I would like to return to the formal notice sent to Mr. Reed and the municipality’s responses to it in its October 1 bulletin. In my opinion, this entire episode deserves more in-depth analysis. Of course, everyone must be protected from harassment, whether physical or psychological. However, in the municipal newsletter dated October 1, the […]
Closure of the Mercantile and surge of solidarity
I wanted to share this message circulating in the community about the closure of the Mercantile, inviting everyone to show kindness and solidarity. Faithful to the heart of the Village For over forty years, the “Hob Nob” has been part of our family. As owners, we have always been committed to ensuring that it remains […]
Who can vote and who can run for municipal elections?
Who can vote and run for office in municipal elections? With municipal elections approaching, many people are wondering who is actually eligible to vote or run for office. Here is a clear summary of the rules that apply in North Hatley and, more broadly, to all municipalities in Quebec. Right to vote and eligibility as […]
Key information for exercising your right to vote on November 2 in North Hatley
If you have any questions, please contact the Election Chair. Here is a simple guide to help you prepare to vote. Your Election Chair in North Hatley Benoit Tremblay [email protected] chemin de la Rivière (cliquer pour un itinéraire)Phone: 819-842-2754Toll-free number: 1-877-842-2754 The impacts of the Canada Post strike On September 25, Canada Post went on […]
What is the candidates’ vision for the development of North Hatley?
Élection Montréal is an excellent example of a citizen platform. It provides all the essential information about candidates and important dates, presented in a simple and consistent manner. Each candidate has a page featuring their photo and a short text describing their motivations, platform, and priorities. This is a very interesting approach, as it allows […]
The NorthHatley.info blog surpasses 500 weekly visitors
The citizen blog NorthHatley.info is gaining popularity. In just a few months, the platform I founded, Philippe Marchesseault, now attracts more than 500 unique visitors per week, with an average reading time of more than three minutes per article. These are impressive figures for a local media outlet dedicated to municipal and political issues in […]
Closure of the Mercantile Café: the heart of the village loses its soul
The announcement came on Monday: Café Mercantile is closing its doors. This news saddens many of us. In a village already limited in its offering of cafés and restaurants, the loss of such a unique place leaves a void. The Mercantile, with its live music, carefully selected wine list, and unique atmosphere, was one of […]
Let us clarify the main statements made by the municipality about me
In the interest of transparency and accuracy, I am responding here, point by point, to the statements contained in the municipal newsletter of October 1, 2025, in order to set the record straight and provide the public with an accurate picture of the situation. Unlike the municipality, I do not have access to the complete […]
6 major priority areas in municipal management
Major municipal issues Here are the major issues facing a municipality in Quebec, grouped into six main categories and twenty-three subcategories. Rest assured, none of this is set in stone. I am sharing this classification because it will help me better organize future articles in the Municipal section. In my opinion, these categories provide a […]
Les procès-verbaux manquants entravent la participation citoyenne à North Hatley
À ce jour, le dernier procès-verbal disponible sur le site web municipal date du 3 mars. Or, ces documents sont essentiels pour suivre les décisions du conseil et assurer la transparence envers les citoyens. Quant aux enregistrements audio, certaines séances semblent également manquer : celles du 11 août (initialement prévue le 4 août), du 8 […]
My journey: from entrepreneurship to municipal involvement
Education I hold a technical degree in computer science and a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from the University of Sherbrooke. I also began a master’s degree in e-commerce, which I put on hold due to the rapid growth of my business. In addition, I completed training in artificial intelligence at MIT to stay […]
Les rapports financiers 2024 de la municipalité de North Hatley viennent d’être déposés!
Merci à la municipalité d’avoir déposé les rapports financiers 2024 hier ou avant-hier tout au plus. Je tiens à rappeler que les municipalités ont au plus, 6 mois après leur fin d’année fiscale pour déposer leurs rapports financiers. La fin d’année fiscale des municipalités est le 31 décembre de chaque année. Donc, la date limite […]
Last-minute developments in the political race in North Hatley
Three new candidates entered the race yesterday in North Hatley. The deadline for filing nominations was October 3 at 4:30 p.m. Ms. Élizabeth Fee withdrew following a withdrawal from Mr. Claude Labry and then filed a brand new nomination at the last minute against Mr. Richard Gourde. Ms. Élizabeth Fee won her seat against Mr. […]
I applied for the position of advisor today
Those who read my blog know that I have been questioning and harshly criticizing North Hatley’s municipal government for several months now. Some may say that I am going too far, but if we want to eliminate laxity in our public finances, we need to raise the bar. On November 2, you will be able […]
Mr. Claude Aubry, a new candidate seeking a term as councilor in North Hatley
Ms. Elizabeth Fee, who currently holds the position of councilor for Ward 4, is now facing off against Mr. Claude Aubry, who is seeking his first term. Please correct me if Mr. Aubry has already served as a councilor in North Hatley. Current candidates for the November 2, 2025 elections Mayor position Marcella Davis-Gerrish (Occupait déjà […]
A ChatGPT analysis of North Hatley’s municipal newsletter dedicated to denigrating Philippe Marchesseault
Unfortunately, the current municipal administration seems to be accustomed to acting independently without anyone observing or questioning its actions. And when someone does question it, it does not hesitate to use public funds to send bailiffs and formal notices through law firms. I invite you to read the formal notice sent to Mr. Reed for […]
Adoption of the master plan tonight at the city council meeting, 8 days after its presentation without a question period for citizens
Forgive me for being critical again, and please know that I am working very hard to control myself. I was present at the presentation of the master plan on September 23 (download the plan). That presentation took place exactly eight days ago, or five business days to be more precise. Did you submit your comments […]
Thank you to the Samaritans who set up the soccer goals at Rivière Park
A few days ago, soccer goals were set up so that people could play. Obviously, there are no nets. Thank you to the Good Samaritans who took the time to set up the goals. It’s already fall, but at least that’s something! I took advantage of it with my boys, and several other kids played […]
October 15: Deadline to register to vote
September 5 was the deadline to register or update your registration. However, October 16, 2025, is one of the dates set for the revision of the electoral roll in certain municipalities, including North Hatley, according to the response from the Chief Electoral Officer. This means you have until October 15 to register. Be sure to […]
3 days: Time remaining to submit your candidacy for municipal elections
Nominations close this Friday, October 3. Now is the time to enter the 2025 election race. For the moment, all councilor positions are being filled by acclamation, meaning that votes do not need to be counted. In the case of North Hatley, subject to change, you must complete the following formhttps://docs.electionsquebec.qc.ca/MUN/67dc5b97824ea/SMPP-29-VF.pdf Collect five signatures of […]
Please note the phone number for the North Hatley election chair leads to a fax machine.
Okay, many will say that I am being harsh on the North Hatley municipal administration, but please allow me to mention this unfortunate situation. The address on the official documents of the Chief Electoral Officer leads to an office that is closed for renovations. This morning, I tried to reach the Chief Electoral Officer by […]
Two candidates in the race for mayor of North Hatley
North Hatley has two candidates in the race for mayor: Ms. Marcella Davis-Gerrish, the incumbent mayor, and Mr. Aaron Patella, a former city councilor. This makes the municipal elections more interesting, as we will not see a mayor elected by acclamation, as is currently the case for all councilors who have no opponents at this […]
Still no 2024 financial report available and no explanation of the debt from the municipality of North Hatley
Time is passing and time is running out. The elections are in one month. Where are the 2024 financial statements for the municipality of North Hatley? Where can we get explanations about the municipal debt? For now, there is radio silence from the administration. Yet shouldn’t we know our public finances inside and out? Excuse […]
Please note that the address of the North Hatley Election Chair leads to an office under construction
This morning, I noticed that the address of North Hatley’s election chair, Mr. Benoit Tremblay, leads to an office under construction. The contact information for North Hatley’s election chair lists the address as 3125 Capelton Road, North Hatley, QC J0B 2C0. Official document for the 2025 municipal elections received by mail approximately 10 days ago. […]
Owners and tenants of business premises, you have the right to vote in municipal elections.
According to Élection Québec, here are the criteria for being eligible to vote. Please note that you are only entitled to one vote per municipality. In summary, if you own land, a cottage, an apartment building, or if you occupy a business establishment such as a hair salon, a notary’s office, a restaurant, etc., you […]
How can we restore access to Lake Massawippi for residents and tourists?
A majority of citizens who participated in the North Hatley municipal master plan survey are calling for better access to Lake Massawippi. This comes as no surprise! 98% of Quebec’s bodies of water are now inaccessible. Reference: Page 3 of the North Hatley master plan produced by Domus Architecture and Design. Of course, it’s easy […]
The municipality was able to avoid a formal notice and the intervention of a bailiff with Mr. Reed.
As they often say, it’s easy to criticize, but difficult to propose solutions. So, I’m going to take the liberty of presenting a constructive solution that could have been applied instead of issuing a formal notice to Mr. Reed. The threat against Mr. Reed is unwarranted. In my opinion, the role of our municipality is […]
A cone marking a hole on Capelton Road for over 4 months
Que se passe-t-il? J’ai pris en photo ce cône le 16 juin dernier. Il est toujours en place par-dessus un amas de concassés. Les symboles d’une mauvaise gestion sont flagrants à North Hatley dont ce fameux cône. Il a été mis en place il y a maintenant plus de 4 mois suite aux inondations du […]
The municipal administration is attempting to silence a citizen with threats of legal action sent by bailiff at taxpayers’ expense.
On Monday, Antoine Reed, a resident of North Hatley, received a formal notice less than 15 hours after publishing a news article about the official debt figures for the village of North Hatley. The formal notice was sent by bailiff and signed by a major law firm, all at the taxpayers’ expense. This represents an […]
Here are the nominations submitted so far for the November 2, 2025 election in North Hatley.
The elections have been officially open since September 19. The nomination period runs from September 19 to October 3, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Québec.You can follow the progress of the nominations on Élections Québec. All candidates who were still in office are seeking re-election in the village. Interestingly, one candidate is running against Marcella Davis-Gerrish […]
