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Air Canada reaches tentative deal
It’s business as usual at Air Canada Friday. The airline and the Canadian Auto Workers Union have reached a tentative deal. That means picket lines are down as customer service and sales staff return to work.
The agreement was made three days into a walkout. The strike meant some delay for travelers, but created no major issues.
Tentatively, the pact holds a defined-benefit pension plan for current workers. The issue of what pension plan future employees would receive will have to go to arbitration as an agreement could not be met. Air Canada wants new hires to be in a defined-contribution plan instead, which would save them money.
None of the modifications will go into effect until 2013.
Quebec City gets tough on drinking at Fête nationale
The mayor of Quebec City is taking extraordinary measures to prevent binge drinking at this year’s Fête nationale.
About two hundred thousand people descend onto Quebec City’s Plains of Abraham to celebrate St-Jean-Baptiste Day. A Leger marketing poll revealed that thirty eight percent of young adults go to St-Jean celebrations only to drink. Officials say that the Fête nationale has become a rite of passage for some adolescents.
In order to prevent binge drinking and vandalism, authorities have decided to ban partygoers from bringing their own alcohol. A new security perimeter will be enforced, along with extra security on the grounds.
Some believe that the mayor is going too far, noting that there haven’t been any major incidents in recent years. Last year’s Fête nationale saw two stabbings and twenty seven arrests linked to alcohol. Another three hundred people were treated for severe intoxication.
Mercier bridge to South Shore closed
Drivers headed to the South Shore will now face a major detour. Traffic on the Mercier bridge to Chateguay has been suspended until further notice. The lanes to Montreal will remain open.
The Quebec Transport Department made the announcement Tuesday night, citing undisclosed safety reasons. Officials would not say what is wrong with the structure. They did say that the closing is expected to be temporary. The side of the bridge heading to the South Shore was built in 1934.
Air Canada legislated back to work
In national news, the federal government announced that it will legislate an end to the Air Canada strike as of Thursday, as employees have gone off work to negociate a better pension plan. This decision comes as a result of the impossibility of the airline and its customer service and sales staff to reach a deal.
Labour Minister, Lisa Raitt declared that it was the government’s role to intervene when the lack of agreement has an impact on the Canadians or the economy.
The Canadian Auto Workers representing the striking workers is frustrated at the fast-paced government interference. The President of the union, Ken Lewenza stated that it represented a clear interference with the right to free collective bargaining.
Despite the commotion, Air Canada has worked hard on maintaining full flight schedules. So far, three thousand eight hundred workers have gone on strike, and the Canadian Auto Workers union has called on more employees to join the picket lines.
Mutek Day 4: Nocturne 4 & Designer_Mix
Well, after three days of amazing shows and breathtaking visual artwork, there was no stopping or slowing down for the weekend! Mutek still had loads of great artists lined up for Saturday and Sunday’s events. Saturday was indeed a busy day with Piknic Électronik at l’Île-Sainte-Hélène, Designer_Mix at the Société Des Arts Technologiques and Nocturnes 4 at Metropolis. I was looking forward to seeing Canada’s own Deadbeat premiere his new show with German visual artist Lillevan at the SAT. Meanwhile at Metropolis, things were gearing up to be a long night with Nocturne 4 lasting until five o’clock in the morning. So anyone who was willing to pull an all-nighter was more then welcome.
Designer_Mix
I started the evening at La Société des Arts Technologiques (SAT) where Designer_Mix was being held. The event was a collaboration between Le Bureau du Design de Montréal and the SAT; it highlighted the designation of Buenos Aires (Argentina), Berlin (Germany) and Montréal as the first three UNESCO Cities of Design. For the occasion, artists from each city were invited to perform. Argentina’s Sol Del Rio started the evening, bringing her audio-visual talent for the first time to Montréal. Her ambient, minimalist and sometimes moody sound, blended well with her visual artwork that was projected on the walls surrounding the stage. Plus, an omnipresent cube behind the stage added an extra element to the already stunning visual aspect of the show.
Second up was adopted Montrealer Deadbeat bringing us his minimal dub sound with his new show alongside Lillevan. Deadbeat’s deep sounding dub was a perfect match to Lillevan’s dark, black and white visuals that were the theme pretty much throughout their set. The duo looked at ease with each other, which was reflected in the both artist’s work. Their set slowly built speed and intensity as it when on. Sadly, I missed the final minutes of the set and the rest of the evening; the reason: it was time to head over and host The Letter B. I missed Pole, a German artist who was marking his return to Mutek for the first time in six years, and Argentina’s Chancha Via Circuito.
Nocturne 4
After hosting The Letter B, I returned to Metropolis for Nocturne 4. By the time I arrived, I had unfortunately missed Stephen Beaupré with the Banjo Consortium, which I heard was awesome. I arrived, half way, into Four Tet's electro-jazz set. Then came the Austrian trio, Elektro Guzzi, a live-electronic act composed of Bernhard Hammer, Jakob Schneidewind and Bernhard Breuer. I didn’t know what to expect of the trio since I had not seen any turntables or mixers; there was only a drum set, a guitar and a bunch of guitar pedals on the floor. Their performance was impressive; they managed to create the kind of amazing techno set you’d expected to hear with usual DJing equipment with only the instruments on-stage. The last act of the night was James Holden. He was, in my opinion, the must see act of the event, even if he started his set a three o’clock in the morning. It was well worth it. He delivered an energy packed performance that kept the large crowd dancing the rest of the night.
Designer_Mix, an adventure into the creative minds of the artists, and Nocturne 4, one long party; after all that was done and the sun was rising, I could not have asked for more.
-Alex Menjivar hosts The Letter B on Saturdays from Midnight-1am
Update on drug raids in Mohawk community
Drug raids targeting the Mohawk communities of Kanesatake and Akwesasne will curb intimidation and harassment tactics. Authorities announced the news Tuesday.
So far, the operation dubbed Connectivité has targeted 55 people during the raids. 38 people were arrested under drug trafficking and conspiracy charges. Many of them will be appearing in court Wednesday.
The investigation involved 500 police officers from native, provincial and federal police forces. At the centre of the raids is an alleged criminal network believed to be trafficking drugs produced in the greater Montreal area to Mohawk communities.
Authorities located a hydroponic greenhouse and marijuana plantation North of Montreal, as well as weapons.
Kanesatake Chief Sheila Bonspiel says the community is disturbed and worried about their children's safety. However, police authorities maintain safety is their number one priority.
June 15, 2011
Read by Danny Aubry
Produced by Nikita Smith
Stories by Erica Fisher, Alina Gotcherian, Corentine Rivoire, Dominique Daoust
Another 3 months
Canada’s mission in Libya has been extended for three months by the House of Commons. The only Member of Parliament to vote against the Conservative motion was Green Party Leader Elizabeth May.
Canada has nearly seven hundred people working to enforce a no-fly zone in Libya. It is part of a NATO mission to protect citizens from a bombing campaign by Moammar Gadhafi.
Numerous amendments were proposed to the government’s resolution. One of them is an increase in humanitarian aid by preventing and prosecuting rape as a tool of war.
Defense Minister Peter Mackay said the NATO mission is weakening the infrastructure around Gadhafi. Libya’s leader of forty-one years is said to be losing support.
Mackay said withdrawing the Canadian Forces from the NATO-led mission at this point would send the wrong signal. He thinks it would have dire consequences for the citizens of Libya as well as undermining the core Canadian values of freedom, democracy and human rights.
It has also been announced that the Canadian government is officially recognizing the National Transitional Council of Libya as the legitimate representative of Libyan citizens.
The Cup returns to Canada
It has come down to this. The Vancouver Canucks will take on the Boston Bruins in a seventh and deciding game tomorrow after losing last night.
The Bruins came out flying in the first period scoring four of their five goals on the night. Vezina trophy finalist for best goaltender Roberto Luongo was pulled after allowing three goals in the first. But he will start game seven. He has been a very different goalie at home allowing just two goals in three games in Vancouver.
Vancouver is looking to be the first Canadian team to with the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens did it in 1993. The drama begins Wednesday night at 8pm.
Film Review - Good Neighbours
Living in Montreal can be challenging, especially when you move into your first apartment building. You will never be able to know what kind of people live right next to you. Do you knock on every door to introduce yourself? Probably not. Therefore, you grin and bear the feeling that someone who you live next to could be plotting your demise.
Good Neighbours is based on the novel “Chère Voisine” by Christine Brouillet, and Jacob Teirny, who directed Good Neighbours, has been itching to adapt it for a while now. It is a crime thriller with elements of film noire.
The film is set in 1995 in Montreal, around the same time as the Referendum. Victor (Jay Baruchel) arrives from Ottawa and has moved into the apartment building with our other two protagonists, Louise (Emily Hampshire), and Spencer (Scott Speedman). He is awkward, annoying and likes to have many conversations at the same time. The plot revolves around the N.D.G. killer, who chokes and rapes women. Louise becomes obsessed with these murders and the mysterious energy in the film is magnified. Who do we think is the closest neighbour to being normal? Why is Spencer always smiling like a creepshow? The audience starts to unfold the mystery of finding out who the killer is, and the director Tierny, takes us on a slow, bizarre and unusual pace.
The characters are really what made this film memorable. They are strange, disturbing and funny; you really don’t want to take your eyes off of them. The audience reacted very loudly when they found out what each character was like. Spencer, being in a wheelchair from a car accident leaves him bitter, very sarcastic and dry; Louise loves alcohol and really loves felines; and Victor is an obsessive man who is kind of lonely.
I loved being able to recognize Montreal and N.D.G. on the screen with my fellow Montrealers. The camera movements were not your typical, everyday Hollywood mainstream camera movements; some shots were very original and caught my eye. The camera gets really up close and personal with the characters, which helps with their development.
All in all, this film is an entertaining one, and you should go see it and support local filmmaking. Montreal is constantly being recognize for up and coming films and filmmakers, and as a person who lives in this wonderful city, you are obliged to do your part and support your own freaky, weird neighbours.
3 out of 5 stars
-Andrea Boulet
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