NDG’s Halal Al-Ubaidi honoured for her community work

Presented with the YMCA Peace Award

by Elisabeth Faure
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Article online since November 23rd 2009, 12:23
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Halal Al-Ubaidi as she accepts the YMCA Peace Award for her community involvement.

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Halah Al-Ubaidi’s passion for her work is obvious from the moment you enter the NDG Community Center. The community organizer’s workspace is overflowing with pamphlets from virtually every non-profit organization in NDG, and a cork board above her desk is covered with notices for upcoming events and well-wishes from local politicians.

Throughout the interview, a young boy darted in and out of the room, as Al-Ubaidi offered him balloons to play with, and wiped apple crumbs from his cheek. He was the son of a recent Canadian immigrant who was in the next office, fixing a broken computer. When the man’s wife came to the NDG Community Council and mentioned her husband was looking for work, Al-Ubaidi learned he had computer experience and offered him a job. This is just one of the ways in which Al-Ubaidi constantly tries to help local residents.

“This is a great community,” she said. I mean, it’s one of the most active communities.”

At the annual YMCA Peace Awards on November 13th, Al-Ubaidi was honoured for her community work. “It’s a very happy occasion. Maybe that’s why I’m happy all the time the past few days!” she laughed. The award now hangs above the community notices on her wall.

“When I came here,” recalled Al-Ubaidi of her move to Montreal twelve years ago, “downtown, activism was so-so. Then, I came to NDG - and everyone’s an activist! My God! They are boiling with action - you cannot control these people!” she joked.

Born in Iraq, Al-Ubaidi moved to Jordan in 1991, after the Gulf War. There, she worked as an environmental expert for seven years before moving to Montreal.

It was in Jordan that Al-Ubaidi first became involved in community activism, a trend that continued when she moved to Canada. “I started as a community organizer with 2020,” said Al-Ubaidi. The NDG 2020 Public Assembly is a group that conducts round table talks between NDG residents and community groups to discuss local issues.

“2020 was a great opportunity for me,” said Al-Ubaidi. “It’s a public assembly, so it’s a chance to meet people. It’s also an excellent opportunity to meet community workers.”

Al-Ubaidi eventually moved to NDG Community Council, and has been there for the past four years. “We want people to live in harmony, and we want them to have a good quality of life,” said Al-Ubaidi of the organization’s mission. “We work to provide them with information, to give them services, and to help them find their place in the neighborhood.”

The Community Council works with many other local groups to tackle issues like unemployment, housing, and poverty. “I still see people going to the Food Depot,” said Al-Ubaidi, in reference to the NDG food bank. “I don’t want to see that, and I don’t know how to stop it for good, but it’s a wish of mine.”

She urged NDG residents to support the Depot’s annual Christmas food drive. The Depot provides a paper bag to every household, which residents can fill with non-perishable food. The bags are picked up by volunteers and go to help families in need.

On Christmas Day, the Council will also be helping NDG residents to celebrate by holding their annual Christmas dinner.

“We invite all the immigrant families who are new here and don’t have anyone to celebrate with,” said Al-Ubaidi. “We serve everyone turkey from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. - it’s a big event.”

Last year, meals were served to over 650 people, and Al-Ubaidi promises attendees can expect music and other live entertainment.

Al-Ubaidi’s message as the holiday season approaches is to get more involved with the NDG Community Council and with all the other grassroots organizations in NDG. “Volunteer, support, give - whatever you do, it’s good for your community,” she said, as the young boy’s mother arrived to pick up her husband and son.

For more information about the NDG Community Council, visit www.ndg.ca

Tenant’s rights and crosswalks priority concerns at NDG council meeting

by Liz Faure
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Article online since November 17th 2009, 11:32
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What the new borough council looks like now (Photo credit:Martin C. Barry)

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Following one of the rockiest municipal elections campaigns in Montreal history, it was back to business as usual for Côte des Neiges - NDG city councillors on Monday evening, Nov. 16th. The meeting began at 7 p.m. and took place at the Cummings Building on Côte-St-Catherine St.

The first post-election borough council meeting featured many new faces. With the exception of borough mayor Michael Applebaum and longtime Snowdon councillor Marvin Rotrand, the council was made up of newcomers.

Despite the scandals that plagued Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay’s Union Montreal party, NDG. voters elected many Union representatives. The sole non-Union councillor elected was Notre-Dâme-de-Grace councillor Peter McQueen. The local activist was elected under Richard Bergeron’s Projet Montreal banner, defeating Union candidate Marie-Josée Mastromonaco by10 percentage points.

Other new councillors included Darlington’s Lionel Perez, Loyola’s Susan Clarke, and Côte-des-Neiges councillor Helen Fotopoulos, former borough mayor of the Plateau.

After introductions from the mayor and councillors, residents had the opportunity to voice their concerns. Tenant’s rights and crosswalks were priority concerns.

“Buildings are so ill-maintained that TV cameras show up to film them,” said NDG Community Council’s Leslie Bagg. She was referencing the apartment building at 2290 Girouard St., which recently made headlines when mayor Applebaum was forced to intervene on behalf of tenants whose heat had been cut off.

Bagg was followed by Phillipe Bergeron-Burns, a former resident of 2290 Girouard. He accused the landlord of conspiring to drive longtime tenants with low rent from the building so as to charge higher rent to new renters. He told the audience how the landlord had taken him behind the building to show where the heater had been ripped out from the wall. “I got freaked out and decided to move to another apartment,” said Bergeron-Burns.

The mayor acknowledged that the building in question had been on the borough’s radar for some time, but said that the city services department needs to make sure that they have solid proof against a landlord before they can take legal action.

A proposed crosswalk outside Royal Vale Academy was another hot topic, with several residents asking the council to take action. “I am requesting...a crosswalk to be placed on the corner of Somerled and Royal,” said Kirsten Voss, a mother of two whose children attend Royal Vale.

Voss submitted a petition with roughly 150 signatures to mayor Applebaum and McQueen, and asked how long it would be before the borough made a decision on the matter. The mayor said that the local circulation department needed to study the matter and see if it is feasible. He was unable to give a firm deadline regarding the decision, and urged patience.

That wasn’t good enough for Aliya Ahmad, another parent who spoke about the issue. “Please do not wait,” she asked the council, urging them to act “before something bad happens.” Ahmad said that the current situation outside the school is chaotic, with both parents and children crossing in the middle of the street. “It’s like a jungle, every morning and every afternoon,” she said.

Overall, the mood of the council was one of collegiality, with Union members vowing to work with McQueen to help NDG residents. “The thing with municipal politics is that we have four-year mandates, so there’s not too much partisanship - the voters appreciate it,” said Fotopoulos. That sentiment was echoed by McQueen. “I don’t have personal problems with people for no reason,” he said. “I am concerned with the end facts, and look forward to working together to bring progress to NDG.”

Art for Amnesty

NEW DIRECTION: Roadsworth’s “Lonesome Vista”

Montreal street artist Roadsworth will unveil his first canvas pieces tonight, Thursday, Nov. 19 at 6.p.m. at the Eastern Bloc (7240 Clark, 2nd floor), in the name of human rights.

Roadsworth, whose urban graffiti is already familiar to city-dwellers, is one of many local artists including Guillaume Simoneau, Julie Ouellet, Jason Botkin, Mike Patten and Valérie PIcard participating in the multimedia exhibition and silent auction Contemporary Art for Amnesty International, which will raise funds for the human rights organization.

Known for his cartoon-style drawings on city asphalt, Roadsworth is excited to work in a new medium. “You can expect to see more of it from me,” he says.

The night also features music and videos from VJs Mâ and Chocobeets. “Overall, the evening gives a broad overview of a dynamic art scene in Montreal,” says Choco-Beets. “In these times of paranoia and grumpiness, wouldn’t it just feel good to support a cause by going to an art show?”

Tickets cost $40 (75 per cent tax deductible), $25 for students.

by ELISABETH FAURE