Our collaborators
To help you discover the lifestyle and the hidden treasures that are unique to Abitibi-Témiscamingue, collaborators from across the territory share their favourites through stories that are tinged with their respective personalities and backgrounds. To learn more about them, here are their biographies.
COLLABORATOR
Michaël Pelletier Lalonde
Michaël Pelletier-Lalonde grew up along the banks of Piché River, in Dubuisson. He left the region a few times but always came back because he lives in this place and this place lives inside of him, anywhere, any time. He says, “I live here, my thoughts come from this place, this place shapes my thoughts, and I constantly try to know the place better.” As a graduate in political science and a future student in archival administration, his working life, up to now, led him to diverse mandates for which he became, every time, part of his regional county municipality’s social and community environment. Besides that, he shows an interest in arts in general—particularly in literature—but also in fauna and flora, in wild mushrooms, as well as in environmentalist struggles (that makes sense).
COLLABORATOR
Sophie Mediavilla-Rivard
Sophie Mediavilla-Rivard is a journalism undergraduate student at Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), and she LOVES it. However, as a Rouyn-Noranda native, she has a great love of Abitibi-Témiscamingue and its people. Here, she feels as if she keeps her “feet on the ground and head in the clouds, between the lakes, the sunsets, the spruce trees and the milky way,” which brings her a great sense of peace. As she is a swimming, reading and cultural life enthusiast, you are more likely to run into her in a festival or an art event. Sophie, a multitalented young adult, stands out in her everyday life as she masters all types of parking—reverse parking, parallel parking, you name it—and she is still mourning the loss of the (clearly unsafe) winter slide that was located along the huge elephant’s trunk in Évain. Real ones know.
COLLABORATOR
Claudie Ouellet
Musician, polyglot, and literary enthusiast, Claudie is an eclectic writer. What connects her various hobbies is the love of words. This need to express herself started at a very young age. First by scribbling poems and stories of all kinds, then by participating in youth screenplay contests. Later, she conveyed the depths of her thoughts through music. You might find her reading a book, on stage, in front of a camera, or on a terrace with a gin and tonic in hand!
COLLABORATOR
Mathilde Mantha
Born in Latulipe-et-Gaboury, in Témiscamingue, Mathilde Mantha has since moved to Laverlochère. There, she peacefully uses her skills to pick four-leaf clovers, and she collects books faster than she can read them. As she is in love with the region, her short stays outside of it reinforced her conviction that she does not belong anywhere else and strengthened her desire to live in this area “to protect it, create there, put crops in the ground, and stand strong.” Mathilde, a word lover who is always looking for social interactions and sharing of experiences, has boundless admiration for Abitibi’s women writers such as Jocelyne Saucier, Louise Desjardins, Jeanne-Mance Delisle and Sonia Cotten.
COLLABORATOR
Audrée Giroux
Audrée is a young multidisciplinary artist from the small village of Angliers in Témiscamingue. She pursued her artistic dream by enrolling in a DEC in Visual Arts in Rouyn-Noranda, where she discovered her love for writing and analog and digital photography. She then ventured into the world of tattooing and now works independently in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
COLLABORATRICE
Sonia Cotten
Graduated in Writing Practices and Organizational Communication, Sonia Cotten coordinates cultural projects and makes cultural mediation the cornerstone of her professional practice. In addition to hosting, interviewing, and visiting schools throughout Quebec through the Culture-Education directory, she publishes, writes, advises, and engages in artistic direction.
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COLLABORATRICE
Geneviève Saindon-L’Écuyer
A native of Rouyn-Noranda, now rooted in Abitibi-Ouest, Geneviève is naturally curious and enthusiastic. Whether turning a trail corner or in a festival crowd, she loves discovering new places and talents from near and far. Whether talking about music, reading, or art in general, if the conversation is passionate, she will be captivated. In 2015, she discovered her passion for writing, the year her first novel was published. Since then, she has collaborated on several blogs, discussing everyday topics. You can also read her monthly in L’Indice bohémien. She loves having the opportunity to showcase our beautiful region.
COLLABORATRICE
Gabrielle Izaguirré-Falardeau
Gabrielle Izaguirré-Falardeau likes to say that she was born in Montreal on paper, but in her heart, she is from Rouyn-Noranda. Studying psychology and social work at the University of Sherbrooke, she nurtures passionate interests in books, creative writing, cats, chocolate, and the discography of Richard Desjardins (cliché). Always eager to quench her thirst for knowledge and committed to contributing to a better world, she holds a keen interest in social, political, and environmental issues. Completely in love with her region, Gabrielle is continually moved by the strength of the communities that inhabit it. It is from this perspective, of showcasing her territory and the uniqueness of its people, that Gabrielle is involved with Tourism and Attractiveness Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
COLLABORATRICE
Dominique Roy
She loves her village. « I was born in Laverlochère and still live there. I am a true Laverlochère native; both of my parents were born in this village and lived here for most of their lives. Yes, indeed! » Her attachment to this municipality is truly a family story.
She loves her job. « I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education at UQAT. I have been working in my field since 1999. My workplace for over 20 years has been in New Liskeard, on the other side of Lake Témiscamingue! I am a teacher at the Centre d’éducation des adultes, a francophone alternative school! Yes, indeed! There are indeed French-language schools in Ontario! »
She loves reading. « Books are everywhere in my home. I can never have too many. I enjoy reading a bit of everything, and discovering new authors is always a pleasant moment. I am interested in regional, Quebecois, and Franco-Ontarian authors, but I also dedicate a lot of my time to foreign literature. My challenge: to read a book from every country in the world. »
She loves writing. « Pencils and notebooks can be found in every drawer of my house. I never have too many. I write all the time, every day. My specialties are educational and journalistic writing. My agenda is full of writing contracts and deadlines to meet. »
She loves passionate people. « I am fascinated by people who live according to their passions. Their life journeys are of great interest to me, whether they are important people in my life, acquaintances, or strangers. I love discovering what drives them, what makes them tick, what they put in place or sacrifice to achieve their goals. »
She loves cooking. « I swap recipes, watch culinary shows, collect Ricardo magazines, and know all the top chefs. Stepping into a gourmet grocery store is truly therapeutic for me. I enjoy mixing colors, flavors, and textures. I invent recipes. Yes, indeed! I’ve fooled you; I am actually terrible at cooking and it’s the worst chore of my day! »
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