Maddy L.

When she was still a newcomer, Maddy discovered the existence of proms − a tradition yet unknown to her −, by sewing decorations on the dress of a colleague at a Côte-des-Neiges bakery where she worked. She had taken this job, unrelated to her studies, because one has to pay the rent! Still, it is there that she established her first network of Montreal friends, people who helped her understand the school system and the work place in Quebec.

Maddy comes from the French town of Sarlat in Dordogne. She arrived here with her spouse, who comes from Bergerac. Having completed the equivalent of a master's degree in Sociology of Work in Bordeaux, she worked in that city for a few years in the community sector and held precarious positions as an employment counselor.

After that first job, she managed to successfully valorize her local work experience as well as her efforts to integrate the local work force. From then on, she held various positions directly related to her academic formation. After living in more central areas of the city, the purchase of her home brought her to this borough.

Mother of two children, one of the things she appreciates about life in Montreal is the opportunity to send them to an alternative school. The family now lives in a duplex near the Parc des Hirondelles, a neighborhood where many people from the great waves of Italian immigration of the 50s and 60s still reside.

Her spouse, who had found a job in his field upon arrival, has since recycled. Abandoning electronics, he completed a Diploma of Vocational Studies in woodworking, a profession in which he is much happier.

Maddy’s work schedule may surprise many people who believe that long work weeks occur only in the private sector. In addition to a full-time position at the Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi Ahuntsic-Bordeaux-Cartierville, she devotes some 20 additional hours each week to the agency "Mon toit, Mon Cartier", where she chairs the board.

The mandate of this non-profit organization is to help single mothers and their children by providing them with transitional housing and support. In the summer of 2015, the agency has opened its first building where 14 vulnerable women will stay with their kids. Located in a disadvantaged area, the building is topped with a green roof that will serve as a community garden with the hope the the residants and their kids will develop a taste for fresh food  grown with pride. The garden had a good first summer.

I asked her if sometimes the daily contact with vulnerable people going through difficult times was a burden. She said, no, on the contrary! Being a good nature, she tends to trust others and is happy to make a difference. Her smile and laughing eyes say it all!

Maddy in her office at Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi - Ahuntsic Bordeaux Cartierville

Sébastien G.

There are people who may just be passing by a place, but will leave tangible, durable traces. Let me tell you about my meeting with Sébastien. He is the G in the BGL Contemporary art collective.

I had been very impressed with the model presented by BGL for their public art work project entitled "La vélocité des lieux" (the velocity of the place) when I saw it on display in the lobby of the Maison communautaire et culturelle de Montréal-Nord. This object, interesting in itself, announced a magnificent project. I therefore undertook to periodically document its construction during the summer of 2015.

I met Sebastien by chance on a scorching Wednesday when I arrived on the site to take progress photos. As in previous visits, I saw that a group of people was actively working on the construction. I noted that there was also this time a small team of video makers. I figured that the artists would be there for the shooting. Sure enough, when I approached the group, I was told that it was the case. His two partners, Jasmin and Nicolas, being up on the platform of a man lift, Sébastien kindly gave me a few minutes of his time.

In June 2012, the trio, which is well known on the national art scene, received an invitation, along with nearly 200 other artists, from the Public Art Bureau of the City of Montreal. Artists were asked to participate in a Canada-wide competition for the integration of a public art work at the crossroads of Henri-Bourassa East and Pie-IX boulevards. In October of that year, BGL received confirmation that their proposal was one of the five selected for the second phase of the contest. At this point, they had carved the first three-dimensional draft of the project out of cardboard with exacto knifes. In February 2013, three finalists were selected and were given a budget for the development of a pre-production mock-up of their proposed work. BGL’s very accurate model was elaborated by computer and provided a realistic rendering of materials. The members of BGL were ultimately proclaimed winners of the competition.

As their name is prominent in the Canadian Visual Arts world and since they are well represented in the major visual art collections, I thought, wrongly, that the group had previously won its share of public art competitions. Sébastien told me that to the contrary, after many failures, they had virtually pulled-back from such activities given the time and resources invested for meager results.

It is Nicolas, the only member of BGL based in Montreal, who is following the daily progress of the installation. BGL is in good company to make this happen. The group is supported by Boris Dempsey for the technical design and production of the work. It was he who suggested the entrepreneur who carries out the installation work that requires heavy machinery. In the end, many people will have contributed to this project, which also required the cooperation of many professionals from the Borough, the Central City administration and the MTQ. From the fairly substantial budget commanded by the nature of the project, far less will remain in the hands of the artists than the populist comments in the Journal de Montréal may suggest.

The work will be inaugurated on September 19th. I am convinced that “La vélocité des lieux” will become a lasting cultural and geographical landmark of Montreal-North.

Sébastien on the site of "La vélocité des lieux"

Abdel B.

This man who is grilling sausages at some distance from the picnic table not to smoke up the other guests is named Abdel. He did not want to be photographed, but was willing to do a little chat with me. A photo blog being a sad thing without pictures, we found a common ground leading to this pose from the back.

While keeping an eye on the grill and serving his friends, he gave me a few moments. The important thing was not to let the lunch burn!

Abdel was born in Morocco in the Marrakech region. He arrived in Canada in his late twenties as a law graduate. Landed here on a student visa, he continued his studies long enough to regularize his immigration application and to realize that it would be difficult for him to practice here. His area of expertise was Business Law.

He then worked for many years in the kitchen of restaurants of European culinary tradition. These jobs being somewhat difficult for his health however, he gradually returned to his original field of interest. He now advises newcomers through their immigration procedures.

Abdel will soon have spent half of his life in Montreal. It is on this island that he met his wife, also of Moroccan origin. Their children were born here. If, like many newcomers, he initially lived in Côte-des-Neiges, the family now lives in St-Laurent, where a good part of the North African community also resides. The possibility of finding a roof in a housing cooperative was an additional factor in the choice of this district.

It's while eating a grilled sausage sandwich offered by Abdel that I left the Raimbault Park, where the swirling smoke of barbecues scented the air of a beautiful late summer Sunday.

Abdel B. in the Raimbault Park

Jean-François C.

When I left my bike for repair at Cycles Fleury, I slipped a word about QuartiersNord to the boss. He discussed it with his staff, and then sent me an e-mail suggesting that I speak to Jean-François when I would come back to the store to pick-up my bike. JF and I actually had a good conversation at that time.

JF is a native of Québec City, but grew up in suburban Montreal. He lived, among other places, in Laval and St-Eustache, with a detour to Brussels where his father worked for two years, and later on in Gatineau. He began studying photo in Ottawa at the turn of the millennium, when digital had not yet clearly supplanted film photo. However, he abandoned the program because of the cost of equipment. He later completed a Diploma of Vocational Studies in institutional cooking at Centre Relais de la Lièvre in Buckingham, and then worked in restaurants in that area and in Montreal. Having partied a little too much during his passage in the restaurant business, he does not seem far from considering it today as a den of vice!

He arrived in Ahuntsic in 2005, an area he enjoys for its tranquility. Around 2008, he knocked on the door of Cycles Fleury to offer his photographic services. The owner of the time was looking for an employee and when he saw that JF was could handle bike mechanics, he immediately hired him. He said that this job had helped put him back on the right path, nothing less. The job, however, is gradually becoming a sideline for him. In 2011, he began a bachelor of education which he completed this spring. He still has to comply with certain administrative formalities in order to move from substitute to regular teaching in high school. The specialty to which he is dedicated is nowadays called the Social Universe program. This is the jargon of the hour for History, Geography and Contemporary World Study. Drawing on his background to help students, he intends to work with photos and comics to carry out various learning situations.

JF also had the opportunity to make an internship in Benin in Africa, as part of a Canada World Youth program. He told me with a mixture of amusement and pride that people came to hear him as if he was a specialist in pedagogy.

He still has a passion for cycling. On the Monday after my visit, a day off for him, he was planning a ride. He also said a good word about Julien, the new owner of Cycles Fleury for two years now. Julien has democratized the bike offer of the shop, which gives JF better tools to advise customers according to their personal resources.

A full-time teaching position would now be welcome. He and his girlfriend from Mexico City, Rocio, are parents of a baby girl named Sophie.

Jean-François outside Cycles Fleury