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Quebec’s justice system could fall on some hard times.

 Prosecutors might go on strike today after last minute negotiations.

 The province’s four hundred and fifty prosecutors have been in a legal strike position since midnight.

 If the strike happens, a crew of only fifty prosecutors will handle the cases currently in court.  

 Many are also planning to hold a demonstration in front of the National Assembly later this week.

 People waiting for trials and the ones that are already before a jury will continue normally.

 Unfortunately, people who are out on bail will face delays.

 This is also the case for new arrests and fresh charges.

 Quebec’s prosecutors say they are the lowest paid in Canada.

 Their hourly wage is forty percent less than other provinces.

In local news, more than one hundred firefighters rushed downtown to stop a fire on Sherbrook street west Sunday night. The fire caused an estimated one million dollar damage to an art gallery. The worse damages were on the third floor and the roof, were the fire is believed to have started. None of the tenants living about the gallery were injured. Several hundreds of pieces of art were saved with little damage. The fire was not characterized as arson by the Police Department.  Investigations into what happened are still ongoing. 

There’s a strong backlash to Conservative MP Maxime Bernier’s recent language comments. In an offhand remark to a Halifax radio station Bernier questioned Bill 101 as restricting people’s linguistic freedom and choice.

Amongst the fury of responses Liberal MP Denis Coderre charged that Bernier’s arguments make Sarah Palin look like an intellectual. The online culture was less than polite in their response, resorting to name-calling. Most of the supportive responses came -not surprisingly - from English Canada.

Prime Minister Steven Harper’s distancing response is seen as not enough. Liberal party leader Michael Ignatieff wants a clear denouncement of Bernier’s comments. Talking the Globe and Mail he asked “is t his the real Conservative position being floated out the back door by a convenient spokesperson?”

Enacted in 1977 Bill 101 has been credited with saving the French language. It limits the use of English on commercial signs and controls access to English public schools. It is rarely criticized by politicians. Over the years Bill 101 has become as much a fixture in Quebec as the Canada Health Act and the federal Charter of Rights and Freedoms have countrywide.

CJLO is gearing up for its 2nd Annual Battle of the Bands! The competition is open to any band with at least one member who is a currently a Concordia Student.

To submit your band send the following to battle@cjlo.com :

- 2 band photos
- a band bio (250 word max)
- 1 mp3 demo
- list of influences

The competition will take place Mar. 17th at F.C. Smith Auditorium

The Grand Prize:
- a 3 song EP recorded and produced at CJLO
- a guest spot on a CJLO show
- a CJLO website feature
- plus more TBA