Parasites in parliament

File Photo, Jean-Claude Angers
For the past nine years, the exterminateurs have visited on several occasions the national Assembly, a building inaugurated in 1886. The total bill amounted to around 8500 $.

Alexandre Robillard

Monday, 5 February 2018 00:00

UPDATE
Monday, 5 February 2018 00:00

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Rats, mice, wasps, and ants : the national Assembly is not immune to infestations of vermin, show documents on the extermination of the last few years.

In total, 8494,73 $ have been spent since 2009 for the services of a single firm of pest management, show documents obtained following a request for access to information.

During this period, the exterminateurs moved 34 times, to rid the national Assembly of undesirable elements. The interventions for the control of crawling insects, or wings dominate the list of winners of the prestigious building, which opened in 1886. Over the past seven years, their presence unsolicited has taken at least twenty calls to the brigades for pest control.

Places of power

The received data also indicate that the offices of the highest officials in the executive and legislative powers are not spared. The cabinet and the living room of the president of the national Assembly have had to be rid of flies and silverfish, respectively in June and October 2013.

The following year, a treatment against the “money fish” was necessary ” to the boiler room, in the toilet of the basement and the ground floor of the building where are the offices of the lieutenant-governor.

The presence of rats, mice or rodents have taken at least 10 calls to exterminateurs during the period from 2009 to 2017. Rats are mentioned five times in the reports, four of which are outside of the parliament.

The exterminateurs moved three times to combat the presence of mice.

Well kept

Éric Nadeau, an exterminator, has already visited the parliament on a few occasions in the course of his work.

“This is not a site problem : in Québec the parliament, it is far from it. It is a place that is still very, very well kept. “

The presence of books is a cause of insect infestation. “The money fish feed on glue. Everything that is old binder, old thing, there are of pest management so that there are no insects. “

According to Mr. Nadeau, the Old Quebec, close to the parliament, is in an area where rodents are more numerous, due to the age of the buildings. “There is a good population in this area here. “

Christian Beaulieu, director general of the Centre for pest control of Quebec, was surprised of the low number of interventions that the building has two restaurants.

“Something doesn’t add up the number of interventions for the surveillance of parasites in the kitchens. “

According to Mr. Nadeau, the maintenance employees of the national Assembly to monitor the locations and contact exterminateurs in need. “They do not have a fixed contract. They have controllers in the house that are in charge to check the kitchens, drains, and counter tops. “

Number of times exterminateurs

• 2017 : 1
• 2016 : 3
• 2015 : 2
• 2014 : 4
• 2013 : 3
• 2012 : 6
• 2011 : 6
• 2010 : 7
• 2009 : 2

Number of reports by parasite

• Rodents (rats, mice) : 10
• Ants : 7
• Silverfish, firebrats (money fish) : 6
• Stinging insects (wasps, bumblebees, etc) : 5
• Millipedes : 1
• Flies : 1