Drugs, Viruses and Bacteria

A translation by Judith Turcotte. A variety of drugs are found in the St. Lawrence River. In a recent study by the Université de Montréal, we learn that we find caffeine, carbamazepine, diclofenac and ibuprofen in its waters. The carbamazepine is an anti-convulsive drug used in the treatment of epilepsy and diclofenac is an anti-inflammatory … Lire plus

An invisible Crisis

A translation by Judith Turcotte Last fall, the Fondation Rivières published its 2022 list of untreated wastewater discharges in the lakes and rivers of Québec. During the year, there were more than 57,263 discharges. For those who read my blogs, you know that these discharges disgust me especially since our lakes and rivers represent our … Lire plus

FRESHWATER, a Rarity

A translation by Judith Turcotte The St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes represent one of the most important freshwater basins in the world. More than 40 million people live on the shores of this basin and depend on this water for their consumption and the irrigation of their farm land. We worry about the pollution … Lire plus

NEWS (November 2023)

ILLUSION OF POWER You read that right. Illusion of Power. During the summer, my wife, Judith undertook the translation of my third novel, Illusion de pouvoir in English. The novel recounts the difficult life of a character who becomes the mayor of Montréal. She is in review mode and hopes to have the novel published … Lire plus

When We Compare

A translation by Judith Turcotte My attention this week was drawn to an article in the Journal de Montréal on the initiative of the City of Montréal that is creating sponge parks in order to eliminate sewer backups and reduce wastewater discharges in the St. Lawrence River. In these parks, catch basins are installed to regulate … Lire plus

For mankind.

Translated by Judith Turcotte It is in the interest of mankind to protect certain attributes of the St. Lawrence River and its shores. Our river possesses attributes of worldwide interest and permit me to introduce you to three of these that we have the responsibility to protect. The salt mines of the Magdalen Islands are … Lire plus

No borders

A translation by Judith Turcotte Nature doesn’t recognize the borders established by men, these artificial borders created to allow ethnic groups to isolate themselves from their neighbours. This type of isolationism is impossible today and countries become more and more melting pots of different ethnic groups. Today, man realizes that the earth is becoming smaller … Lire plus

Buyer beware.

A translation by Judith Turcotte For many, a home on the shores of the St. Lawrence represents a dream but there are many pitfalls. When buying a residence on the waterfront, one must conduct a detailed due diligence before purchasing. Many problems along the river remain concealed. The risk of flooding is perhaps the first … Lire plus

Highs and Lows

A translation by Judith Turcotte. People look to buy homes on the shores of the St. Lawrence, however, in a previous blog, I wrote that erosion inflicts appreciable damage to properties built on its shores, a phenomenon that may very well become worse as the water level increases due to climatic changes. Global warming melts … Lire plus

Anxiety on the shore

A translation by Judith Turcotte We envy the people who choose to live on the shore of the St. Lawrence River but the choice comes with a certain degree of anxiety. The shoreline erosion of the St. Lawrence represents a serious problem for the residents but the phenomenon should not be a surprise; this erosion … Lire plus