Towards new horizons

As the information highway expands towards new horizons in communications, it is imperative that channels of contact such as newspapers adapt to meet new needs, while retaining the time-tested traditional mission of providing readers with more than just factual information.

It will come as a surprise to one that we live in age where instant information is dished out at an immensely fast pace of 45-60 second clips of radio-television-internet-text-messaging (etc.) reports that too often strip the human condition of its most valuable asset – its humanity.

Lately, we have allowed the abridged version of communication to become the rule and not the exception, in the way we exercise our responsibility to receive, process, and distill news.

In the spirit of change, and in the lessons learned from past experience, we have come to the conclusion at Courrier Laval that we must head in a new direction with respect to the English edition that we have published for the past 294 Sundays, since we first came to your door on April 7, 2002.

With today's issue, the Courrier Laval Weekly News becomes part of a new, promising, and exciting adventure along the information highway that is integral to the city of Laval in general and the Anglophone/Allophone community in particular.

So it is with pride and promise that we launch a new version of our second Sunday publication (the first being the French Courrier Laval delivered to about 90% of all homes in the city).

The newspaper you now hold in your hands is our way of saying to many Laval residents that we have heard your voices and are responding to your need for more information in both French and English, about your neighbourhoods, communities, city, region, and society.

This bilingual publication will now bring to your door the best of the three worlds that are so characteristic of this great city of ours – Francophone, Allophone, Anglophone and best of all – it will not compromise the integrity of the English version of Courrier Laval we have brought to you for the past six years. English readers will continue to find English content in an English format within an English publication devoted to the interests and activities of the English community of Laval – your schools, school board, community organizations, artists, athletes, neighbours and friends. Plus, you'll now be able to get even more news from the French part of the bilingual edition because there will be some reports published in French only (in the French section) and others in English only (in the English section) – truly the best of both worlds.

We are excited about the extended coverage we will be able to give to more things that happen in Laval and we are looking forward to serving you with greater effectiveness along the information highway that runs through Ville de Laval, one of Quebec's most important cities.

Claude Labelle

Publisher

Courrier Laval

Photo: Claude Labelle (Pick up, cahier Special Young Achievers, 19 nov. 2006, page 3

(Photo: Courrier Laval Files)