EXCLUSIVE: Girls expelled from Vaudreuil summer camp over address kerfuffle

A Vaudreuil-sur-le-Lac couple is fuming after they claim city officials expelled their nieces from a city day camp for being non-residents.

Nathalie Aurora’s nieces have been enrolled in the day camp for four years, but she said last week, she was informed they would no longer be allowed to go because they’re from Pincourt.

Aurora, who lives in Vaudreuil-sur-le-Lac, has guardianship of her two nieces, Tiffany Syragakis, 9, and Kristina Syragakis, 12, in the summer.

The girls’ mother is a single-parent, so Aurora explained the couple offered to help during the months they’re not in school.

Four years ago, Aurora said she advised the city of her nieces’ situation and they accepted the girls’ candidacy to attend the camp, but they recently had a change of heart after receiving a complaint.

“They’ve been doing it for four years,” she insisted.

“Now, they’re just deciding this in the middle of their summer – without any consideration to the child’s emotional side, at all.”

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Monday morning, Kristina was supposed to leave on a three-day trip with the camp, but because of the sudden expulsion, she wasn’t allowed to get on the bus.

“I’m sad,” Kristina said tearfully.

“I was really excited for it and I worked for it.”

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Aurora and her husband tried blocking the bus from leaving, but eventually had to move their pick-up truck once the Sûreté du Québec arrived.

The bus eventually left without her.

“I think it’s absolutely disgusting that the city has brought these emotions to these children,” said Brent Fleming, Aurora’s husband.

“It is wrong on every level. Not only legal, but morally speaking.”

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Vaudreuil-sur-le-Lac Mayor Claude Pilon refused an interview request with Global News, citing confidentiality.

Following the council meeting Monday evening, the family received final notice from the city.

“The elected officials discussed it and unanimously decided that the two children will no longer be able to attend camp for the rest of the 2016 season,” wrote Carolyn Ayoub, Director General for the city, in an e-mail to the couple.