The forum “Building a Vision Together for Pontiac Youth,” held March 27 in Campbell’s Bay, was about more than health and education. It also reflected a need to catch up.
On May 14 last year, the Outaouais Education Table (TÉO) and the Outaouais Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSSO) presented the results of a survey on high school students’ health to 150 regional stakeholders — without a single representative from the Pontiac present. That absence revealed a clear gap. The March forum was organized to address it: a second meeting designed for and with the community.
The event marked a turning point. Pontiac Warden Jane Toller, several mayors and councillors, and MNA André Fortin attended, signalling that the community had finally mobilized to discuss local issues. The forum was moderated by Ève Lebeau and Xavier Lagarde, two students from École secondaire Sieur-de-Coulonge. Here, Pontiac youth were not simply studied — they were consulted, involved and taken seriously.
The bilingual nature of the event, reflecting one of the defining features of the Pontiac, stood out. By bringing together elected officials, school and community stakeholders, and young people, the forum became a space rooted in listening, dialogue and proximity.
The ideas that emerged went beyond observation. They were brought to life through a mural created by CEGEP students Alicia Flansberry and Méliane Brisson. Among the priorities identified were the creation of a satellite post-secondary campus, improved regional transportation, and development that would encourage young people to return and settle in the region after their studies.
These needs are deeply rooted in the Pontiac’s rural reality, but they also resonate with those of other regions. In terms of education, mobility and economic vitality, what’s good for the Pontiac is also good for Quebec.
This consultation was more than a logistical catch-up. It offered a lesson in democratic governance. By listening to voices that had previously been absent, the results carry greater weight and legitimacy, strengthening their relevance for decision-makers.
At the forum, the Pontiac demonstrated that a rural region can help shape its future — provided it is given the opportunity to speak. As TÉO director Jeanie Pinard-Duhaime noted, educational success and student perseverance are closely tied to a region’s economic and social development.
If the forum leaves one lasting impression, it is this: meaningful representation does not arise from statistics alone, but from dialogue — made possible because regional partners persevered and the Pontiac showed up.