RSS

News November 9th 2012

Hosted by Hannah Besseau

Produced by Erica Bridgeman

Stories written by Carlo Spiridigliozzi, Catlin Spencer and Isabella Sasaki

Union Montreal nominates Richard Deschamps for mayor

Montréal City HallThe ruling Union Montreal party made it official on Thursday evening picking Richard Deschamps as their candidate to be Montreal's interim mayor until November 3rd, 2013.

According to CTV Montreal, Deschamps was nominated over Gerard Tremblay's former right hand man and chairman of the city's executive committee Michael Applebaum.

Applebaum threatened to quit his post as the city's lieutenant over a disagreement with Deschamps involving the 3.3 per cent tax hike in property taxes for Montreal citizens. Deschamps wants to keep the increase while Applebaum want a new budget for 2013 drafted.

The secret vote to elect an interim mayor will take place on November 16th.

Flickr photo by: ArturoYee

Explosion at Sherbrooke plant claims 2 lives

Industrial Fire2 people were found dead after an explosion ignited an inferno at an Eastern Townships plant.

According to the Gazette, the explosion occurred at 1:30pm on Thursday afternoon at the Neptune Technologies and Bioressources Inc. plant in the Sherbrooke industrial area. The resultant fire which followed sent black toxic smoke in the sky that was visible from many kilometres away.

Sherbrooke fire-cheif Gaetan Drouin told the paper that the plant contained a vast amount of acetone, a highly flammable ingredient in paint thinner and nail polish remover.

The black toxic cloud of smoke which may have caused headaches and nausea did not affect residential areas as the wind blew it away from danger zones.

The plant was also undergoing an expansion at the time. In addition to the dead, 19 were taken to hospital with some in critical condition.

The cause of the explosion remains unclear.

 Flickr photo by: billaday

Same sex families on the rise shows census data

In a report by CBC News, same sex families are on the rise and have been for some time in Canada.

Though less opposite sex couples are getting married and having children, the numbers have risen for gay and lesbian couples that tie the knot and start families over the last two decades.

Same-sex marriage was legalized across Canada seven years ago.

In data released by the 2011 census, over 21 000 same-sex couples said they were married. The total number of same-sex families grew by more than 42 per cent since 2006.

On the other hand, the number of opposite sex couples who said they were in a married relationship in 2011 grew by just under 3 per cent.

So according to the statistics, what is the "new normal?"

STORY BY: ISABELLA SASAKI

Toronto plastic bag ban may be scrapped

Plastic bag treeOpponents of the ban on plastic bags in Toronto hope to overturn the ban by defeating the bylaw needed to pass it later this month.

In June, Toronto city council approved a plan to stop retailers from supplying plastic bags to customers beginning January 1st, 2013.

A staff report on the new bylaw estimates that it would cost about $400 000 alone to tell both retailer and the public about the ban and recommends not imposing fines until July 2013.

According to the Globe and Mail, some councillors have had second thoughts about the ban, and opponents of the measure see the bylaw vote as a chance to undo the decision without the usual two-thirds majority required to reverse a vote within a year.

Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, however, says that overturning the ban by defeating the bylaw would open the door to revisiting issues again and again, essentially going against the spirit of council.

Flickr photo by: yanec

STORY WRITTEN BY CATLIN SPENCER

Today on The ReaKtor: C T Z N S H P

Check out The ReaKtor tomorrow at 3:15 pm to hear a live interview with Jesse from Montreal band C T Z N S H P.

C T Z N S H P will be performing as part of the M for Montreal music festival on Saturday Nov 17th at La Sala Rossa along side Yamantaka // Sonic Titan and A Place to Bury Strangers. The show is being co-promoted by I Love NeonBlue Skies Turn Black, and Cult Montreal.

CTZNSHP // SWAN DIVE from C T Z N S H P on Vimeo.

 

Don’t call it a comeback… Hip Hop Karaoke November 15th


RETURNS TO LE BELMONT (4483 St. Laurent)
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15th, 2012
DOORS 10PM.
$10 AFTER 11PM

 

 
Don’t call it a comeback…
 
Due to its enchanting love affair with Montreal and the undying love and support from fans,  Hip Hop Karaoke Montreal will be returning as a monthly to Le Belmont (4483 St. Laurent Blvd), with its eighth round happening Thursday November 15th, 2012. After a hiatus that began last Fall, and was shortly interupted by a one-off party in June which was its biggest one to date, the city's most unique nightlife event has tapped into some new resources - call it HHKMTL 2.0 if you will - and is coming back bigger and better than ever. Now returning on a monthly basis with the first date being November 15th, this first hip hop reunion in months will be followed by soon to be announced December, January, and February dates!
 
With a design competition launched last month, alongside its brand new Facebook page and Instagram feed, HHKMTL hollered out to the city's brightest visual talent with a call for submission for a new logo and flyer design. Receiving a ton of great entries and ultimately chosing a design by Overthebreaks (seen above and attached) - an artist and gentleman responsible for some of the most refreshing art work in the city's local music scene - HHKMTL has now gotten a new visual makeover.
 
Despite the new facelift, HHKMTL retains the same voice. Local hip hop veteran Dshade will be hosting as always, calling performers and future legends to the side of the stage and making sure the crowd is well-served. DJ Midas - a 13-year student in the arts of DJing and party-rocking in Montreal, will be handling the turntables and dropping every beat right on time. 
 
HHKMTL is also extremely proud to continue its partnership with CJLO 1690AM - a pillar of its success since the first event - and to enter a brand new partnership with CultMTL, the city's newest and most exciting source of local news, arts, and culture. In addition, L-R-G and Urbanears are kindly providing product to reward our best performers and allow us to run pre-event contests through our online platforms. Last but not least, HHKMTL is beyond happy to return to its home - St. Laurent's own Le Belmont.
 

 
 
Videos of past performances archived on HHK MTL’s YouTube channel provide a way to relive old events, catch what was missed, or even to prepare for being on stage.
 
Here's some of our favorites:
 
 
Sugah and Spice: Missy Elliott - Work It (HHK MTL: September 17, 2011)
3 White Guys: Beastie Boys - Intergalactic (HHK MTL: September 17, 2011)
 
Participants are invited to pre-register their song selection by browsing the available track listing at www.hhkmtl.com and submitting a request to hhkmtl@gmail.com, with new submissions welcomed.
Doors for the event on Thursday November 15th at Le Belmont (4483 St. Laurent) will open at 10 pm. $10 after $11pm.
 
For more information, song list tips, rules, and media, please visit:
 
 
 About Hip Hop Karaoke Montreal:
Hip Hop Karaoke Montreal is a monthly event celebrating Hip Hop music in an entertaining, collaborative, and inclusive environment not only for Hip Hop fans but also for people looking for unique entertainment in Montreal.

First launched in New York, with chapters springing up in Toronto, Vancouver, and the UK, Hip Hop Karaoke is a unique concept that showcases live performances of Hip Hop’s finest – from old school classics to the newest releases – with a professional DJ taking care of the instrumentals as participants from the crowd perform their favourite Hip Hop tracks. Without any on-screen lyrics provided to performers, HHK puts a twist on traditional karaoke, creating a unique vibe resembling a live performance – when "the anxiety manifests itself as energy, and the crowd goes wild" as described by the Montreal Mirror in their 2012 Noisemakers article about HHK Montreal.
 
Hip Hop Karaoke first launched in Montreal on March 31, 2011 to fervent crowd appreciation. Since then, events have witnessed surprise performances from internationally celebrated comedians Maz Jobrani and Hannibal Burress, as well as local MC The Narcycist, host Justin “Dshade” Phillips, comic book artist Cameron Stewart, and a range of brave Montrealers getting up on stage in full costume from cheeky and experienced burlesque dancers to slightly sober university students. In the five or so months since its time away, past performers and hopeful future participants have taken to social media to call for the return of "HHK MTL" and voiced their commitment to perform.
 
HHK MTL would not have been possible without the support of our partners Le Belmont, CJLO 1690AM, CultMTL, Moog Audio, L-R-G Clothing and Urban Ears.
 
 

Ahh, those guilty pleasures!

A mixtape curated by Rebecca Munroe of the The Commonwealth Conundrum.

 

Ahh those guilty pleasures! from rebmunroe on 8tracks Radio.

Track List

1) The Libertines - Don't Look Back Into The Sun
2) The Horrros - Still Life
3) Two Wounded Birds - To Be Young
4) Wolfman (feat. Pete Doherty) - For Lovers
5) Babyshambles - There She Goes
6) Caracol - All The Girls
7) Forest City Lovers - Pocket Full Of Rocks
8) Isobel Campell and Mark Lanegan - Come Undone
9) Sam Roberts Band - Bridge to Nowhere
10) Sara Johnston - Big Love
11) The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
12) Yukon Blonde - Stairway
13) The Stone Roses - Elephant Stone
14) The Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen
15) Random Recipe - Shining Star
16) Oasis - Morning Glory

Rebecca is crazy passionate about rock music – sharing that passion is what brought her to CJLO! She started out in 2007 as the host of the Chart Show. Then in September of 2010, she created the Canucks Kick It show to showcase the amazing talent here in Canada. And now... she has expanded her repertoire, by including music from all over the globe, with a main focus on what is going down in Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and right here in Canada on The Commonwealth Conundrum. If you want a good dose of rock from places that don't include our neighbour to the south, come check it out!

Oh... and who is she really... Wacky! Passionate! and LOUD!

Rebecca says of her mix:

The songs chosen for this Mix Tape were completely random and made for my best friend's drive back to Toronto. They are reminiscent of what gets played on my Commonwealth Conundrum show. Little did I know when I created this set list, that I myself would listen to it endlessly.

Hope you love it too!

Bex :)

November 8th, 2012

Read by: Catlin Spencer

Stories by: Patrick Miller, Chloe Deneumoustier, Emilie Pirson and Carlo Spiridigliozzi

Produced by: Alyssa Tremblay

Concordia international recruiter being looked into

A number of Concordia students demonstrated at a rally on Wednesday i light of recent concerns on the university's international recruiting practices for Chinese students.

According to the Gazette, the issue was first revealed in an article from The Link roughly a month ago. Students said that Concordia's recruiting agent for Chinese students, Peter Low, dupes them into paying large fees for homestays that don't deliver. Two students interview by the Gazette say they were underfed, and one didn't even have a desk or chair for studying.

Jennifer Humphries, board member for the Canadian Bureau for International Education, does not beleive that Concordia is violating her Bureau's code of ethics, nor are there plans to launch an external investigation into Concordia's practices.

Also, Chris Mota, driection of media relations at Concordia says they sent letter to all 5 200 international students, including 982 Chinese Nationals. The letter asked atudents to come forward with any issues, yet only received one reply.

Still, Concordia has responded with some improvements to its China Student Recruitment Partnership Program. They are planning to interview a random sample of 15 percent of the students. They will also offer orientation sessions in Mandarin  about housing and tenant rights.

STORY WRITTEN BY: PATRICK MILLER

Pages