The Cowansville organization Pleins Payons is calling on eligible citizens to share their $500 tax credit with the community.
L’initiative I share my 500was born within the board of directors of Pleins Rayons. Its main purpose is to support the community sector, which is struggling at the end of the fiscal year.
There are people who are able to give their $500, but that’s not everyone. The idea is not to give it all away, but maybe give some money to help non-profit organizations. […] Make no mistake, community organizations are really having trouble concluding their financial year“, says the general manager and founder of Pleins Rayons, Stéphan Marcoux.
According to the organization, some people eligible for this $500 tax credit offered by Quebec would be quite prepared to part with at least part of this sum.
We launched the initiative a little over a week ago, and we have already raised close to $3,000 thanks to this movement. The majority of people have not yet received it, we imagine that the amount will still increase significantlyadds Stephan Marcoux.
© André Vuillemin/Radio-Canada
Pleins Rayons’ mission is to promote the social inclusion of young adults through the acquisition of socio-professional skills.
The executive director of Pleins Rayons hopes that a large number of organizations in the province will join the movement and ask citizens in their area to share the $500.
Video: An organization for women in difficulty threatened with closure in Saint-Jérôme (Le Devoir)
Click here to enlarge
-
The Boutcha massacres explained in five points
The Boutcha massacres explained in five points Images of massacres of civilians in Boutcha, a town in the northwestern suburbs of kyiv, have been around the world since Saturday. Explanations of the situation in five questions. What exactly happened in Boutcha? After the start of the war, the Russian army made advances to the outskirts of kyiv, the capital. The weeks that followed saw fierce fighting, which partly devastated suburban towns, including Boutcha and Irpin. During the last weekend, however, the majority of the troops present in the region withdrew. Journalists in the field were therefore able to enter Boutcha, newly freed from the Russian presence. They discovered horror scenes there. Corpses, at least six of which had their wrists tied behind their backs, littered the streets. Ukrainian authorities quickly reported that more than 300 bodies had been thrown into mass graves, for a provisional toll of more than 400 civilians killed. How did Russia and Ukraine react? Wearing a bulletproof vest and accompanied by soldiers, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, went to Boutcha on Monday. He said “war crimes” which will be “recognized as genocide” were committed there. Russia “categorically” denies the accusations linked to the discovery of the bodies in Boutcha, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. He claimed that Russian experts had found evidence of “video tampering” and “fake” images. What was the reaction of the international community? Westerners unanimously rose up against the Boutcha murders. On Monday, US President Joe Biden called for a “war crimes trial” while once again calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal”. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has called for preserving “all evidence” of these “possible war crimes” and “human rights violations”. What are the possible measures to punish Russia? An investigation must be carried out before concluding that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine. A trial could eventually take place at the International Criminal Court (ICC), which was created with the aim of trying individuals prosecuted in particular for war crimes. What can Canada do in all of this? Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly strongly condemned Russia on Monday on the sidelines of a visit to Finland. She also warned that there would be “more Canadian sanctions against Russian and Belarusian entities and individuals” shortly.
The duty
-
Rapidly expand access to the 4th dose?
Rapidly expanding access to the 4th dose? In light of the very high contagiousness of the BA.2 variant, Quebec should take up the torch of prevention and quickly expand access to the 4th dose. This is at least what defends Dr. Cécile Tremblay, professor in the department of immunology and infectiology at the University of Montreal. She judges that there is a significant “discordance” between the health recommendations that Quebec advocates with regard to the 4th dose, and the statistical reality observed in the field. The most recent data show that 37% of people killed by the Omicron variant since December were under 80 years old. “We are really behind the times. Limiting vaccination to people aged 80 and over and to immunocompromised people sends the message that people under 80 are not at risk,” insists Dr. Tremblay. “However, as we can see, the risk remains high among those over 60. With such a contagious variant, all those who have comorbidity factors should be able to get this 4th dose, ”she adds. These comments are consistent with the results of a study just published by the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ) comparing the mortality rate of the 5th wave to those of previous waves. If 62% of people swept away by the virus for three months (5th wave) were 80 years old and over, almost a third (32%) were aged 60 to 79 and 5% from 20 to 59 years old. This same report argues that the presence of comorbidity factors, including some thirty medical conditions and chronic illnesses, increases the risk of dying from COVID by 4 to 8 times, regardless of the age of those infected. However, according to the INSPQ, approximately 1.1 million Quebecers aged 25 and over have more than two morbidity factors.
The duty
-
‘It’s now or never’ to transform the world, warns IPCC
We must change the world now, warns the IPCC It is more urgent than ever to immediately and “drastically” reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve this, we will have to turn our backs on fossil fuels, but also profoundly transform our cities, our modes of transport and our diet, concludes the new report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). “Without an immediate and drastic reduction in emissions in all sectors, limiting global warming to 1.5°C is out of reach,” summed up IPCC Chairman Hoesung Lee on Monday. In concrete terms, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions would have to be halved by 2030 to hope to meet the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement. This will involve a substantial reduction in the use of fossil fuels, large-scale electrification, improved energy efficiency and the use of alternative fuels, such as hydrogen”. Unless we can count on effective projects to reduce GHG emissions in industry, we must eliminate the use of coal by 2050, but also reduce our use of oil by at least 60% and our use of gas 70% natural. The report published on Monday also notes the need for “changes in our lifestyles” in order to combat climate change. This involves the development of cities, which should make it possible to “reduce the consumption of energy” and resources. Cities adapted to our climate objectives presuppose allowing travel by public transport, but also on foot or by bicycle. The IPCC also points out that “networks of parks, wetlands and urban agriculture can reduce the risk of flooding and heat islands”. Scientists also highlight the need to transform our diet, which still includes a significant intake of animal products. For the moment, however, the world is still on a dangerous climate trajectory, recalls the IPCC report, which was written by 278 authors from 65 countries, in addition to 354 contributors.
The duty
NEXT VIDEO
We have to show the population that the community really needs help and also make the government aware of investing more in community organizations. It’s pitiful, the sums of money that are poured into the community sector.»
A tax credit that is not unanimous
Stéphan Marcoux believes that Quebec’s choice to offer $500 to all individuals with an income not exceeding $100,000 was not the right strategy.
I think the money should have been put where people really need it. There are needs everywhere, in all sorts of marginalized areas. For example, I think that with that money, we could have renovated schools in Quebec“, he advances.
Pleins Rayons would like to enjoy better recognition from the government.
We are not recognized in any way, and then we have major impacts in Brome-Missisquoi. I think there is a lack of seriousness on the part of Quebec to really help the community“, he laments.
The organization claims to have raised this problem with provincial elected officials on numerous occasions, but to no avail.
We must find a concrete solution to help our organization and all the others in the province who are doing fantastic things with a lot of innovation.“, maintains the general manager.
Stéphan Marcoux has not set any objectives for the initiative I share my 500“. He only hopes that the generosity of the population will allow the community to keep its head above water.