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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, Ju ne 24 ,2 02 1 | 8 Oakville Deputy Fire Chief Monique Belair will move on to become Belle- ville's first female fire chief at the end of June. The City of Belleville re- cently announced that Be- lair would be taking up the position. She has served as depu- ty fire chief in Oakville since Oct. 31, 2017. Belair's last day with the Oakville Fire Department will be June 25. "I am really excited about taking the next step in my career," said Belair. "It has been over 30 years of me working to- ward this moment." Belair started her ca- reer in 1986 as one of five fe- male firefighters serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. She would go on to serve in roles within all divisions of the fire services, includ- ing communications, pre- vention, public education, investigation and training. Belair also took on lead- ership roles within the Of- fice of the Fire Marshal and emergency management. She said becoming a fire chief has always been her goal. "As a young female in the fire service, I always thought change needed to be there," said Belair. "In order to mentor and encourage, and create a more inclusive environ- ment for young females, I knew that change had to happen, and that change happens from the top lev- el." When asked about her achievements in Oakville, Belair pointed to Camp Molly, a program that gives young women aged 15 to 18 the opportunity to learn what it is like to have a ca- reer in the fire services. She said she owes a huge debt of gratitude to the Town of Oakville's execu- tive management team for helping her bring Camp Molly to Halton. "When I talk about men- torship and creating an in- clusive environment and changing the dynamics of the fire service for young women, Camp Molly is tru- ly my way of giving back to the fire service and making sure that happens," said Belair. The soon-to-be-fire chief said that as soon as she gets to Belleville, one of the first things she will do is reach out to the neigh- bouring fire services there to establish a local Camp Molly. Those attending camp will have quite the example to look up to in Be- lair. Not only is she Belle- ville's first female fire chief, but only the fourth female fire chief in Onta- rio. "My motto is 'change is coming' and I really believe that," said Belair. City of Belleville chief administrative officer Rod Bovay said he is pleased Belair accepted the posi- tion. He noted her extensive experience includes work- ing in communities rang- ing from the farthest northern rural regions to large urban city centres. Bovay said the city's ex- ecutive management team is looking forward to bene- fitting from the valuable insight and experience Be- lair will contribute to the group. Belair said she wants to thank the Oakville com- munity for welcoming her with open arms back when she first arrived in 2017. "I loved being part of this community," she said. "I know our current chief and this department will continue moving for- ward the initiatives that I started here." Belair will begin her new position as Belleville's director of fire and emer- gency services and fire chief, effective June 28. NEWS NEW CHALLENGE AWAITS DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF BELAIR SET TO BECOME FIRST FEMALE FIRE CHIEF IN BELLEVILLE DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com Oakville Deputy Fire Chief Monique Belair will become Belleville's new fire chief at the end of June. Oakville Fire Department photo "I am really excited about taking the next step in my career. It has been over 30 years of me working toward this moment." - Oakville Deputy Fire Chief Monique Belair Halton police are inves- tigating a stabbing in Oak- ville that investigators say was fueled by road rage. The incident occurred around 4:45 p.m. Saturday (June 12) in the area of Lakeshore Road East and Allan Street. "I can confirm that we did investigate an incident where a victim was stabbed as a result of a road rage incident," Const. Steve Elms said in an email. Investigation at the scene determined that two men were involved in a road rage incident near the area of Gairloch Gar- dens, police said. The two vehicles fol- lowed one another and came to the intersection of Lakeshore Road East and Allan Street. Both drivers exited their vehicles and an altercation ensued. One of the men stabbed the other in the face with a knife and then fled the scene in his vehicle, police said. The victim, a 38-year- old man, was sent to hospi- tal with a head injury. Police had been looking for a Honda Accord in re- lation to the incident, but said that search ended when a man turned him- self in to Peel police later in the evening. The 35-year-old Missis- sauga man is now charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weap- on. These charges have not been proven in court. Anyone with informa- tion can call police at 905- 825-4747 or Crime Stop- pers at 1-800-222-8477. MAN CHARGED IN ROAD RAGE STABBING LOUIE ROSELLA lrosella@metroland.com