The CAQ government says it will allow more immigrants into Quebec – but only if they speak French. But there’s no indication how and where the language tests will be administered.
I’m all for more immigration here, but can we also talk about putting up more residential units to meet the inevitable needs of a growing population?
Last Friday, the SPCA was called to an NDG park where they had to rescue two sheep and five chickens which had apparently been left there by someone who could no longer maintain them in town.
I wonder who had been keeping two urban sheep that had passed unnoticed.
SPCA spokesman says they’ve all gone to live on a farm somewhere.
How eggciting! Maybe they should have waited for Baastile Day? The shear entitlement of making someone clean up their droppings! Ewe could manurefacture more of these bad puns… c’mon and shed some! (Sorry….)
Wool you please stop? 🙂
Those were really baaaaaaad.
You can keep sheep in the basement or in a shed. Most of the mouton or lamb meat comes from animals that never go outside.
Fresh Shepherd’s pie!
The Musée Grévin, which opened here in 2013 as a spinoff from a Paris institution dating from 1883, closed in 2021 and has now declared bankruptcy – at least the Montreal branch has done so.
I suppose in a way it wasn’t a very good location. Super central, but totally hidden up there on the top floor?
That was probably a factor, but I think wax museums have had their day.
Agree with Kate. Plus, compared with Madame Tussauds, Grévin just isn’t well known, especially by tourists and especially non-Franco tourists. The focus on local celebs was also misguided, with limited appeal to clueless tourists and even Quebecers. Why pay to see a mediocre wax statue of, say, Ricardo, when he’s unavoidable on TV, in print and even on merchandise and when you can often see him in the flesh at his café and other venues?
Yes for sure.
Dieppe Park, which is on the tip of the peninsula containing Habitat 67, is losing its shoreline. This part of the river is important for biodiversity, apparently, meaning you can’t just bring in a lot of bulldozers to pile it back up.
Was this peninsula a natural formation? Or was it created, or extended, as part of the Expo 67 earthworks? It certainly isn’t shown on this 1843 map, although this 1903 map has something labelled “guard pier” that might be involved.
Like Cité du Havre, parc Dieppe was created with landfiill as an extension of a previously-existing jetty – a jetty that protected the Old Port from river currents. The construction of this park, Cité du Havre and the Expo islands increased the current in some places making the Estacade necessary to avoid ice dams forming.
There may be a clue in this as to why this little park is slowly dissolving.
I layered the google map image over the 1843 map, using the bridge and Wellington street and the canal as my line-up points: https://imgur.com/a/lJolfnz. The 1843 map is obviously a bit imperfect so the angles are a bit funky but it seems like the pier lines up reasonably well.
qatzelok, that’s what I was wondering. Islands and shoals form naturally out of the shape of the river and its currents. You can create them artificially, but since the manmade ones didn’t aggregate out of natural forces, those forces may eventually tear them down.
MarcG, I think that’s the 1903 map, no?
Yes, someone posted a lovely photo on Facebook looking out from the Old Port in the Old Days and that jetty wasn’t there. It was much nicer looking – if more dangerous for navigation, etc..
That increased current might also help with the standing wave south of Habitat that is so popular with surfers.
(Only slightly related story:) I was resting in Parc Dieppe two weeks ago and there are tons of people fishing on the Port side there. I saw someone catch the biggest fish I’ve ever seen being caught with a normal rod. It was about a metre long, no idea what species. They had problems getting it out of the water because apparently the line was wrapped around its body. I expected it to go on a barbecue somewhere, there are always lots of North African families gathering and barbecuing there, but to my surprise they came back after 5 minutes and carefully put the fish back into the water. After a few seconds it swam away, hopefully not too traumatized. I guess they spent some time removing the line and the hook, took photos and that was it. (I’d have preferred they had eaten it, injuring animals as a sport is not really my cup of tea.)
Yes, the standing wave only seemed to pop when they also expanded Saint Helens and built Ile Notre-Dame to create more of a bottleneck, but you’re right. It started with the jetty.
Kate: Oops, yes it is.
So I think this drawing shows the Guard Pier under construction in 1889ish
http://www.ameriquefrancaise.org/media-2913/vieux_port_1889_petit.jpg
At some point it was renamed the MacKay Jetty and it looks a lot of terrain actually deposited around the original embankment.
https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2436797?docref=RmUJ-n7D-gK-w-mw_v3Z-A
Mare, I believe that it was a sturgeon. I think that`s what they fish in the fleuve and they can get quite big.
Agree it was probably a sturgeon. That area is known for pretty good sturgeon fishing. I know a guy who claims to have caught a two-metre sturgeon under a bridge on Ile Ste-Hélène. He described carrying it home on the Metro, which must have been quite the sight.
I once saw a sturgeon jump out of the water just off a park in Boucherville and I swear it was about two metres long. Huge!
Ha. I have a story about sturgeon too. Once, just once, I went fishing in Quebec. I drove up to Tremblay with some friends and somebody gave me a fishing rod and I lowered the thing into the lake. I guess it was Lac Tremblant or a smaller nearby lake?
I was almost instantly attacked by this monster. Huge and ugly and scared the crap out of me.
It broke or bit through the line, and I was so relieved. Absolutely no interest in ever repeating the experience.
@mare catch and release is what most anglers practice these days. It’s doubtful that the fish was harmed, they’re tougher than you might think. If it was a sturgeon it wouldn’t have been very good to eat because a) they’re bottom feeders so bleh and b) big fish are old fish and old fish aren’t good eating. Also, as a friend of mine who is an avid sport fisherman says “big fish make more big fish”.
Yes I would not want to eat that. Aren’t there warning about eating fish from the waters near Montreal? And I believe a big fish is going to accumulate more toxins in its flesh.
Patrick Lagacé visited with the sisters of Fabienne Houde‑Bastien, the young woman killed in a car crash as she walked home from a social gathering last weekend. They want her to be remembered as more than just “a pedestrian”.
Candidates have all been nominated in the NDG-Westmount byelection to be held June 19 to replace Marc Garneau. The odds of anyone but Liberal candidate Anna Gainey winning this one are slim to nonexistent.
Trudeau is definitely in trouble in the polls, but I would have to think that Anna Gainey would be cabinet material, given her background, at the very least. Does anyone know if she’s a good public speaker?
shawn, tu me donnes froid au dos. A future with Pierre Poilievre as PM, alongside DeSantis as president of the U.S., would hardly be worth living in.
My hunch is that the Bloc would pick up any Trudeau losses more than Poilievre would. Quebecois will never vote for someone from English-Canada (yes, bilingual but from Calgary) when they have a home-grown option, namely Blanchet who has excellent eco-cred and is a proven protector of QC interests. Blanchet’s signature is actually on the Quebec-California cap-and-trade accord which is still in effect. Poilievre is a climate idiot in addition to being evil in many other ways. The man has attacked the mother ship, namely Radio-Canada. Sometimes the tone-deafness of party leaders toward Quebec is just breathtaking.
Yea sure Poilievre. The guy who wanted to make Canada the Bitcoin capital of the world.
Police kept an eye on the funeral of Claudia Iacono on Wednesday, but that’s not unusual, since they usually surveil the weddings and funerals of people connected with the mob, photographing the attendees for future reference.
Outremont borough distributed a flyer recently with suggestions for fighting climate change, and people are unhappy that one of its suggestions is to have fewer children.
It’s undoubtedly true that each kid you produce adds an environmental footprint, but for a long time it’s been nefas to suggest that people limit their ventures into reproduction.
Also, although this is not mentioned in the item, consider which families in Outremont tend to have a lot of kids.
Without immigration, we have declining population in Quebec. I don’t think people in Quebec having fewer children is going to help climate change.
I don’t remember any flyer or junk mail being part of our thought process when we considered having our kids.
@ dhomas, a declining population would help climate change. Yes a declining population is bad for capitalism, but we need to start adopting sustainable models.
I’m happy these types of information are being shared. Even as a post-factum scandal, the digital flyer is being seen by more eyes. I consider the ‘thought process when we considered having our kids” is terribly distorted and biased. There’s a good reason that educated people have less children.
Population growth is at less than replacement throughout the rich countries. The problem is the consumption lifestyle that has emerged with globalization. Growing up in the 70s, I recall most families in Canada had 3-5 kids each. However, the overall carbon-use and even garbage generation was far, far less than it is right now, when people here have barely 2 kids if any. The consumer goods, the excess packaging, the international transport of goods and people, the precarity of work and constant demenagement, the social isolation, the light pollution, the commuting, the financialization of the economy into commodity speculation etc, etc, …these are the causes of our climate crises. The problem is not number of kids.
The butthurt here is just infuriating. They get one outraged citizen who has too much time on their hands and who actually says “When you suggest that having one less child per family, [well] which of my kids is too much?” Yes, that’s right, Outremont is suggesting a program of euthanasia for families who have violated the new upcoming One Child to Save the Planet policy. Going to be difficult to choose which of your children have to go.
Stupidity + self-righteousness + what about the children’ism. And it gets an entire article and the borough actually reacts. Just nuts and depressing.
The article does lightly touch on it: “though the borough’s population represents 1.4 per cent of Montreal’s total population, Outremont is home to more children under the age of 14 than any other borough”
People with less education about birth control tend to have more children and for a non-Hasidic Outremonter who has probably never experienced religious or racial discrimination to take personal offense to the idea of having fewer kids and to suggest this can lead to discrimination is pretty rich. Like what exactly is she going to be discriminated from…?
As long as global capitalism keeps people poor and uninformed, esp. in countries that were exploited by colonialism. More and more people will be displaced by climate change and will need to emigrate to more stable countries. But rich countries only want educated and economically promising folks, even though population growth is at less than replacement throughout the rich countries, as JaneyB pointed out.
In the end, the flyers are working in that it’s creating a dialogue at least! And I agree with Barrington-Leigh’s points about not over-emphasizing the role of the individual in the fight against climate change, saying that it shifts the burden of responsibility and guilt away from larger players like fossil fuel companies.
“The solutions to collective action problems are through legislation, through changing the rules to changing incentives, not through berating people into feeling guilty”
Some prominent folks are pleading for an east‑end REM, while the mayor asks for a clear explanation of the delays and cost overruns on the section of the REM that’s almost complete.
A regular reader drew my attention to this item in Policy Options saying that the proposed Pink Line would be fairer for more low‑income users than a REM de l’est, giving more people the physical mobility to get better kinds of jobs.
The Globe’s Konrad Yakabuski has a paywalled piece on the REM. Nothing that original for Montrealers, I think. Here’s a “gifted” link: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/1dda01131f4a49b8b69490d42f979fedcc57bcbd0a1e3f8f16462de69a0c1127/PHAXA7O46FBL5PM3ASXC7S2JRQ/
Possibly useful list of where to find public toilets downtown this summer.
I wasn’t even sure where it was, but I might have to make a trip just to pee in the Maison Alcan bathroom
It’s a useful list, though I’m not sure if any of those places are open late at night.
@Andrew – oh my god. I must make a visit to that bathroom! Love the door lol.
The list only includes places that are part of the official network put together by the SDC, but it would be nice to have a truly comprehensive list of publicly accessible toilets and the hours they’re available. I’m sure we all have our mental maps.
The public pavilion at Esplanade Tranquille is a great addition downtown, not only because it’s a surprisingly beautiful place to hang out, but because it has two public washrooms that are open late into the evening.
More news of weekend highway closures is sure to cause a ruckus, also more closure of the tunnel.
La Presse summarizes the reactions to the news that Michael Sabia will be heading Hydro‑Quebec.
This is very bad news, IMO. Isn’t this the guy who orchestrated the privatisation of CN? Is that who (and what) we want for Hydro-Quebec?
No, and every time anything is reported lately about Hydro, there’s a reminder that we USE TOO MUCH POWER and we’d BETTER CUT DOWN. We’re being softened up for something and it isn’t going to be fun.
The CAQ is clearly steering Hydro-Quebec away from its mission of providing affordable clean energy to Quebeckers so it can cash in on the booming demand for energy caused by electrification programs south of the border. Sabia is a businessman whose experience is in making money, not running a utility.
I forget where I heard it (probably CBC One or ICI Première) but the interviewee (a prof?) made the case that Legault’s priority isn’t to hire someone with a background in the environment and energy transition fields but rather someone who will rubber-stamp his plan to build more dams and increase electricity sales to the US and other provinces. The environmentally unqualified Sabia fits the bill perfectly.
Not that it was needed but this is additional proof of how skeptical and hypocritical Legault and his party are of climate change.
If the US does indeed transition to renewables and especially if fusion ever becomes tamed and domesticated, Quebec may end up with several white elephants on its hands, not to mention a further-degraded environment.
I’ve gone past this place often but never gone in: Vintage Parc, a sort of antique and junk shop on Park Avenue near St‑Joseph, has to close at the end of the summer because of renoviction.
Sigh. That was part of the appeal of that section of Ave du Parc and beyond. Even with its proximity to Outremont, it was still very middle class and mixed use. What will replace it: another artisanal plant or pastry shop that nobody needs?
And all the divey bars have disappeared from that strip: the Buvette Chez Simone folks have taken over La Petite Idée-Fixe and Prime Time remains a burnt out boarded up husk.
Am I correct that this was previously the location of Bibliomanie, a used bookstore that had also closed?
It may have been, although the article does say Vintage Parc has been open in that spot for 28 years.
I thought Bibliomanie had been further south, on the east side, at the corner of Villeneuve. It’s an odd spot, it was definitely a used bookstore for awhile – not sure it was Bibliomanie – then a dépanneur, then a patisserie. Not sure what it is now.
The Bibliomanie that I frequented was definitely on the west side of Parc… and at least nearby.
shawn, it turns out you’re right. Google dug up a list of bookstores from Usenet in 1994 including Bibliomanie (4872 av du Parc, 514-278-6401) and that’s the same address as Vintage Parc.
Yes I remember when it closed. I used to go in there a lot. The owner was sort of a local legend too but I have forgotten his name.
I think Bill Brownstein or someone did the obligatory Gazette piece on the closure, too.
I wondered why that book list sounded familiar. I submitted most of the Montreal section!
A single tenant’s demands are blocking the redevelopment of the Da Giovanni block opposite Émilie‑Gamelin square.
Carla White is a hero to tenants everywhere.
Is it good, in a housing crisis, to block 176 housing units next to some of the best transit, bicycle and pedestrian access in the country? And she doesn’t want to move a few blocks east along with $20,000; she wants a penthouse for five years and $50,000? Sure, always look out for yourself, I guess I can’t complain, but even with these units likely being expensive, they’d help stop people getting displaced from the Village and Hochelaga by the higher income people who will move in here instead of there.
Some part of me is just happy to see a tenant refusing to be bullied.
She’s lived there a decade. She’s seen what can happen to rents and the cost of living in a decade. They’ve offered her a pittance! I mean, the offers outlined in the article are lowballs of the worst sort. She would seem to hold all the cards. The developer is lucky she’s not asking for more.
Daniel’s right, the amounts offered are very small for the size of the project. In my recent experience & conversations, cash for keys payments of $5k – $12k are relatively normal when renovating a plex. In this case 176 units are riding on convincing her to move, a $50k payment and some housing are simply the cost of doing business, I’m not sure why Mondev hasn’t already written a cheque.
However, it sounds like there’s a hearing at the TAL in June, I think the standard that the TAL orders is 3 months rent, so Mondev may have decided the costs of delaying by a month are less than what she’s asking – assuming they win.
Seriously, Mondev? Assume a build cost of 100k per unit (I think this is actually conservative). Times 176 units. That’s 17.6 million dollars to build this development. And they can’t afford an extra 50k for Ms White? Fuck ’em. I hope she gets even more.
It sets a precedent. I’m sure other developers ‘told’ Mondev to use the official channels. When I had a hearing at the Regie (now TAL) I saw tenants go into a room all by themselves and then the (corporate) landlord barged in with three lawyers in expensive suits in tow.
The whole holding out until the end reminds me a bit of Ben’s Delicatessen who refused to sell, and then they tried to declare it a heritage site. So they started building around it. When they eventually did permission to demolish it, and there’s a weird alleyway between the buildings on the higher floors.
More than 5000 passengers have taken the Amtrak Adirondack to New York since it returned on April 3. This item mentions some hope of a future train that will make the trip in under the current 11 hours.
I used to take that train semi regularly. The US customs was fairly efficient. Canadian customs would always take an eternity.
Ephraim 16:48 on 2023-05-25 Permalink
Make them pass the nursing exam… that will make sure they can speak French… because it certainly isn’t testing nursing skills 🙂
JP 16:57 on 2023-05-25 Permalink
Well if they want more immigrants who speak French, maybe they need to be more accomodating about religion and revisit some of their laws.They are really only exacerbating and creating other issues (as perceived by them) down the line.
Tim S. 17:48 on 2023-05-25 Permalink
We have some neighbours who are refugees from Ukraine. They studied French in university so were eager to give Quebec a shot, have what seem to be good jobs working remotely for international firms, didn’t complain about sending their kids to French school, love Montreal, and are moving to Ottawa because they can’t navigate the Quebec immigration bureaucracy.
Spi 18:05 on 2023-05-25 Permalink
Ironically the most Quebec version of the outcome possible, unable to provide a rather simple and adequate level of service (French integration classes for new immigrants) the provincial government would rather abandon that responsibility and just require the people to do more.
Daniel 19:16 on 2023-05-25 Permalink
Ugh, Tim S. That is so disheartening on so many levels!
Kevin 20:14 on 2023-05-25 Permalink
There are not that many economic-class (ie. rich enough to give Quebec a loan) immigrants.
Jonathan 07:50 on 2023-05-26 Permalink
Refugees don’t go through provincial immigration bureaucracy, but federal. Not sure what your neighbours, JP, would have had as experience with any Quebec immigration process…
Tim S. 08:25 on 2023-05-26 Permalink
I assume that was directed at my comment, Jonathan. I gather Quebec isn’t recognizing some of their diplomas so they can’t get Permanent Residency here. This is based on random chats in the street, so perhaps I’ve missed a nuance.
Jonathan 11:25 on 2023-05-26 Permalink
Ooops. Yes, that was directed at you, Tim. Permanent residency for refugees isn’t handled by the Quebec government and you do not need to have a degree recognized in order to get permanent residency. For recognizing diplomas, this is usually done by professional orders, depending on the sector. That’s a whole other game. Even recognizing certain competencies across provinces is difficult… god bless federalism I guess.
shawn 18:13 on 2023-05-26 Permalink
Quebec launches a new platform for French-language education services – not just for immigrants – on June 1: https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/2023-05-26/services-d-apprentissage-du-francais/quebec-lancera-lundi-un-guichet-unique.php
shawn 11:30 on 2023-05-27 Permalink
La Presse has a Q&A with the minister about Francophone immigration cause a solution for Quebec: https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/2023-05-27/entrevue-avec-christine-frechette/l-immigration-est-une-solution.php
shawn 11:31 on 2023-05-27 Permalink
… sorry Kate I was lazy and using dictation mode. Please make me make sense or delete 🙂