“My family were builders, so it doesn’t feel good not to live in a house.”
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For decades, Mona has been committed to protecting the environment on the island of Montreal. The octogenarian artist has dedicated her life to causes near and dear to her, from banning pesticides in the past to her current efforts to save green spaces and wetlands. He keeps it going every morning, knowing that there are more battles to be won to make Montreal a greener place for future generations to enjoy.
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“I grew up during World War II, and I remember when my mother explained what war was about, my leg started to shake,” Mona recalls. “When I saw construction company signs around some of the last green spaces we have on the island, I felt the same shaking in my leg.”
Desperate, she gathered like-minded people in her community. What began as a grassroots coalition of concerned citizens and nature lovers has grown to include scientists and lawyers. Mona and her brother would hike through the woods and educate the locals about all the natural beauty our island has to offer. She is very proud of the work she has done.
Long-retired Mona drew on her life savings to help her father when he was dying. He then tried to refinance to help a sick friend and subsequently lost all his money and his house.
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“My family was a builder, so it doesn’t feel good not to live in a house,” she said. She lives in an apartment, but is grateful that she can live alone and have her independence. Although she lives in poverty, a lifetime of activism has shown her that there is more to life than money.
“I will leave this planet one day,” he said. “But for now, my heart keeps pounding knowing that there is still a lot of work to do.”
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Reference-montrealgazette.com