For over two decades now, one man has been single-handedly running a vital news and information publication serving the anglophone community in Deux-Montagnes (Two Mountains), Que.
With the province continuing its efforts to promote French, often at the expense of English, according to many, there are fewer and fewer places for English speakers to get informed in their language.
In Two Mountains, however, anglophones know they can always turn to Paul Goyetche, better known as 2MoPaul.
“Now everybody, whenever they see me on the street, they think, ‘There’s 2MoPaul!’” Goyetche told Global News. Two Mountains is often called 2-Mo for short.
The retired IT professional started 2MoPaul.com as a sort of personal journal 20 years ago, before social media was a thing.
It still has the same layout, recalling vestiges of an early-era internet when people built their own websites on ancient platforms like Geocities and Angelfire. As the internet has transformed around it, 2MoPaul.com has gradually grown into a crucial news source.
“It’s a good feeling that some people are enjoying it,” Goyetche said.
Two Mountains has a small but vibrant English-speaking community. It feels like all the anglos know each other in the suburban city of about 20,000, northwest of Montreal.
Many anglos have nowhere else to turn for information but 2MoPaul. Celebrated local paper The Victory stopped publishing in the ’80s. Under Quebec’s latest French language protection law, Bill 96, the city’s own website is no longer allowed to post any English information because Two Mountains doesn’t have official bilingual status.
“When you go on the city website, it’s not a bilingual site,” 2MoPaul.com user Albert Allen said. “Paul gets the information to us and we’re able to understand what’s going on.”
The one-man news outlet doesn’t get paid for the up to 20 hours a week Goyetche spends serving the community. Actually, it costs him money to run it.
“It’s just something for the community. I love Two Mountains. I love the people here, and that’s why I do it. It’s just that easy,” he said.
People who left Two Mountains decades ago turn to 2MoPaul to keep up with their hometown.
Goyetche often posts about local sporting events, many of which he takes part in. He also shares photos and videos from his own travels, gives publicity to countless fundraisers, and covers local news with his own photo and video content.
In a recent video, he used his drone to illustrate various construction projects across the city. He’s diligently covered the construction of the REM, the Montreal area’s new multi-billion-dollar light rail network.
Goyetche’s hard work is well appreciated by the city’s mayor.
“The way he just gives it his free time to show what’s happening, I tip my hat to him. We’ve really, really enjoyed following him on this site and I get many positive comments on that,” Deux-Montagnes Mayor Denis Martin said.
2MoPaul always covers Canada Day events and never misses the Two Mountains Santa Claus Parade.
For reasons Goyetche cannot understand, a video of the 2016 parade somehow got four million views on YouTube, many from abroad.
“It seems to be just for no reason because it’s not very interesting. I’ve tried to look at it to see what the interest is, but obviously it’s not local because it’s from Brazil and India and stuff. I have no idea,” Goyetche said.
People turn to him for fun content, but for sad stuff too. He’s heavily relied upon for his obituaries.
Goyetche honours the departed with small articles and videos, never taking a cent from families for the time he puts into them.
“I really pour my heart into those projects,” he said.
He even brings his laptop on vacation just in case.
“It’s a very touching thing, to my heart,” Allen said.
With a smile, Goyetche said various community members have even asked him to create tribute videos of them while they’re still alive.
When some people insisted on paying him for his event coverage, he turned the cash into a bursary for the local English high school.
Without a doubt, 2MoPaul has become a local celebrity. His wife Myrna gets stopped by fans at the grocery store.
“I’m quite proud of him and what he does and how much appreciated it is by everybody in the community,” Myrna Goyetche said.
But for Paul, it’s not about being a star.
“I just get thanks a lot from people that just walk by me and they say ‘Hello 2MoPaul and thank you for your website.’”
It’s just about being there for the many people in his beloved community who count on him.