Tag: city in brief

City in Brief
by Matthew Guité

→ SQ officer benched
A provincial police officer has been suspended for 17 days for displaying what the Quebec police ethics committee called “gross incompetence and an obvious lack of judgement” in an incident where an elderly man was thrown to the ground and dragged out of a restaurant. After Yvon Trudel’s nursing home called to report him missing in 2009, Vincent Langlais found the man in a restaurant across the street. According to a waitress working at the time, Langlais grabbed Trudel and pushed him to the ground before forcibly dragging him from the building. Ten days after the incident Trudel suffered a heart attack before dying four months later. The ethics committee ruled that Langlais did not have justification for his actions.

→ Mammoth lobster donated to biodome
A seven-kilogram, one-and-a-half foot long lobster has found a new home at the Montreal Biodome after being donated by the staff of a grocery store east of Montreal. Staff at the IGA in Varennes nicknamed the mammoth crustacean ‘Goliath,’ and contacted the Society for Friends of the Montreal Biodome. According to the Biodome, Goliath, who is in good health, is estimated to be between 30 and 50 years old, and was caught off the coast of Nova Scotia.

→ Not the best idea
A Quebec judge has been reprimanded and may face sanctions after it was revealed that she intended to pay a contractor under the table. Justice Ellen Paré, who was unhappy with the work that was done on her kitchen counters by the company she hired, took the matter to small claims court and asked for $7,000 in damages. The judge presiding over the case awarded her $1,500 but scolded her for paying the company in cash in order to avoid paying taxes. Paré could be called before a council of judges to answer for her actions.

→ Bilingualism and public transit
While speaking on a Montreal radio show, the provincial minister responsible for the anglophone community, Jean-François Lisée, said that a simple phone call was the only thing needed to allow the Société de transport de Montréal to begin hiring bilingual employees. While on the Tommy Schnurmacher show on CJAD, Lisée was asked to push the STM to follow the Agence métropolitaine de transport’s lead and enforce bilingualism for some of its employees.
“STM, are you listening?” Lisée said. “It’s okay, when you make the case that you have employees in areas where part of the clientele will be anglophone, [where] they are in contact with anglophones.”

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Nation in Brief
by Robin Della Corte

→ D’oh and doe
The British Columbia environment minister has agreed to allow a Vancouver resident to keep living with the deer she has raised as a pet. Conservation officers wanted to at first seize the deer by moving it to a wildlife rehabilitation centre, but after experts evaluated the situation, they feared there might be risks by removing the animal from a place it is familiar with. Janet Schwartz and her deer named Bimbo will live together with the help from a veterinarian and conservation officers. According to Schwartz, Bimbo is newly pregnant and craving chocolate cookies.

→ A cry for help
There has been a demand for a mental health and addictions treatment centre for the youth in the Yukon. Advocate Andy Nieman believes there is a current concern with mental health and addiction problems and that there is a long wait for diagnosis and treatment thousands of kilometres away. Nieman’s role is to provide help to the families, but feels that they are giving up hope. In order to seek treatment, residents have to leave the Yukon due to a lack of local services. Nieman states that youth then turn to alcohol and drugs to stabilize themselves, a form of self-medicating, since there are no services available. Nieman is now working on getting the centre done.

→ All drugs are bad
According to Terence Young, a Conservative member of parliament, Canadians are unaware of the risks behind prescription drugs, which kill people “every day” through side effects. Even with the proper doses, “all drugs are poisons,” Young told an audience last week at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. He also believes that because of Health Canada’s approval of these drugs on the market, Big Pharma has “completely perverted” Canada’s drug safety, The National Post reported. Young reported that citizens turn a blind eye to the dangers of prescription medication.

→ Losing money
Machine owners are blaming the Bank of Canada for thousands of vending machines still not being able to accept the new polymer $20 bills. About half a million machines needed reprogramming to be able to accept the redesigned $20 bills. Kim Lockie, who has been converting his 1,200 machines in Fort McMurray, full-time for two months claims he is losing money due to frustrated customers who can’t use their new bills. He blames the Bank of Canada, for not having an advance three-year warning for owners that needed the time to recalibrate their vending machines for the release of the new bills.

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World in Brief
by Matthew Guité

→ Neck and neck
A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, originally banned for looking nothing like her, has finally been put on display almost 60 years after it was painted. The painting, which shows the Queen with an extremely elongated neck, was originally painted in 1952 by John Napper, who called the painting “a beautiful painting of a queen, but not this Queen.” Napper, who died in 2001, later painted a second portrait of the Queen which hangs to this day. “It was due to be hung up high so that you would look at it from below,” Napper’s widow told the BBC. “If you looked at it from that angle it looked normal.”

→ Cyprus man brings bomb to police station by accident
A Cyprus man accidentally caused a major security incident when he brought an unexploded bomb into a police station to figure out what it was. According to police, the man found the makeshift explosive on his car’s rear window but was unsure what it was, and brought it to the police for investigation. Police shortly realized what the object was and evacuated the building. The device was defused at the station by explosive experts.
“He obviously didn’t know what it was,” a police source said, speaking to Reuters.

→ Sinfully beautiful
The Pope’s private secretary has become the subject of media attention in Italy after appearing on the cover of an issue of Vanity Fair which dubbed him “The George Clooney of St. Peter’s.”
Archbishop Georg Ganswein, who was recently appointed to the position, has served as Pope Benedict’s private secretary since 2005. He did not pose for the magazine’s cover, which features a close-up of a previous photo of him along with the headline “Father Georg – It’s not a sin to be beautiful.”
The magazine’s cover story, which it describes as a “close up profile of a particular monsignor,” relates to his recent promotion and his increasing power within the church.

→ Swedish cleaning lady accused of stealing a train
A Swedish cleaning woman was falsely accused of stealing a train and crashing it into a house on Tuesday, an incident which left the woman in hospital with serious injuries. As the only person on board the train at an early hour in the morning, the cleaning woman was originally suspected of starting the train on purpose. The train accelerated faster than it was meant to safely, and hit the end of the tracks before flying over a street and crashing through a house. Originally believed to be done by the woman on purpose, state prosecutors have since revealed that the incident is now believed to have been an accident. The woman remains in hospital and the detain has since been lifted.

City in Brief
by Matthew Guité

→ À qui la job?
Former Quebec Premier Jean Charest found a new job at Montreal law firm McCarthy Tétrault LLP, four months after he was voted out of office. In a public statement made Thursday, Charest said that he was enthusiastic to join the firm that also employs former Premier Daniel Johnson and former leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Marc-André Blanchard, who serves as the firm’s chief executive. Blanchard, who serves as the firm’s chief executive officer, told CBC “With Mr. Charest and our legal excellence, McCarthy Tétrault will deliver analysis, solutions and results to our clients that are unmatched in the legal market.”

→ Another mayor, another allegation
Montreal Mayor Michael Applebaum denied allegations made earlier this week in a Le Devoir article that claimed that he was under investigation by the Charbonneau Commission for questionable real estate transactions. The article, published Friday, claimed that the Commission was investigating transactions made by Applebaum which required zoning changes in his borough. Applebaum said at a press conference Friday that the story was false, but that he would be meeting with the Commission later that day. Despite not knowing the reason for the meeting, Applebaum pledged to co-operate with the investigation and said he was open to all discussions.

→ Ruling delayed in Richard Henry Bain trial
The court proceedings to determine whether or not the accused election-night shooter Richard Henry Bain is fit to stand trial are halted temporarily until a psychiatric report is made available in English. Bain has repeatedly demanded that all questioning and court proceedings be done in English. As in past court appearances, Bain chose to speak to the judge and prosecutors himself despite having his lawyer present and said that the report declared him 75 per cent fit to stand trial. His lawyer, Elfriede Duclervil, has been requesting since October to stop representing him, saying that Bain does not qualify for legal aid.

→ In hot water
Borough residents in Montreal North have been warned by city officials to avoid water filtration company Aquavie following complaints that the company was misleading residents and using the city’s name to attempt to sell equipment that isn’t necessary. According to city officials, residents in the area received calls from Aquavie claiming that the city was offering them a free water quality test, followed by trying to sell them purification equipment when the tests supposedly showed poor water quality. Aquavie has denied the allegations, and says that they were unaware of complaints.

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Nation in Brief
by Kalina Laframboise

→ A train come true
Jason Shron spent $10,000 over four and a half years to reconstruct a model of a VIA rail coach for his basement. The resident of Vaughan, Ont. is obsessed with trains and everything related to VIA which is why he chose to build it over 2,500 hours. When Shron learned a coach was to be scrapped, he bought it and rebuilt it in his basement with his friends. Shron, who has been collecting VIA items for years, said it is because it is where he feels “most comfortable.” The replica of the 1980s train carriage has carpeting, seats and coat hooks.

→ Up in flames
A health-care inquiry into queue jumping in Alberta heard testimony about individuals who received flu shots for H1N1 during the outbreak in 2009. Calgary Flames’ players and their families were told to lie in order to receive the shot before individuals who were actually ill. The players attended private vaccination sessions in the teams doctor’s office while the rest of the province suffered a shortage. Those who testified claimed that paperwork was adjusted so that the players and their loved ones could skip the long wait.

→ One in a million
Walter Zawada’s truck rolled over to one million kilometres this week after 12 years of driving it everywhere. The Niagara Falls residents had a series of trips nationwide including six trips from Ontario to Alberta. When Zawada bought the Ford F-150, it only had 97,000 kilometres but reached 0 on the odometer last Wednesday. According to Zawada, he got his money’s worth since the truck still has its original engine and transmission. Since Zawada owned the truck he has bought six sets of tires, four brake jobs and 180 oil changes.The 68-year-old purchased the truck for $19,900 in 1999.

→ Nortel execs acquitted
Three former executives of the now defunct Nortel Networks Corporation were acquitted of charges against them of co-ordinating a multi-million dollar fraud that gave themselves $12.8 million when the company was failing. An Ontario judge ruled that the three men, who were fired by Nortel in 2004, did not meet the burden of proof necessary to convict them and that there was reasonable doubt. Former senior employees Frank A. Dunn, Douglas C. Beatty and Michael J. Gollogly were initially charged with two counts of fraud for defrauding the public and defrauding the entire corporation.

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World in Brief
by Cynthia Dupuis

→ Joy ride
A 13-year-old boy decided to run away from his adoptive family in Italy last Thursday after they got into a fight about the teenager’s expensive phone bill. He chose to travel in style when he stole his family’s Mercedes which he drove 1,000 kilometres from Italy across Europe, successfully crossing two border crossings and numerous tolls. The boy only brought along his passport and 20 Euros when he left his adoptive family’s house. His wild adventure to return to Poland, his homeland, first took him through Austria. He was then arrested two days later in Germany, 200 kilometres from his final destination.

→ Tusk laundering
Two American men pleaded not guilty last Friday to charges of conspiracy, conspiracy to launder money, smuggling goods into the United States and money laundering. The Bangor Daily News reported that Andrew Zarauskas and Jay Conrad are accused of smuggling narwhal tusks from Canada into Maine. They allegedly brought the tusks from Canada to the U.S. inside a trailer with a secret compartment. Some individuals believe narwhal tusks to have supernatural powers. Some will even pay up to $30,000 but most narwhal tusk usually go for between $1,000 and $7,000. Several countries including the U.S., the United Kingdom and Australia have laws against importing narwhal tusks.

→ Escape from White Castle
An American woman was sentenced to 15 years in prison last Friday for robbing a White Castle in St. Louis, Miss. Michelle White handed the employees of the restaurant a threatening note while she pointed at them with a plastic water gun. The 33-year-old woman escaped through the drive-thru window with more than $600 from the fast food chain. A customer wrote down White’s license plate and then alerted the police before they arrived at White’s home. Following their arrival, she climbed on her roof and jumped, fracturing an arm, a leg and her pelvis as a result of her fall. The type of water gun used in the robbery remains unknown.

→ Bieber brainwave
The Riverside Police in Illinois took 49-year-old Lawrence E. Adamczyk into custody and charged him with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. The suspect was arrested Saturday morning at a swim meet at Brookfield High School where he was found wandering the hallways by a security staff member. After his arrest, Adamczyk told Riverside Police he was on his way to Brookfield Zoo to “look for young boys” when he received a “brainwave message” from Justin Bieber telling him to go to the neighbouring high school to see the young boys at the swimming event. Adamczyk allegedly told the police officers that he was there to watch his own children swim but could not provide names. Adamczyk was charged in 2011 with a sexual act at a fitness centre.

City in Brief
by Matthew Guité

→ Ambulance workers strike new round of protests
Ambulance technicians and paramedics have begun a new round of protests across the province to pressure health officials to return to negotiations related to their pay scales and benefits. The union representing the workers has said that their pension plan is unacceptable, and that their 16 levels of pay makes it difficult for new employees to achieve the higher pay levels. “Paramedics have had enough with this attitude,” union official Dany Lacasse told CBC. Ambulance technicians and paramedics protested outside the Urgences-santé’s headquarters in Montreal on Sunday. Under law, ambulance technicians must work despite contract disputes and mandates to strike.

→ Modern languages 101
The Société de transport de Montréal has defended its interpretation of Bill 101 after an access-to-information request filed by The Gazette revealed that no legal council had apparently ever been sought on the use of English by STM employees under the exemption in Bill 101.
“Basically, we have to operate in French unless we can prove an absolute necessity in certain categories,” STM vice-chair Marvin Rotrand told CBC News that the authority had to operate in French unless they could prove “an absolute necessity” for other languages. Julius Grey, a civil rights lawyer, told The Gazette that he believed the STM was misinterpreting Bill 101. The STM has “an implicit obligation to serve their customers and they have to have a sufficient number of people who can do so in English to successfully serve their customers,” he said.

→ No cops allowed
The Saint-Bruno city council is being criticized after a video surfaced online showing police officers in a city council meeting escorting citizens from the room after posing difficult questions to municipal councillors. Resident Martin Guevremont believes that the idea of having police present at meetings is ridiculous. “Having a police presence at municipal council is absurd. You expect citizens to be able to ask questions to elected officials,” he said. In response, Mayor Claude Benjamin said that the video was not a fair representation of their city council meetings, and that citizens are only ever expelled if they are out of line.

→ ERs under pressure
Montreal’s emergency rooms are dangerously overcrowded with patients suffering from gastro-intestinal viruses and the seasonal flu, according to public health officials. Some hospitals are projecting up to 12-hour waiting periods to see a doctor, and many are operating at beyond their maximum capacity. Worst hit was St. Mary’s Hospital, which is operating at 200 per cent capacity. Public health officials have advised that mild flu-related symptoms are best treated at home to avoid the long wait times at emergency rooms.

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Nation in Brief
by Robin Della Corte

→ Stuck in the middle
An 87-year-old woman was stuck in a elevator from the evening of Dec. 23 until 2 a.m. on Christmas morning in a nursing home in Mississauga, Ont. The woman was dropped off at the front doors by her family that fateful evening and when she didn’t arrive on her floor, staff thought she was still with her family. The next day, it was discovered that the woman had indeed been dropped off the night earlier. After police searched her room, the staff finally found the woman in the elevator and was brought to the hospital for evaluation. Three investigations are currently taking place.

→ Absence of service
A mother of a toddler claims she was unfairly treated by an employee of the Toronto Transit Commission when she tried to board an early morning bus. As Jodi Christie boarded at 6:30 a.m. with her one-year-old son in his stroller, she asked the driver to lower the ramp to help her get on the bus. According to Christie, the driver chastised her for not having a smaller stroller and that he didn’t want to help her. He continued and said “Where’s his dad? He should be helping you with this, if he even has a father,” CBC News reported. TTC spokesman Brad Ross confirmed there is an investigation into the situation.

→ Close call
In Alaska, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake was cause for a tsunami warning for the coast of British Columbia. While the earthquake did generate a small tsunami, the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center said the waves didn’t pose a threat, the Canadian Press reported. The Alaska Tsunami Warning Center initially warned that “significant widespread inundation” of land was expected, but the warning was soon called off stating that the small sea level changes posed no danger.

→ Suspicious fires
Two morning fires in Winnipeg were labelled as suspicious due to the proximity and timing of the events. The fire department was called to the scene of the first house at 5:15 a.m. on Victor St. where the fire started in a garage at the back of a house. The flames spread to the home and burned off the roof before reaching another house and car. However, no injures were reported. The damage to all properties was about $400,000. Minutes later, a second fire on the same street occurred in an apartment building where four to five people were taken to the hospital and the damage was estimated to about $30,000.

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World in Brief
by Kalina Laframboise

→ You don’t know meth
A man named Dale Blumer faces a felony charge of producing methamphetamine after police raided his home, also a daycare centre, in Davenport, Iowa. While the drug itself was not found in the residence, several key ingredients were. The 34-year-old admitted to the crimes after he was arrested in the early morning of Dec. 30 saying that he produced meth approximately 20 times during the last few months. Blumer also confessed to selling the drug within his home and daycare centre managed by his girlfriend, Amanda Taylor.

→ The birds and the pigs
In a weird twist of events, a federal appeals court rendered that a New York man who was arrested for giving the middle finger to a police officer can sue for malicious prosecution. In 2006, John Swartz gave officer Richard Insogna the bird for using a radar device while passing by in a car. Although not speeding or breaking the law, Swartz and his wife were pulled over for a traffic stop before Swartz was detained for disorderly conduct, a charge that was later dropped. The court ruled that Swartz’s gesture was not probable reason for him to be accused of committing a traffic violation or for a charge of disorderly conduct.

→ Welcome to the Kremlin
French celebrity and film star Gérard Depardieu has officially traded in his homeland’s passport for Russian citizenship. President Vladimir Putin signed a decree last Thursday granting Depardieu citizenship after the actor was upset with an upcoming tax hike in France and the two met over the weekend. François Hollande, president of France, proposed a new increase tax for millionaires that would see Depardieu hand over 75 per cent of his salary. Russia has a flat tax rate of 13 per cent. France’s current tax rate for high earners is 41 per cent.

→ Ecuador, prepare for baby boomers
Ecuador was deemed the best nation for newly retired Americans and Canadians for the fifth consecutive year by InternationalLiving.com’s annual rankings of the top countries to settle down in. The survey is conducted through retired individuals and is based on several factors. Where beers cost just 85 cents, Ecuador attracts retirees through its low cost of living, warm climate and inexpensive housing prices, making it a desirable place to live. Also, its proximity to North America is a selling point for many retirees. Panama, Malaysia, Mexico and Costa Rica were also in the top five.

City in Brief

by Matthew Guité

→ Moving forward
The first meeting of Montreal’s new executive committee has been hailed as a collaborative success by its members following the signing of a major contract which would see a reduction in the amount the city pays into blue collar worker pensions. The contract was deemed a “historic agreement” by interim Mayor Michael Applebaum, who hopes to sign similar agreements with other employees, potentially saving Montreal up to $50 million annually. The committee includes members from all of Montreal’s major municipal parties and several independents, a factor which was a source of friction for the members of Applebaum’s previous party, Union Montréal, after he rejected their demand for five seats on the council and the position of chair.

→ Hide your iPhone, hide your Android
Five minors were arrested last week as part of an ongoing operation by Montreal Police to crack down on cellphone theft. The minors were suspected to be involved in as many as 10 robberies and were between 15 and 17 years old. Operation Match has been in effect since October. Cellphone theft is often a violent crime according to a statement released by the Montreal Police. It is hoped that new measures will help deter smartphone theft, as stolen phones will soon be tracked by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association in order to prevent them from being reactivated on a different network.

→ That’s your cue
The Parti Québécois’ Environment Minister Daniel Breton has announced he will be stepping down following a number of minor but embarrassing incidents from his past coming to light. Some of the charges against Breton from before he became involved in politics include speeding tickets, a ticket for driving with a suspended license, lying on employment insurance forms, not paying his rent and filing his taxes late. Though he at first denied the claims, Breton has since admitted that all the charges are accurate. Until recently, most of his traffic violation tickets were also unpaid. Breton will remain as a Member of the National Assembly for the Sainte-Marie-Saint-Jacques riding and will keep his seat in the legislature.

→ More taxes!?
English public school boards in Quebec may be raising taxes to make up for a shortfall of up to $12 million in the Parti Québécois’ recent budget. At a meeting last week held to discuss the new budget and its potential impact on schools, the idea of raising school taxes was suggested as one way of making up for the deep cuts the new provincial government has made in order to eliminate the deficit. “Boards have to look somewhere to keep their funds up and the school taxes are their discretionary fund,” said Richard Goldfinch, president of the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers. Officials suggested that the increase could take place off-island, as regions within the city are already at their maximum taxation.

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Nation in Brief
by Robin Della Corte

→ Shark on the lam
The ban on the sale of shark fins in Toronto has been nullified by Ontario Superior Court Judge James Spence. In September, the ban was passed by city council as a bylaw by a vote of 38 to four for environmental and health reasons which members of the Chinese business community questioned. Often used in soup at traditional Chinese weddings, shark fins are considered a delicacy. Those who supported the bylaw stated that the notion of killing sharks only for their fins is inhumane. Spence said that it is not in the city’s mandate to impose bans of such a nature.

→ Don’t honk at me
A bus driver is in trouble after a heated argument with a pedestrian who refused to move out of the way from the front of his bus. The Saskatoon, B.C. employee was caught on film hurling colourful insults. “I think he did it just to prove a point,” Josh Swejda, a student who filmed the incident told CBC News. “I don’t think he liked the fact that he was honked at, so that’s what started the whole thing.” The bus driver, who asked others to intervene during the incident, has been suspended after the video made an appearance on YouTube due to his behaviour. Three individuals tried to step in with one caught pushing the pedestrian down after the bus drove off. Saskatoon police are now investigating the incident.

→ A first for everything
In an oddly green move Saskatchewan is the first province to approve a new procedure of dealing with bodies that involves liquifying the remains. The process, called alkaline hydrolysis, uses a pressurized chamber to reduce the body to liquid and bone. It has been used for medical cadavers and animal remains for years but is now being accepted as an alternative to cremation in Canada, whereas it’s been common practice in certain states for some time. It is similar to cremation but more environmentally friendly since it doesn’t produce smoke.

→ Who let the cat out?
The first feline rabies case since 2001 was reported by the New Brunswick Public Health Department last week. According to CBC News, the unvaccinated pet bit its owner after returning to the house and died the following day. Rabies in felines is extremely rare but is often seen in bats, raccoons and skunks. Since it is the first case in a decade, there is no need for panic, according to the president of the New Brunswick Veterinary Medical Association, Dr. Mary-Ellen Themens. She did emphasize, however, that it is should serve as a reminder that the disease still exists and that precautionary measures are mandatory.

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World in Brief
by Matthew Guité

→ Rock ‘em, sock ‘em, eliminate ‘em
Researchers in England are planning to evaluate the possibility of technology rising up to wipe out the human race. Though the concept is often thought of as science fiction, researchers at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk say that the subject must be analyzed with a mature attitude. “The seriousness of these risks is difficult to assess, but that in itself seems a cause for concern, given how much is at stake,” the researchers said in a statement on their website. The theory is that robots will outsmart individuals and the world will find itself at the mercy of them. Subjects of study will include nanotechnology and artificial life.

→ A new status
The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to approve an upgrade of Palestine’s status in order to grant it state recognition. The voting finished 138-9 in favour with 41 abstentions, with Canada and the United States both opposed. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the vote was the “last chance to save the two-state solution” with Israel, while Israel’s envoy to the UN said he believes that the move was a step backwards. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird explained before the vote why Canada would vote against the move, saying “We cannot support an initiative that we are firmly convinced will undermine the objective of reaching a comprehensive, lasting and just settlement for both sides.”

→ A game of chance
A town in Spain called Alameda has settled on an interesting way to combat their crippling unemployment: a job lottery. A handful of jobs as builders, street sweepers and cleaners are made available every few months to a pool of hundreds who put their names in for a chance to work for a short time. With 34 per cent unemployment in a town of just over 5,500, Mayor Juan Lorenzo Pinera has come up with the lottery as a way of sharing what little work his town hall is able to assign. The national unemployment rate in Spain is 25 per cent, rising to 52 per cent for those younger than 25.

→ Cut your losses and rob a bank
A 33-year-old inmate released for budgetary reasons was arrested less than an hour later for trying to rob a bank in Oregon. Christopher Franklin Weaver was released from prison Thursday morning at 11a.m. and police were called to the nearby bank robbery about an hour later. Weaver was in jail for parole violations relating to a sexual abuse conviction but was released along with approximately 30 inmates due to budget cuts. Earlier this year the jail was forced to close 96 beds also for budgetary reasons and since then dozens of inmates have been released on a weekly basis to make room for more dangerous individuals.

City in Brief
by Robin Della Corte

→ Old quarrels
Prime Minister Stephen Harper threw up his hands and said, “What can I say?” after being asked about the situation with the Canadian flag being removed from Quebec’s National Assembly. Le Soleil reported that the Parti Québécois has asked for the Canadian flag to be removed from the national assembly. Quebec Liberals believe it is “shocking and totally unacceptable,” CBC reported. When Harper made an appearance in Quebec City last Friday, he stated that he didn’t want to get involved with old quarrels and would rather focus on the economy.

→ A McDonalds stabbing
Police discovered a double-stabbing inside a McDonald’s restaurant on the corner of Villeray St. and St-Michel Blvd. at 4 a.m. Sunday that lead to the hospitalization of two men in their 20s, with one in critical condition. “[There are] many witnesses to meet with, and also in this case investigators will try to understand a little more about this conflict that degenerated between these three men,” Anie Lemieux, spokeswoman for the Montreal Police told CBC. The suspect, also believed to be in his 20s, fled the scene before police had arrived. Earlier that night, police were also called to a shooting near the intersection of Fleury St. and J. J. Gagnier St. in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough.

→ Lawyer up, Quebec
The provincial government is being taken to Quebec Superior Court this Thursday by several large retailers for the requirement to adopt French versions of their commercial trademarked names. The Office Québécois de la Langue Française want retailers to change their names to a generic French name or provide slogans explaining what their products are. While the law requires companies to have French names, this usually does not apply to brand names. Gap, Best Buy, Costco, Old Navy, Walmart and Guess will be represented by two law firms.

→ A lucky break
On Sunday afternoon, a resident of Laval was able to walk away from a helicopter crash northeast of Ottawa with little injuries. While police state that the 48-year-old man crashed into Lac Britannique before 1 p.m., the reasons for the crash are still unclear and he was the only person inside the helicopter. After the crash, the man was able to escape the helicopter and swim to shore. Lac Britannique is located approximately 70 kilometres northeast of downtown Ottawa, close to the small town of Saint-Sixte, Quebec. An investigation is now taking place from the transportation Safety Board.

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Nation in Brief
by Robin Della Corte

→ Mo’ money mo’ problems
There have been reported problems with ticket machines in Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton. Individuals across Canada are discovering that the new $20 bills aren’t accepted everywhere. The new bill that was released earlier this month can’t process in certain machines. Both TransLink and Toronto’s GO Transit don’t accept the new bill. GO Transit discovered the problem while testing the bills and will need to upgrade their software in order for the machines to accept the new bills. New five and $10 bills are scheduled to be released by the end of 2013.

→ I beliebe
Thanks to a special gift from a generous young man, six-year-old Aleisha Hunter from Toronto will get to see Justin Bieber, her idol. Hunter, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at three years old, told CBC that listening to Bieber helped her endure her treatments. Thanks to five-year-old fellow Bieber fan, Jacob Leon, Hunter will get to see her idol perform on stage when he comes to Toronto. Leon said he gave his tickets away because he wanted to make somebody else happy. “Jacob is a different kind of five-year-old,” said his mother Devon. “He is the most giving, caring, helpful child.” It began when Jacob raised money for Pencils of Promise, a charity Bieber supports and led Leon to the idea.

→ Energy high
After a scare in the U.S. in relation to health problems associated with the 5-Hour Energy drink brand, Canada wants to renew calls for strengthened supervision on energy drinks. The American Food and Drug Administration has categorized many situations potentially linked to the 5-Hour Energy drinks (and others) associated with death and cardiac arrest since 2009. “We’ve been quite concerned about overuse or abuse of these seemingly natural products that are not as regulated as we want them to be. We want some regulation,” said Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, the CEO for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit. Health Canada has already started regulating new standards and energy drinks, reporting that as of this year, caffeine content will be mandatory.

→ Some constructive criticism
Marisol Simoes, the owner of an Ottawa restaurant, was sentenced to three months in jail and a two-year probation after she was declared guilty of libel against a food critic. Simoes was found guilty in September for sending offensive emails to the boss of Elayna Katz after Katz had published bad reviews of Simoes’ restaurant, Mambo Nuevo Latino, in 2009. Following the verdict, Katz told CBC that cyberbullying doesn’t only affect adolescents. Simoes has to take an anger management course, receive counseling and perform 200 hours of community service.

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World in Brief
by Matthew Guité

→ Tensions mounting
Renewed attacks between Israel and Gaza have left dozens dead and the death toll mounting each day. Israel began bombarding Gaza and has prepared troops for a possible ground invasion, and Gaza has continued to fire short-range rockets into Israel. Israel claims to have hit over 200 targets in Gaza, including political offices, rocket sites and military bases. The United Kingdom and Egypt have both warned Israel against a ground invasion, but U.S. President Barack Obama said that his government is “fully supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself.”

→ Like giving crack to a baby
Don’t throw the cocaine out with the trick-or-treaters. That may not be how the saying goes but it is the reality of one man in the United Kingdom who was arrested for accidentally giving out bags of cocaine to children on Halloween. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the children’s father was an off-duty policeman. Talk about bad luck. The 23-year-old defendant was ordered to complete 130 hours of community service as well as paying a fine of 145 pounds.

→ Adopt a gargoyle
A cathedral in Milan has put its gargoyles up for adoption in the hopes of raising much-needed funds for renovations. Anyone who wishes to ‘adopt’ a gargoyle will have their name engraved underneath for a donation of at least 100,000 euros. The cathedral’s management are hoping to raise 25 million euros after the government cut its funding to the cathedral as part of ongoing austerity measures. Eight donations have already been made.

→ A deadly collision
Up to 50 children died in Egypt after a school bus taking them to kindergarten was hit by a speeding train. Barriers had not been lowered when the train was about to pass, resulting in the bus driving through just as the train arrived. The crossing guard who was allegedly asleep at the time has been arrested and Egypt’s transport minister has resigned along with the head of the railway authority. Eyewitnesses said that the force of the crash tore the bus in two. Families of the victims have begun searching for their children’s remains, but reports from the crash site indicate that many of the victims are unrecognizable.

City in Brief
by Matthew Guité

→ Some friendly competition
Montreal will soon have a second English-language AM talk radio station once again, as the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved an application on Friday for such a station at 600 AM. The application, filed by a trio of local businessmen who had a French-language AM station approved last year, will have a commitment to fill its programming with 100 per cent local content. The businessmen, Nicolas Tétrault, Rajiv Pancholy and Paul Tietolman, said that both stations are expected to open next spring and will create roughly 150 jobs. According to Tietolman, the English station will be run by Steve Kowch, a former program director at CJAD.

→ A Sherbrooke explosion
An enormous explosion at an industrial plant in Sherbrooke that killed three workers and injured 18 others is still being investigated as its cause remains unknown. The explosion was big enough to be heard for kilometres, and left a large black cloud of smoke hanging over the processing plant for hours. Mayor Bernard Sévigny of Sherbrooke told CBC that it was a tragedy, and that their flag was being flown at half-mast in memory of those injured and killed by the explosion. The hospital director of Sherbrooke University Hospital Centre, where most of those injured were treated, has said that almost all the workers who were brought in have now been released.

→ A new way to remember
A collection of notes, letters and photographs documenting the movements and activities of McGill University staff and graduates involved in World War II was unveiled Sunday for Remembrance Day. The collection was originally compiled by R. C. Fetherstonhaugh, who took on the job for the McGill War Records Office, and was packed away after his death in 1946. Over the past several years, volunteers scanned and uploaded all the information to a digital archive to preserve it. The collection includes article clippings, photographs, and letters and is available online as part of the ‘McGill Remembers’ project.

→ Fire in the Old Port
A massive fire in Old Montreal destroyed the upper levels of a St-Jacques St. building on Thursday, and forced the offices of La Presse across the street to evacuate. The building, located at 31 St. Jacques St. W., was undergoing renovations when the fire started just after 6 p.m., and was therefore vacant. Approximately 70 firefighters dealt with the blaze which started on the sixth floor for unknown reasons. Although asked to investigate, the Montreal Police stressed that this does not necessarily mean the fire is criminal in nature.

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Nation in Brief
by Matthew Guité

→ A phishy nation
The Public Safety Department is worried that Canada is becoming a launching pad for malicious cyber attacks according documents obtained by The Canadian Press. The notes say that the origin place for cyber attacks is shifting to more developed countries “with good reputations.” The notes, which were written by Brett Kubicek, manager of research and academic relations of the department, stress that Canada may be moving from being a target to becoming a host. Last spring, Websense ranked Canada as the number two place in the world for hosting phishing sites, with the United States as number one.

→ That’s not what it’s for
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is investigating an incident at a New Brunswick high school after a teacher allegedly used hockey tape to tape together the arms of two girls who were not getting along. The incident, which left both girls bruised, sparked outrage from their parents. The father of one girl has filed a complaint with the police. The teacher in question declined to comment but Heather Smith, president of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association, told CBC that she was disturbed by the fact that people were considering the teacher guilty before an investigation.

→ A more thoughtful Canada
More Canadians planned to observe Remembrance Day this year, including attending ceremonies and holding two minutes of silence, according to an Ipsos Reid poll. Apparently 30 per cent of respondents made formal plans to attend a Remembrance Day event, compared to 22 per cent in 2010, and 80 per cent planned to observe two minutes of silence compared to 75 per cent in 2010. Anthony Wilson-Smith, president of the Historica-Dominion Institute, told The Canadian Press that the poll reflected the fact that Canadians were paying more attention than before and that a new generation of veterans from Afghanistan also influenced the increase.

→ A breach of trust
A former psychiatrist has had his license revoked by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia due to allegations of sexual misconduct. Dr. Bolarinwa Olutosin Oluwole was a staff psychiatrist for two years at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital until he was fired in 2010 after three of his patients alleged that he had engaged in acts of sexual misconduct with them, two citing sexual intercourse. Oluwole was accused of keeping inappropriate sexual items in his office, such as condoms and sexually explicit photographs. The college has removed his name from their register.

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World in Brief
by Robin Della Corte

→ The end of the banana war
A twenty-year long trade dispute over the international trade of bananas has finally been resolved. The agreement was reached after the European Union agreed to slowly reduce the tariffs on Latin American bananas. Pascal Lamy, the director-general of the World Trade Organization, claims it was a “truly historic moment” in the battle. The EU and 10 Latin American countries signed the agreement to end eight separate WTO cases. “After so many twists and turns, these complicated and politically contentious disputes can finally be put to bed,” Lamy told BBC.

→ Above and beyond
China plans to launch a manned space mission with a crew consisting of a woman and two men, according to state media. The announcement comes a few months after a Chinese space shuttle took part in the country’s first space docking mission. The shuttle also carried China’s first female astronaut, Liu Yang. The launch could take place as early as next June according the deputy commander-in-chief of the manned space program. China became the third country to send a person into space in 2003.

→ What about BlackBerry?
The Samsung Galaxy S3 outsold Apple’s iPhone 4S for the first time ever in South Korea becoming the world’s best-selling smartphone according to research firm Strategy Analytics. Samsung sold 18 million models in comparison with Apple’s 16.2 million in the third quarter of 2012. While the S3 is popular for now, the iPhone 5 will likely reclaim the throne of the worlds most sought-after phone. Meanwhile, the two companies are locked in contentious legal battles over software and infringement claims.

→ No more Tobacco
It has been confirmed by Sainsbury’s that tobacco will be removed from sales at another six of its supermarkets in Scotland following the government implementing a supplementary tax on stores selling cigarettes and alcohol. The company already had four stores that do not sell these products before the policy came into force on Monday, Nov. 12. Approximately 240 stores in Scotland are going to be affected by the government’s aim to reduce alcohol and tobacco related harm. The charge only applies to stores that are valued at over $475,000.

City in Brief
by Kalina Laframboise

→ Zero tolerance for corruption, collusion and construct
In her inaugural speech on Oct. 31, Premier Pauline Marois emphasized the need to end the misconduct plaguing the provincial government with an anti-corruption bill. The following day, the Parti Quebecois tabled a bill that will impose a rigorous screening process for companies vying for contracts. The bill aims to ensure the integrity of potential contractors and keep tabs on them throughout the construction process. Marois emphasized that the first few weeks of her time as Quebec’s premier would be devoted to ending corruption and condemning dishone

→ I’m never eating there again
Last week, the neurology clinic at the Jewish General Hospital closed due to an outbreak of the norovirus. The infection sprouted from the coffee shop, where hundreds of staff members, patients and visitors eat on a daily basis. Approximately 45 people from the hospital fell ill with flu-like symptoms such as diarrhea, cramps, and fever. After several staff members from the neurology clinic became sick, the clinic was closed for half of Thursday and all of Friday. The coffee shop will remain closed until the specific reason for the outbreak can be determined.

→ Let there be light
Most people working in the theatre don’t choose that path to strike it rich. Usually, it’s the exact opposite. Not for Robert Thomson though. According to CBC, Thomson has been named the recipient of the 2012 Elinore & Lou Siminovitch Prize in Theatre, which is reportedly the largest theatre award of its kind in Canada. In its 12th year, the prize awarded the lucky lighting designer $75,000 and an additional $25,000 for two young designers he works with. Thomson is working on a production of Red at Montreal’s Segal Centre right now, which premieres Nov. 2

→ But Quebec is where the party’s at
New Democratic Party members were split on forming a provincial party for Quebec in a meeting in Montreal this Saturday. Those in favour of the formation argued that it would provide left leaning voters with an alternative to the sovereign parties while other members emphasized the need to focus on dominating the federal election in 2015. The priority for the federal party members is to oust the Conservative Party from power. Party Leader Thomas Mulcair announced the possible creation of a provincial wing but backtracked when the Parti Quebecois won a minority provincial government on Sept. 4 opting for resources to be spent on the federal initiatives instead.

– – – – –

Nation in Brief
by Robin Della Corte

→ 18 and legal
The Saskatchewan Party is considering changing the province’s liquor laws by lowering the legal drinking age from 19 to 18. Members of the party voted in favour of the new drinking age at the party’s annual convention in Saskatoon last weekend. The main arguments rose from issues of fairness where provinces like Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec have a legal drinking age of 18. Saskatchewan Party MLA Donna Harpauer is not a fan of the idea because she believes teen drinking is a problem and because the majority of 18-year-olds are still in high school. This issue still needs to be voted on in the legislature to become law, CBC News reported

→ Cat city
Toronto’s animal shelters are overcrowded and more cats than ever are roaming the streets of the city due to a warm spring. An estimated 300,000 cats are on Toronto’s streets, Barbara Steinhoff of the Toronto Humane Society told CBC. In a year, there are between 100,00 and 300,000 cats without homes. This year it’s at its extreme high and although shelters are full, dozens of cats arrive each day. Two Toronto shelters are lowering adoption fees to help encourage giving cats a home.

→ Girl look at this body
Sam, a six-year-old lab in Windsor, Ont. shed half of his weight from sticking to a workout regime. Arriving at the Humane Society in January, Sam was overweight at a whopping 174 pounds. A lack of exercise and excessive eating led to Sam’s appearance. Following a vet’s conclusion that there was no medical reason behind his excessive weight gain, Sam was then sent to a foster home where he started an exercise program and ate special food. Sam is now 96 pounds and is active and is able to run and play with other dogs.

→ Halloween horror
She made a vow when she put them on and now, she’s made a vow to never take them off. A woman in Nova Scotia said she will never take off her wedding ring again. While Bonnie Pick-Melanson carved pumpkins with her son, she took off her rings so they wouldn’t get sticky. When they were done, she wrapped up all the newspapers and put them into the garbage, not realizing she was throwing out her rings as well. When she noticed her jewelry was missing, she called Valley Waste Resource Management Hotline and Dale Roberts, the curbside inspector, was able to contact the driver and stop him in the middle of his route. After many staff members were searching frantically for the rings valued at $15,000, they found it with the description Pick-Melanson gave.

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World in Brief
by Matthew Guité

→ Worst building ever
North Korea’s ‘Hotel of Doom’, the multi-storey hotel that dominates Pyonyang’s skyline, may finally open its doors next year after 25 years of construction. The hotel, which began construction in 1987 and slated for completion in 1989, has been a source of embarrassment for the regime following numerous problems with the building. In 2008 Esquire dubbed it “hideously ugly, even by communist standards.” Despite original plans for more than 3,000 hotel rooms and three revolving restaurants, the hotel is now expected to open for about 150 rooms, all of them on the top floor of the building. The group which will be managing the hotel has also stated it expects to house shops and restaurants on the lower levels.

→ Pin-up coffins
A Polish coffin maker has stirred up controversy by putting together a pin-up calendar to help sell more coffins. The calendar features topless models in and around coffins, with one shot featuring a model lounging in a coffin and another with a model pulling out a dead man’s heart. The calendar is intended to highlight “the beauty of Polish girls and the beauty of our coffins” according to Zbigniew Lindner, the owner of the business, who also said that the calendar was his son’s idea. “We wanted to show that a coffin isn’t a religious symbol. Its a product,” he told Reuters. “Why are people afraid of coffins and not of business suits, cosmetics or jewelry?”

→ Where’s the humour in that?
A pair of newspaper reporters are facing criminal charges in Kyrgyzstan after they kidnapped and threatened to kill a popular television presenter as part of a practical joke. They kidnapped Nazira Aytbekova at gunpoint and drove her out to a wasteland where they forced her to strip to her underwear. According to BBC, Aytbekova was ordered to sing and refused. The men then told her they were going to kill her, and told her to say her last words. They used a mobile phone to record the ordeal before finally revealing themselves as journalists. Aytbekova has described herself as being “shaken and humiliated” by the incident. Both journalists have apologized for their actions and have been fired.

→ The price to pay for not paying
A court in Illinois sentenced a man to pay a $1.5-million fine for pirating and torrenting 10 gay porn films, the largest ever fine for such a crime. Kywan Fisher, the man accused of sharing the films, did not defend himself in court, which is believed to be the reason for the steep fine. The studio Flava Works also pursued 14 others for file sharing but the charges were dropped due to lack of evidence. During the trial the lawyer for Flava Works explained that each copy of their movies that is purchased has a secret digital code embedded in it, and that the code in the torrented films all match the codes of the copies that Fisher purchased on their website. The films were downloaded from torrent sites 3,449 times and the damages awarded to Flava Works are for $150,000 for each film that Fisher shared.

City in Brief
by Kalina Laframboise

→ Watch out, white collar criminals
Premier Pauline Marois will address corruption when the Quebec National Assembly opens a new session this Wednesday. As one of its top priorities, the provincial government plans to close loopholes in Bill 35 following the revelations of corruption and collusion with the construction industry during the ongoing Charbonneau Commission. A new bill could be presented as early as this week, in order to fight corruption and force contractors to be more honest by implementing stricter rules and mechanisms in order to win a contract from municipal authorities.

→ Time to invest in a train pass
Commuters, prepare for more traffic headaches. The Honoré-Mercier bridge, which connects Châteauguay and the Island of Montreal, will undergo more construction for an undetermined amount of time. The Gazette reported that while work continues on the federally owned side of the bridge and is slated for completion in 2014, the provincial side expects an additional five years of work and has no target date for completion. Construction started in 2008 to fix the decrepit bridge that is used by 80,000 commuters daily. Repeated lane closures often snarl traffic on the bridge, extending to the west and downtown.

→ …Or not
Public transit users will see their monthly passes rise from $75.50 to $77.75 in January 2012. The Societé de Transport de Montréal will increase the costs of a three-day pass to $18 from $16, and offer a new option for a weekend unlimited pass for $12 that will cover commuters from Friday evening until Monday morning. The express bus to Montreal’s Pierre-Elliot Trudeau airport will cost nine dollars as will the unlimited day pass. The STM has steadily increased monthly rates since 2002, when a pass was $50.

→ Say goodbye to your employee discount
Pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced it will cut 300 jobs nationwide, but mostly in Montreal. The company’s headquarters, located west of Montreal in Kirkland, will see a large number of employees dismissed due to restructuring process. The layoffs account for nearly 11 per cent of the company’s total number of employees. Pfizer has 2,700 employees in Canada and approximately 1,800 in Quebec. The company recently underwent a multimillion dollar renovation, with a $2.7-million contribution from the provincial government.

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Nation in Brief
by Robin Della Corte

→ Losers in Canada
After its fourth draw, no one has claimed the winning ticket for the $50-million Lotto Max jackpot in Canada. “Fifty MaxMillions prizes of $1-million each were up for grabs in Friday night’s draw, and there are winning tickets for 24 of them,” the Canadian Press reported. There were nine winning tickets sold in western Canada, six in Ontario, four in Quebec, and one in Atlantic Canada. The next jackpot for Lotto Max on Nov. 2 will remain at $50 million and, again, there will be 50 MaxMillions prizes for the taking.

→ Bar refuses to serve black customers
A group of individuals claim they were refused entrance at a bar in Gatineau, QC because they were black. According to a video posted online, the bouncer at Le Fou du Roi can be heard telling the group that black people who were not regulars could not be admitted inside. Brigit Vanhoutte, co-owner of the bar, apologized for the incident and told CBC that the bouncer has been suspended due to the situation that occurred and that the bar does not ban black customers from the premises.

→ I’m stealin’ it
Investigators in Moncton, N.B. said a man walked into a McDonald’s at around 3 a.m. last Saturday morning claiming he had a weapon and demanded money. Eyewitnesses claim no weapon was seen, but saw the accused leaving with food and an unknown amount of money. Police reported that the description of the suspect was vague and confirmed no one was hurt at the scene of the robbery.

→ Punch drunk love
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police were called to the Halifax Stanfield International Airport last Friday night after a passenger punched a flight attendant. Police reported that a 24-year-old male passenger became aggressive during the plane’s descent. According to Sgt. Mike Lidstone, several passengers stepped in and subdued the individual until police were able to detain him allowing the plane to land without further incident. The accused will undergo a psychiatric assessment.

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World in Brief
by Matthew Guité

→ A different kind of Woodstock
A New Zealand woman has admitted to feeding her three-month-old baby cannabis through her breast milk. The mother, 29, plead guilty to giving a controlled substance to an individual under the age of 18. She was sentenced to six months supervision, and her partner was also sentenced for crimes related to the same police raid. The Whanganui District Court said her actions amounted to child abuse. “People often believe drug-related activities are victimless,” Acting Senior Sergeant Andrew McDonald said, “But it affects the people around them.”

→ Can I have some more, sir?
Undergraduate students of Magdalen College, a member of the Oxford University group, are boycotting their dining hall’s services over new plans that would see students paying more than £150, or $241, annually to eat there. Students would pay the fee to use the canteen and would be required to buy a food card for another £150 which, if not spent by the end of the year, would not be refunded. Students have set up food kitchens and organized home cooking sessions to help feed other students.

→ To serve and protect?
A New York city police officer has been charged with conspiring to kidnap, cook and eat women. Gilberto Valle III kept the names, locations and personal information of women he had been surveilling on his computer including pictures as well as the locations and personal details of some of them. The accused officer had begun surveillance of the homes and places of employment of some of the women, and compiled a document titled “Abduction and Cooking: A Blueprint”. In an online conversation, reported by Reuters, with an unknown conspirator, Valle described how he was “thinking of tying [his victim’s] body onto some kind of apparatus … cook her over a low heat, keep her alive as long as possible.” The maximum sentence could be life in prison.

→ Killer lit
An employee at the Porter County Public Library in Valparaiso, IL, opened a book to find an interesting story inside. The book, Outbridge Reach by Robert Stone, was hollowed out and a handgun was tucked neatly away inside. Valparaiso police said the old weapon was a gold, A.S.M. brand black powder gun with a wooden handle . As the the library receives several donations, employees were unable to identify who gave the handgun and book. However, police said the gun wasn’t reported as stolen.

City in Brief
by Matthew Guité

→ Construction, collusion and city engineers
Gilles Surprenant, a former engineer for the City of Montreal, corroborated testimony by former construction boss Lino Zambito and admitted to accepting upwards of $600,000 in kickbacks throughout an almost 20-year period. About $130,000 was handed in to the Charbonneau Commission as evidence, and Suprenant admitted that he gambled away more than half the remaining amount during the years out of guilt. Zambito had previously testified that he, alone, had given upwards of $100,000 to Surprenant over the years from construction contracts.

→ Je n’en ai aucune idée
Contradictory statements have been made by the Parti Québécois’ cabinet ministers on whether or not Bill 101 is to be extended to cover daycare centres. Family Minister Nicole Léger originally told reporters that Bill 101 was going to change and that the extension would have plenty of support. However, Diane De Courcy, the provincial Minister of Language, Immigration and Cultural Communities rejected the idea the next day. De Courcy said there are currently no plans to extend Bill 101 to daycares as they are viewed as an extension of the home and a person’s mother tongue. According to De Courcy, while it is important that children are exposed to French, they should not be restricted from using their mother tongue.

→ Slapshot to the ego
Bell Canada Enterprises Inc.’s $3.4-billion deal was rejected by Canada’s federal broadcast regulator on the grounds that it is not beneficial to Canadians. Newly installed Commissioner Jean-Pierre Blais made clear his opinion of the deal, which would have transferred TSN 690, CHOM and other Astral Media radio and television stations into the hands of Bell. Blais also said that had the deal gone forward, BCE would have controlled 45 per cent of English television and 35 per cent of French programming, while becoming the largest radio operator in Canada. Another factor in the decision was that BCE provided no commitment to local programming or helping emerging local artists.

→ Bylaw bites back
The City of Montreal proposed a new bylaw that would grant owners of pets deemed dangerous 72 hours to contest the decision. Currently, pet owners are only allotted 24 hours to contest. An animal behaviour expert would need to examine and clear the animal within the 72 hours in order to avoid euthanizing the animal. The bylaw is one new measure in an attempt to reduce the number of euthanized animals, which is approximately 14,000 annually in Montreal. The city has also announced it will spend $23 million to build a new animal shelter in order to reduce the number of animals sent to the widely criticized Berger Blanc.

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Nation in Brief
by Robin Della Corte

→ Heeere’s Stephen!
High school students were shocked to see horror expert Stephen King in their school library last Friday for a pre-Halloween surprise in Sussex, N.B.. King’s visit followed after the students’ year-long campaign to have the novelist visit their school by Halloween 2012. King, the author of many horror novels such as The Shining and Carrie sat with 18 students in the school’s library and provided words of wisdom to aspiring writers. He later spoke to 80 students in the auditorium about his experience as a high school teacher and the inspirations behind his work.

→ Step up
Participants climbed 1,776 steps last Saturday for The 2012 Enbridge CN Tower Climb for United Way. The goal was to raise $2.5 million to improve social conditions and health agencies. In its 35th year, the unconventional fundraiser is the United Way’s biggest annual event. The entire event included 11,000 climbers for a trip that usually takes 58 seconds by elevator. “The money is all going back into the community,” United Way Toronto vice-president of marketing Louise Bellingham told the Toronto Star. “It funds a vital network of social services and community agencies.”

→ Fat and stupid!?
According to research done by University of California, sugar doesn’t just make you fat, but now may make you stupid. A high-fructose diet disrupts the brain’s cognitive abilities, which evidently leads to poor learning and memory retention. The study, done by Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a neurosurgery professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. In an interview with the Toronto Star, Gomez-Pinilla said that “our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think.”

→ Give her a break
Hélène Campbell, an Ottawa woman known for her campaigns promoting organ donations now says she is experiencing complications while recovering from her double lung transplant. Campbell wrote in a blog post that although her lungs are working well, her blood “isn’t doing a good job of carrying the oxygen.” Campbell was diagnosed a year ago with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable and degenerative lung disease. She underwent transplant surgery last April and gained publicity with her campaign to raise awareness for the high need for organ donations in Canada. Campbell intends to continue with her organ advocacy work, which aided in the spike in organ donations.

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World in Brief
by Matthew Guité

→ No more bloody Sundays
Scotland and England agreed to the terms of a Scottish referendum on independence, including when the vote will be held. British Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond met in Edinburgh to hash out the details of the upcoming vote, which would see Scots heading to the polls in autumn 2014 to answer a simple yes or no question: “Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?” If a majority agree, it would mark the beginnings of independence for Scotland, and though negotiations with the British government would be necessary, it would be difficult for the Cameron to deny the Scottish people their demands for their own country.

→ It’s a sword, it’s a weapon…it’s a cane?
British police have been forced to apologize to a blind man for tasing him after they mistook his white cane for a samurai sword. Colin Farmer was walking around the northern English town of Chorley when he heard voices calling out for him to stop. Farmer continued walking, as he was worried that they may have been hooligans. It was then that police shot him with a 50,000 volt stun gun, held him down and handcuffed his hands behind his back. After doing so, the officers finally realized that Farmer was blind and he was not carrying a samurai sword as had been reported to them. Farmer was taken to hospital for treatment and the incident has been reported to a police watchdog organization for further investigation.

→ A slippery suspect
An Atlantic Spanish Mackerel was taken into custody by Florida police after it fell from the sky and hit a teacher on the head. Presumably dropped by a passing bird, the fish apparently hit the woman. The incident also prompted a humorous police report, titled “Fishy incident at Naples High School,” which was posted to Facebook. The report refers to the fish as “Mack” and includes such excerpts as “[Mack] was found lying on the ground possibly attempting to conceal himself out in the open. I took control of the suspect without incident and escorted him to the clinic where he was positively identified by the victim,” and “Suspect “Mack” was escorted back to my office, where I advised him of Miranda warning. He “clammed up” (being from the ocean) and refused to answer any questions or make any statements.” The report mentions that the suspect may be charged with battery on a school employee, and that officers will keep an eye out for flying pigs as well.

→ I bet it tastes like victory
Mort Bank, who used to own several McDonald’s restaurants in North Dakota, sold a 20-year-old Michael Jordan BBQ sauce container for $10,000 to a buyer.The promotional item was used on McJordan burgers, named for basketball icon, Michael Jordan. It was sold in limited markets in the 1990s due to Jordan’s six National Basketball Association championships with the Chicago Bulls.“It was in my basement and I would look at it occasionally,” Bank told The Bismarck Tribune. “I thought it would be worth something someday.” Bank advertised the item on eBay. The buyer of the item has not been revealed by Bank.

City in Brief
by Kalina Laframboise

→ Ici, on parle en français
In a controversial move, the Parti Québécois aims to cut back English classes in elementary schools and provide a more developed curriculum on the province’s history, with a special focus on sovereignty. Education Minister Marie Malavoy wants to eliminate mandatory English courses for grades one and two, earning backlash from the opposition for trying to politicize the education system in Quebec. Malavoy argued that secondary students need a greater understanding of Quebec nationalism. Furthermore, the PQ government plans to delay intensive English courses in grade six implemented by the former Charest government.

→ What the hell was that?
A small earthquake hit the Montreal region just after midnight Wednesday, forcing residents awake and a mass influx of calls to local police. The tremor lasted a few seconds and while no damage was reported, a few sleepy civilians bolted from their dwellings. The earthquake was measured at 4.5 magnitude on the Richter scale and could even be felt as far as Ottawa. Surprisingly, no damage was done to Montreal’s crumbling infrastructures such as the Champlain Bridge, the Turcot Interchange and the Jacques Cartier Bridge according to The Gazette. No injuries were reported.

→ A different kind of protest
Approximately 80 people marched in support of privatized daycare following the announcement of additional funding promised by the Parti Québécois government to the public daycare system. Protesters said they wanted more funding for private childcare instead of the plan to open more public daycare centres. Premier Pauline Marois promised to provide 15,000 extra spots in the public system. Those in attendance, including parents and private daycare owners, said that the provincial government should help them fill space. The plan is expected to cost the PQ $177,000,000.

→ Mental health awareness
Thousands gathered at the Walk for Mental Health to raise awareness, funding for health services, and eliminate the stigma surrounding mental illness. Supporters gathered at Phillips Square at 11 a.m. Sunday, to kick off the fourth annual event before heading west. The honorary president of the walk, Margaret Trudeau, the wife of former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, encouraged those in attendance to seek help if they, or someone they knew, were battling mental illness. Trudeau suffered a long and widely publicized bout of depression. It’s estimated that 20 per cent of Canadians are afflicted with mental illness.

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Nation in Brief
by Kalina Laframboise

→ What’s in a name?
Ontario community colleges are hoping to rebrand three-year diplomas as degrees and create new three-year programs in order to attract more international students and provide more credibility for college graduates. The call for the name change was proposed by Linda Franklin, president of Colleges Ontario, in response to Ontario’s discussion paper to potential provincial reforms to the post-secondary education system. Certain four-year programs completed at the college level are currently called degrees while two and three-year programs remain diplomas.

→ Make a decision already
XL Foods, Canada’s second largest meat processing plant, temporarily laid off 2,000 employees Saturday only to recall 800 the next day so that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency can continue its review. The largest beef recall in Canada has led to an estimated 15 cases of E.coli after approximately 1,800 products were recalled. The Alberta plant’s license was immediately suspended on Sept. 27 after several Canadians reported being ill from the tainted beef. CFIA announced that the plant could be fully functional in the upcoming week and shipping meat across North America in the next 10 days.

→ Don’t get any ideas, Mom
In a weird social experiment, a Calgary mom abandoned her household duties for six days to teach her children a lesson. Jessica Stilwell let the dishes pile up and the laundry go unwashed until her messy daughters accepted responsibility for their actions and apologized for being disorderly. The parenting experiment was documented on Stilwell’s blog, garnering national and international attention and kudos, in an effort to have her children clean up after themselves. Stilwell and her husband helped their daughters wash and scrub the house after they apologized for being messy.

→ Baiting the opposition
Alice Wong, a Conservative Party member of parliament, is facing scrutiny after throwing her support behind serving shark fin soup in Richmond, B.C.. Activists consider shark fin soup as an act of animal cruelty and a threat to the world’s shark population. They were upset following Wong’s decision to back restaurant owner David Chung for serving the delicacy. In a press conference with Asian media, Wong vowed to fight the ban of shark fin and went on to eat some of soup. Numerous cities in Vancouver have already banned the delicacy.
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World in Brief
by Kalina Laframboise

→ A bad judgment call
Following a national outbreak of meningitis, Florida Governor Rick Scott inadvertently provided the phone number for a sex hotline instead of the correct number for information on the disease. During a cabinet meeting last week, Scott announced the toll-free number that was later revealed to be the wrong number by a concerned caller. A woman’s voice on a message recording thanked callers for their thoughtfulness on her anniversary. The mix up led to several confused civilians reaching very different services. The phone number was quickly corrected.

→ I hope that squirrel was worth it
A Michigan resident allegedly using a propane torch to cook a squirrel on his balcony in Holland Township may be responsible for burning down eight units of an apartment complex. The individual was supposedly trying to remove the fur on the deck of his third-floor apartment when the entire deck caught fire. Flames spread to the roof, destroying eight units and damaging 24 additional units at the Clearview Apartments with smoke and water damage. Although the identity of the man remains unknown, the fire department believes he was preparing to eat the squirrel.

→ Good things come in small packages
A contest in Denmark is calling for men with small appendages to send their photos for an online competition to win a free iPhone. Men are asked to submit a photo of their erect penis with measuring tape beside it. The contest has already gathered six applicants and is slated to finish at the end of January 2013. The online contest is sponsored by erotica website Singlesex.dk in an effort to prove that men with small penises have nothing to be ashamed of. Members of the female sex will determine the winners and judge the photos. The second and third place winners will take home an iPad.

→ The trouble with quadrillions
A phone company issued a $15-quadrillion phone bill to a woman in the Bordeaux region of France following the cancellation of her contract in late September. Solenne San Jose was informed that what she owed would be automatically withdrawn from her account. Bouygues Telecom service representatives told San Jose there was nothing they could do, and one agent even told her to pay the amount in million-dollar installments. San Jose spent several hours on the phone trying to convince the representatives that there must be an error before her actual bill revealed that she owed $149.