayor of the place Michel Couturier, the opening of this office was important. The place will allow citizens to get answers to questions that he himself could not answer.

“People have a lot of questions. Is it that I can rent my house? Is it that the dignitaries will have access to shopping? I am an artist, can I submit works in a gift? People want to take advantage of the opportunity, and these premises are the crossroads to get there,” said Mr. Couturier, who is delighted with the positive spin that creates the holding of the summit in the region up to now.

Still vague

Even if he is willing to answer questions surrounding the summit, the government remains vague on the major issues that represent safety and the impacts to Charlevoix. The deputy minister Boehm refused Monday morning to move forward on what had been decided up to now.

“We have a group planning to make all the logistics and there is already a built-in security group with the RCMP, the canadian forces and police officers of the region. The work begins,” said Mr. Boehm, adding that discussions were also initiated with the authorities of the countries members of the G7 to the security aspect.

It is also impossible for the moment to know from what point in time the people of La Malbaie feel the first effects of the summit. When will the security teams for the analysis of the sector? Is it that other offices will be open by June 2018? The federal government remains vague.

“The idea is to have a constant communication with the population. We had a good meeting with the mayor Sartorius and we spoke of all the aspects”, assures the deputy minister not to move forward on a timetable of work potential.

Active spring

Michel Couturier precise its side as if road works are to do, they will necessarily fall due “in the winter, which lasts five months”. For visits and deployments of security, is expected to intensify after the holidays believes the elected. “It is still abstract, but the more it goes, the more we work on our business. […] The spring should be very active. From April, may, it should move more.”