Lots of quotable soundbites from Taylor C. Noakes in the current CultMTL Observations from Montreal.
Updates from May, 2024 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts
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Kate
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Kate
The family of Sylvie Dagenais, who conspired to divert $1.5 million from a CHUM fund to support research into prostate cancer, were sentenced Friday to jail terms from two to six years, and their scheme called odious, shocking and immoral by the judge.
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Kate
Weekend notes from La Presse, CityCrunch, CultMTL, The Main.
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Kate
Apropos of the Roddick Gates, I remember reading that McGill closes the gates for one day a year, usually over the Christmas break, because otherwise the road through the campus becomes a public right of way. But I can’t find any reference to this now. Anyone know?
Ian
It hasnt been a through street there for years as there is a parking gate on the other end at University.
dwgs
I’m a long term employee and I’ve heard the same but never seen it documented.
dwgs
Yesterday was the first time that I have seen the gates closed, same for the two friends with me who have worked there for more than 25 years. They were re-opened later in the afternoon when the counter protestors left.
carswell
When I was a student at McGill in the early/mid-1970s, the gates were locked one day a year and we were told it was for the reason Kate states. My memory of it was not happening during Christmas break — I’d have been home for the holidays then — but in early spring, maybe during Easter.
Lorie
My understanding is that it is not the gates that are closed but that the university is “closed” (i.e. building doors locked to the public) on one day per year to maintain its status as a private property. Concordia does the same I believe.
Uatu
I remember them being locked on Christmas morning one time because I used to cut through the campus to get to work at the Vic.
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Kate
Exo has paid millions for trains made in China. Part of the order has been delivered but the trains have never been used because of technical difficulties. And it seems other cities have also been mesmerized by the low Chinese prices, and also experienced delays and other problems. Insert joke about ordering rolling stock from Temu.
DeWolf
I was a little confused at first because the trains are being used as we speak, but I guess only for test runs and not in regular service.
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Kate
McGill’s Roddick Gates usually stand open, but Friday they closed to keep two groups of protesters apart.
The Gazette’s headline Friday made me laugh out loud: Pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill enters Day 7 with no settlement in sight. As if the long crisis that stems from the British giving away a piece of land that didn’t belong to them will be “settled” on the playing fields of McGill.
CBC radio at noon says there are more police Friday afternoon, but this is partly because there’s also a housing protest going on outside François Legault’s office, across from the gates on Sherbrooke Street.
Can Legault be keen on shutting down the McGill camp mostly because his office is nearby?
Uatu 00:26 on 2024-05-04 Permalink
I think old man Legault wants the protests to stop because they’re essentially on his office’s front lawn lol
Ian 07:23 on 2024-05-04 Permalink
“Sticking his neck where it doesn’t belong” is a mixed metaphor – sticking his neck out, and sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong …
But otherwise yes, pithy and to the point.
mare 05:29 on 2024-05-05 Permalink
Why does Legault actually have an office on Sherbrooke? It’s in a non-descript office tower so it’s not a heritage building and tradition. And he’s not the minister for Montreal afaik.
I presume it’s also not to keep in contact with his constituents in Assomption, so he probably has an office there too. So what does he do here, and how often will he actually be here and not in Quebec City? Or do politicians only stay in Quebec when parliament is in session?
(I obviously know nothing about the practical stuff of Quebec politics.)
Kate 08:52 on 2024-05-05 Permalink
And why does he choose to have an office facing a big anglo institution?
Wish I had an answer. I’ve heard it claimed as a tradition that the premier always had a Montreal office, but that was in the Hydro‑Quebec building on René‑Lévesque. Even the terse Wikipedia entry about that building says it houses the premier’s Montreal offices.
I don’t actually know how many premiers used that HQ office, and who broke with the tradition or why. I’ll look out for explanations for this.
DeWolf 21:13 on 2024-05-05 Permalink
I seem to recall Charest had exactly the same office, or at least one in the same building. I assume it’s not his personal office but rather the office of the premier, whoever happens to be in power.
Kate 22:20 on 2024-05-05 Permalink
Charest was in the HQ building, you mean?
I figured something like that – a presidential suite, more or less. But some premier must have discontinued the tradition.