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Protest at Plan Nord conference

The city of Montreal is faced another scene reminiscent of last spring’s student protests.

This time around, the protestors say they are against plans for new mining projects in northern Quebec, reports the Gazette.

On Saturday, the second day of protests against those plans, demonstrators rallied outside a job fair at the city’s convention centre.

Police arrested thirty-six people in relation to the protests.

Thirty-two of them will be charged with unlawful assembly, with nine of those being minors.

And four of them will be charged for assaulting an officer.

Police spokesperson Ian Lafrenière said at least one window was smashed and a flare gun was fired inside the building.

He said the police tolerate protests, but not criminal acts like that.

On Friday, officials declared the get-together illegal as soon as it started because there was no protest route given beforehand.

Lafrenière said no one has been seriously injured.

Central American countries declare agricultural emergencies

Coffee Beans

Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica have declared states of agricultural emergencies after a fungus called Coffee rust has caused trees to lose their leaves and produce fewer beans.

According to the BBC, coffee is Guatemala's main export meaning that hundreds of thousands of jobs are at stake. So far 70 per cent of the country’s crops have been infected.

Guatemala is releasing over 13-million dollars in emergency aid to help farmers fight the fungus.  A rise in temperature and more humidity is said to be the cause of the outbreak.

Flickr Photo by: aaronHwarren

STORY WRITTEN BY: NATASHA TAGGART

Interview With Holy Grail on Grade A Explosives This Sunday

Are you liking the new resurgence of Traditional Heavy Metal that has been going around?  Well, maybe you should tune in Sunday from 4-6PM to Grade A Explosives when Andrew talks to some of the fine gentleman in Holy Grail, one of the bands at the forefront.  He'll talk with them about touring in Montreal, race in regards to metal, and, of course, Chupacabras.

 

As if that isn't enough for your Sunday, after listening to another heap of metal offered by Burnt Offerings from 6-8PM, you can listen to a brand new show called The Noisy Loft from 8-9PM.  Oh, and yeah, since it's his first show, he'll be giving away a pair of tickets to see Cancer Bats at La Tulipe on February 12th, because he's a good dude like that.

 

So, listen on Sunday for a great block of metal from 4-9PM and win stuff.  What could be better?

February 8, 2013

Hosted by: Saturn De Los Angeles

Stories by: Carlo Spiridigliozzi, Catlin Spencer & Alyssa Tremblay

Produced by: Catlin Spencer

February 7, 2013

Hosted by: Catlin Spencer

Stories by: Alyssa Tremblay, Chloe Deneumoustier & Saturn De Los Angeles

Produced by: Jenna Monney-Lupert

China OKs plan to bridge rich/poor

Cabinet officials in China have given the O-K to a new set of economic reforms that will help bridge the income divide between the country’s rich and poor people. 

In a report by The Guardian newspaper, The Chinese government's State Council approved an Income Distribution Plan to ensure that its citizens can get equal footing on earning money.

Proposals in the 35-point reform plan include raising rural worker's wages, tax state-owned enterprises and giving interest rate incentives for bank savings accounts.

The plan also aims to improve China’s education, healthcare and affordable housing conditions. 

The communist-ruled government made earlier efforts, but accounts of undeclared income and an unpopular response to introduce property taxes hampered efforts to draft the plan until last November (2012).

The reforms were approved shortly after that China’s statistics office reported a rise in the number of countryside-based poor people compared to the more prosperous and city-bound middle class.

The Gini co-efficient indicates a country's rich - poor divide. China’s score was past the pegged warning level set by the United Nations by point-47 points with a reading of zero-.4-7-4.

STORY WRITTEN BY: SATURN DE LOS ANGELES

Canada needs to review possibility of Tariff reductions

Hon. Jim Flaherty

Canada needs to review its policies on tariffs and import taxes according to a report done by a committee of Canadian senators.

The report’s main focus was why Canadians pay more for the same product than Americans said the CBC.

The report listed transportation costs, a small Canadian market and tariffs as the main reasons for the price discrepancies.

According to the report, tariff reductions could help lower Canadian prices.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced at a recent press conference that he would like to eliminate tariffs going forward.

Flickr Photo by: Ontario Chamber of Commerce

STORY WRITTEN BY: CHLOE DENEUMOUSTIER

Cegep professors threaten to boycott summit on higher education

Cégep de Victoriaville et stade Yvon-Paré

CEGEP professors are threatening to boycott the Quebec government’s higher education summit.

The fédération nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Québec announced that it’s fighting with government over $31 million dollars in unpaid wages.

According to the Montreal Gazette, 180 extra professors were hired in August and September of last year to teach make-up classes after the student strike.

Union president Caroline Senneville said the government initially promised to foot the entire bill.

Now Quebec’s higher education department is only offering to pay $15 million dollars – just under half the total costs.

CEGEP professors aren’t the only group thinking of boycotting the summit.

Representatives from the Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante said that the student group may not attend unless the government is willing to seriously discuss free tuition. 

The summit is scheduled for the end of February.

Flickr Photo by: VilledeVicto

STORY WRITTEN BY: ALYSSA TREMBLAY

CJLO Photo Diary << Igloofest << January 17-19

 

Photos and text by AutoBeat DJ MNJIVR 

The 2013 edition of Igloofest kicked off in grand style at the Jacques-Cartier Pier in the Old-Port on January 17th. After last year's hugely successful and record-breaking edition, Igloofest once again boasts an impressive line-up of the biggest names in the local and international scenes. Throw on your one-piece snowsuits, break out those tuques, and shake off the winter blues because an extra weekend has been added to the festival! But first, here's a rundown of weekend one.


Igloofest, Vieux-Port de Montréal

 

January 17th: OPENING NIGHT!

Up and coming Montreal DJ Richie G kicked off the fest on Thursday with a two-hour set that made festival-goers quickly forget the frigid temperatures. Laced with tech and deep house tracks, Richie G showed festival goers why DMC World Magazine named him "Montreal's Boy Wonder". 


Richie G

I've had the chance to cover Igloofest numerous times, and its summer counterpart, Piknic Électronik, but this was the first time I had heard such a varied musical selection by Wolf + Lamb. The duo, also head of the eponymous record label, opened with a track from Nicolas Jaar


Wolf + Lamb

But the first night belonged to our very own Misstress Barbara. This Montreal native topped off a superb night with a high-energy set. Never letting go of the throttle, her set made a sea of fans dance and completely forget the cold -25 degree Celsius temperature. Best way to end the night!


Misstress Barbara

 

January 18th: MORE COLD AND SNOW AND MORE GREAT MUSIC

Fur Trade Recordings, my favourite Montreal record label, took over the Virgin Mobile Igloo Friday night. The crew, composed of Cristobal Urbina, Mindbend (a.k.a Nico Sé) and Romeo Kardec, had the igloo dancing the night away with their distinctive blend of house, disco and techno. The guys showed us why the we should keep an eye out for them.


Fur Trade

Outside on the main stage, Stephen Beaupré got the party going with some techno and house blends, and the much-anticipated performance by Kink had people packing the floor in front of the stage. After a remarkable performance at Mutek earlier this year, he brought his drum pads and synth to Igloofest for another awesome performance. 


Igloofest, Vieux-Port de Montréal

Friday night goes to the electrifying performance by Mathias Kaden. The German producer came prepared to drop a massive set, and he knew quite well what would get the crowd into full-party mode.


Mathias Kaden


January 19th: BEAT MAKERS

On a snowy Saturday night, a pair of veterans laid waste to the Igloofest dance floor in an igloo filled with Montreal's leading beat makers that made everyone forget the weather. In fact, the Old-Port resembled a funky winter wonderland with the lights, party people, and great music. 


DJ Sneak

First up was Montreal DJ Paolo Rocco, followed by Toronto's own DJ Sneak, who started off his set the proper way with a classic house track that kept people dancing for two straight hours. Josh Wink, a festival favourite, closed out the night in his own way with a full two-hour set that continued way past the Old Port's midnight curfew. The "Higher State of Consciousness" DJ brought his usual style of techno-house with a lot of bass added to his track selection.


Josh Wink

The Artbeat Showcase in the Virgin Mobile Igloo introduced the general public to great homegrown beat makers that have been rocking the small venues, the internet, and blogs of late. Starting with local veteran Scott C. from the monthly night and radio show "The Goods". Also in the igloo was High Classified, a talented young Laval producer who kept the party going with his bass-heavy tracks that made the place jump several times. Be sure to check him out in the near future, the kid's got talent for sure.


High Classified

Artbeat belonged to veteran beat-maker KenLo Craqnuques. This Québec City native has a distinctive and unmistakable sound and vibe that mixes classic hip-hop sampling, his own beats, and some traditional Quebec folk with a healthy dose of humor. KenLo Craqnuques made the "La gang de Buddé" inside the igloo bounce the night away.


KenLo Craqnuques

And thus concludes Igloofest's inaugural weekend! So many great artists have performed so far, I'm ready to bet that there will be equal or even greater talent to come. With all the dancing going on in the igloos, I wonder if anyone will be left standing in the Old Port!

 

 

 

CSU councillor resigns over violation of student union policy

CSU councillor Ramy Khoriaty has resigned from his position due to a conflict of interest.

According to the Link, Khoriaty temporarily worked for the CSU directing Orientation Week while remaining on the council.

A CSU standing regulation disqualifies a person from holding or taking office if they become a Student Union employee after taking office.

Engineering and computer science representative, Khoriaty claims he did not know that he was violating CSU policy.

Currently there is no standard procedure in the hiring process at the CSU.

The CSU judicial board recommended the committee that hired Khoriaty to review CSU bylaws to make sure this never happens again.

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