Winds of change swept through Rosemère on November 5, when Eric Westram, the new Mayor (and formerly a Town Councillor in Seat 5), was elected with his entire team of six Councillors, made up of four women and three men: Marie-Hélène Fortin (Seat 1); Melissa Monk (Seat 2); Stéphanie Nantel (Seat 3); René Villeneuve (Seat 4); Hélène Akzam (Seat 5); and Philippe Panet-Raymond (Seat 6). 

"We are proud of our victory, as we carried out our campaign in the field, together with Rosemerites, listening to their ideas and concerns. In discussing with them after going door-to-door before the elections and at various public events as well as at our summer get-togethers in the parks, we took note of their suggestions and, in particular, those relating to communication and residents' participation, the economy and public finances, town planning and the environment, social and cultural life as well as public safety and security. These suggestions will provide us with food for thought and guide our actions over the course of our term of office. Today's swearing-in ceremony therefore officially launches our commitment to Rosemerites for the next four years. We will be focusing on an approach that will position Rosemère as a proud, green, prosperous town," stated Eric Westram, the Town's new Mayor. 

Underlying the ideas and projects are the determination and vitality of the members of the new Town Council: "We form a multi-generational team whose members complement one another in their professional skills and personal qualities. A united team, overflowing with ideas and energy, made up of people of integrity, attached to Rosemère and involved in the community, ready to meet the challenges that await them at Town Hall," added the Mayor. 

The first public meeting with the new Council will be held on November 20 at Town Hall.   

A Rosemerite since 1980, Eric Westram has three daughters and three grandchildren. He was elected as a Town Councillor of Rosemère for three consecutive terms of office. In this capacity, he was in charge of various important matters and sat on several decision-making committees. With his Bachelor's degree in Economics, he pursued a flourishing career in sales for 35 years, within the industrial sector. As a resident, he served as a soccer coach for 33 years—a commitment that earned him the title of Volunteer of the Year for three separate years. Mayor Westram's distinguishing features: his attentive listening, his leadership and his desire to be close to residents.  

A Rosemerite for the past seven years and mother of two children, Marie-Hélène Fortin is an actress and musician, having graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada. With her in-depth knowledge of the cultural community, she has performed in a number of theatre and television productions and is one of the founding members of the Mes Aïeux group. She has been involved in Rosemère community life and, in particular, in the Fondation Viva Musical'pha and the Tylee… marécage enchanté / “Tylee… the enchanted marsh”project. A committed artist, she believes in a team's complementary driving forces to rally the community together and carry out unifying projects. 

A third-generation Rosemerite and mother of two young adults, Melissa Monk is a chartered professional accountant (CPA), having graduated from ConcordiaUniversity. In this capacity, she currently runs her own growing firm. With her strong interest in active politics, she founded the Innovaction party with Philip Panet Raymond and Jean Paul Lalonde and passed the leadership of the party over to Eric Westram last spring. As a resident, she has devoted her time to such projects as Rosemère's bilingual pre-school, the curling club's day camp and the major development project for Rosemère's downtown area. Her main driving force: stimulating interaction among groups. 

Born in Rosemère, a fourth generation resident and mother of five children, Stéphanie Nantel holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications from Université du Québec à Montréal. A communications professional, she has seven years' experience in municipal affairs—first in the Town of Rosemère's Communications Department and then as political attaché to Dr. Hélène Daneault, who was Mayor at the time in 2009. As a young, committed person, she served as a volunteer during the Town's 50th anniversary events in 2008 and is presently involved in her local school, which she previously attended herself. Her credo: to contribute toward maintaining her Town's health for future generations.  

A resident of Rosemère since 2004 and father of two children, René Villeneuve is driven by a strong concern for work well done. For the past 39 years, he has been working in Quality Assurance, ensuring the quality of equipment in the aeronautical industry. Following his specialized training at the Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec and Seattle, for Boeing's new Manufacturing System, he held the position of Quality Supervisor for the cockpit of the BD-100 continental corporate jet as well as for Airbus and Boeing sub-assemblies. As a volunteer, he was a member of the Board of Directors of CPE La Petite Ardoise and the Parents' Committee of Alpha School. His desire: to work in partnership with residents.  

A resident of Rosemère since 2001 and a mother of two teenagers, Hélène Akzam is a born communicator. She has a Master's degree in Business Administration from HEC Montréal, a Master's in Communication from Université de Montréal and a Bachelor's degree in Communication of Social Psychology from UQAM. A member of the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agréés du Québec, she is the Director, Human Resources Planning and Development at Héma-Québec. As a resident, she has devoted her efforts to traffic concerns in the area surrounding Rosemère train station and has worked with various organizations in the region. Her slogan: "Together, to make a difference".  

Philip Panet-Raymond is a second-generation Rosemerite and father of three children, with a keen interest in sports and leisure activities. He has a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Business Administration from St.Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. Since 2004, he has held the position of Director of Sales for Canada at Horizontal Global Americas, an American multinational automotive parts supplier. As a volunteer, he has been coaching the Lorraine-Rosemère Minor Hockey Association since 1999 and the Adrénaline soccer club in Lorraine-Rosemère since 1982, where he previously served as President, and also as Vice-President of the Executive Committee of the Rosemère Curling Club. His motivation: to discover the best in people. 

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Source:  Town of Rosemère