Updates from December, 2024 Toggle Comment Threads | Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Kate 21:49 on 2024-12-10 Permalink | Reply  

    François Legault is pondering using the notwithstanding clause so he can frame a law banning public prayer.

    Catholic bishops have come out against François Legault’s prayer ban idea although it’s disingenuous for Legault to call it a prayer ban when it’s explicitly a prohibition of public celebration of anything connected with Islam. (Does he mind Diwali festivities in Park Ex? Simchat Torah celebrations?)

    Adding here: a Commons committee is encouraging the hiring of more Muslim professors at CEGEPs and universities. Imagine the responses.

    Adding again: On Bluesky, an observation: “Like the prayers they had at the Remembrance Day ceremony in Montreal that he went to last month?”

     
    • jeather 22:15 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

      Yes and yes. He hates Islam most but he hates all non Christian religions and doesn’t want to see them (or figures this might improve his sinking popularity).

    • Ian 23:10 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

      On CBC this morning I heard a caller wonder aloud if this meant pilgrimages to St Joseph’s Oratory wouldn’t be allowed. You’re supposed to go up the 99 steps on your knees and say a Hail Mary at each one.

    • Uatu 06:34 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

      Blah blah blah…. where’s my family dr. That I was promised last election?

    • Chris 11:01 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

      Uatu, exactly. I think this is most likely a diversion ploy. Opposing Islam (and religion generally) is a perfectly defensible viewpoint, but this scheme is not the right way to achive it, and he can’t be that dumb to not know it, can he?

    • Joey 11:30 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

      “Opposing Islam… is a perfectly defensible viewpoint” – no thanks. I get your point (made ad nauseam, to be frank) about religion, but this is beyond the pale for an adult conversation.

    • Nicholas 13:10 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

      It seems the theme is Legault and many Québécois want safe spaces. They want to be able to go about their lives without seeing or thinking anything to do with religion (except their own) or language (except their own) or race (except their own). People who are different are upsetting, and rather than accept and welcome our cultural mosaic, or just shrug at something that doesn’t concern them, they need to ban all deviant behaviour so they can live in their bubble. It’s ironic that this anti-religious fervor has led us back to a place where the state is run by a morality police that punishes those who don’t confirm.

    • Meezly 13:51 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

      @Nicholas, you seem to have perfectly described la laïcité as practised by France and Quebec.

    • Kate 15:44 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

      Nicholas, the odd thing is that most Québécois don’t even practice Catholicism any more, except perhaps for weddings and funerals. Nobody is letting the church’s rules dictate how they live. Anyone who wants a divorce or an abortion gets one, no matter what the Pope says. And the churches are empty. But they’re still fighting a crusade against the infidel.

    • MarcG 15:49 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

      Fear-of-the-other is a helluva drug.

    • Nicholas 16:27 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

      Kate, I agree with you, but that doesn’t matter. The Church is in the background: no direct power, but it can stay, because we grew up with it, it is ours. We don’t have explicit rules or even norms against being Black in Quebec, but don’t you drive a fancy car or date my daughter. You can wear a kippah or a turban or a veil in public, or walk down the street speaking English or Arabic or Vietnamese, or be gay or trans or whatever, but if I have to experience it too often then we’ll take that right away too. We need to protect social cohesion, not from or because outsiders are doing anything to me, but because I feel uncomfortable around them. The deviants don’t want to change the normies; they just want to live their lives. But the normies can’t even accept that, because seeing others act differently from them suggests their way is not the only way to live.

      Also, I suppose my conform/confirm typo from my last comment is apropos.

    • Jean Naimard 18:10 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

      As idiotic as it can be, it’s a very smart move and I’m 100% behind it because it gives out loud the message that religous fundamentalism is not welcome here and we won’t tolerate it.

    • Ian 18:45 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

      MDR, LOL, hîhîhî.

      Great idea J-N, let’s make a strong public stand against religious fundamentalism by blowing up the cross on the mountain, banning pilgrimages to the Oratory, and disbanding the societé S-J-B. I’m sure that’s precisely what Legault intends. /s

    • Chris 21:37 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

      Joey, what do you find beyond the pale? Opposing Islam? What about opposing the ideology of capitalism? of communism? of veganism? Why should Islam be exempt?

    • Joey 13:30 on 2024-12-12 Permalink

      Because ‘opposing Islam’ is basically indistinguishable means ‘opposing Muslims’ solely because of their faith, which is IMO beyond the pale for an adult conversation, not a game of semantic gotcha. If the premier wants to end the ‘problem’ of religious fundamentalism, he can start by removing any trace of his own religion from the public sphere, not by talking shit about minorities while pre-emptively exempting the majority’s ostensible religion from criticism.

  • Kate 15:19 on 2024-12-10 Permalink | Reply  


    We’ve got two weather alerts. Heavy rain overnight and tomorrow, followed by a flash freeze sometime Thursday, will create a nice mess.

    Snow clearing will start Tuesday evening, which might sound unnecessary, but around here almost every corner is a lake of brown slush. Here’s hoping it can be cleared up or melted before it freezes in place.

     
    • Kate 12:41 on 2024-12-10 Permalink | Reply  

      La Presse says that Plateau mayor Luc Rabouin will join the race to lead Projet and hints at other imminent announcements.

      Adding later: CDN-NDG mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa is throwing in her hat.

       
      • Joey 16:23 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        Given that he was the selected choice to replace Luc F as the mayor of Projet’s ‘home’ borough, it’s odd that I can’t think of a single initiative he spearheaded to improve the borough. What am I missing?

      • Kate 21:50 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        Did he extend the pedestrianizations of Mont‑Royal and Duluth through the summer?

      • Ian 23:14 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        Yes, and he was quite vocal about not slowing down any of those kinds of plans for studies when I asked about the rerouting of buses and whethr that affected the elderly and infirm unduly. As I recall he was in charge of the unpaving of Parc Lafontaine and the budget wizard although I never saw any specifics in that regard. I’d be pretty surprised if he doesn’t get it. Just well known enough to be recognizable but not well known enough to be disliked and/or blamed for anything.

      • Joey 10:03 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

        The long and glowing endorsement of Luc from Alex Norris on FB talks a lot about his work behind the scenes to get merchants on board with Projet’s plans. Admittedly this is an area that Projet needs to continually work on (the default assumption will always be that they are anti-business). Rabouin may be a diplomatic wizard and may have shored up their support, but I can’t say I can point to an initiative in the last few years and say – that’s the Rabouin influence. Yes the pedestrianization was expanded under his administration, but surely that would have occurred regardless of who had been elected borough mayor.

      • DeWolf 10:46 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

        If Rabouin is the kind of politician who can quietly and effectively get things done without stirring the pot too much, maybe that’s exactly what we need.

        It looks like we’re gearing up for a four-way race: Luc Rabouin, Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, Laurence Lavigne Lalonde and Guedwig Bernier. I have absolutely no idea who would be be the best potential mayor but they all seem like quality candidates, so it will be an interesting race to watch.

      • Ian 19:09 on 2024-12-12 Permalink

        That Norris thinks he’s great makes me instinctinvely distrust him.

    • Kate 09:21 on 2024-12-10 Permalink | Reply  

      Clic Santé’s appointment offers are running seven private clinics out of ten.

       
      • mare 10:54 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        [anecdata about appointments, slightly off topic but potentially interesting] I was in the ER of a small hospital last week, in the evening, a few days after Santé Quebec was launched and noticed a few new things that I hadn’t encountered on earlier visits.

        On the information screens there explained the system of priority assignment P1 to P6. P1 to P3 were red while the lower priorities were green.
        A few screens later people with green priorities were strongly suggested to as for a re-evaluation by the triage nurse who would then ‘get you an appointment in a clinic’.
        There might have been more or fewer categories, I only saw the screens once, and when I was waiting with my phone to take a photo a houseless person (with sleeping bag) installed himself in that area reserved for Covid patients, and turned off the monitor.

        Two things are new here. It suggests that after the triage they tell patients their priority status. In my case that didn’t happen so it might not yet be implemented, but I’ve never ever seen this before on previous visits. My priority status has always been a closely guarded secret. The second change was the fact they promised to find appointments in clinics for the not so urgent cases. I think this is in principle a good idea, but wonder where and when those appointments would be. In a walk-in clinic, in a private clinic? The next day, in the next week?

        Another thing was new. When the night shift started, around midnight a nurse started to walk the waiting room with a stack of files, and did a roll call by shouting names, presumably to check which patients were still present. Then she explained that she was going to re-evaluate the less urgent cases and find them an appointment. In the next two hours people were called and subsequently left the ER. I was never called, probably because I was originally high priority, so I can’t say from experience what the ‘finding a clinic’ procedure entailed exactly. I presume they used ClicSante, and have access to appointments that don’t show up for ‘normal’ people, just like what happened when I’ve called 811 in the past.

        I was waiting all night for the results of my blood tests and a talk with a doctor, but left at 6h00 after I found out that the ER doctor wasn’t even *in* the ER, but upstairs ‘on the floor’ for a real emergency. ‘The floor’ in a hospital with lots of floors and many patients. I hope they weren’t the *only* doctor in the hospital that night, but fear the worst. I had spent 10 hours in the ER. My GP later told me the blood tests were time-stamped by the lab at 10h30, 5 hours after I had left.

      • mare 11:01 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        [on topic] On the ClicSante website there’s a filter option for appointments ‘sans frais seulement’. Of course it’s unchecked by default. The La Presse article could have mentioned it.

      • Kate 11:20 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        I hope you were seen and looked after, mare. Thanks for the report. Was this the MUHC hospital?

      • Joey 11:35 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        @mare I’ve heard for a while that the triage nurse has some kind of super-access to the RVSQ network, and can help you find an appointment within the next X hours at a nearby clinic – apparently the most efficient way to get a decent walk-in urgent care appointment is to go to an ER and ask the triage nurse to find you somewhere else to go. I could see how that power would be reserved to a nurse who can actually at least examine you physically and take your vitals, meaning it would not be appropriate for an 811 nurse to do the same, though the fact that you have to go to the ER nurse to get an appointment elsewhere is a little nuts.

        I am in favour of this kind of approach – a little more transparency about how ‘urgent’ your situation is and some assertive support from the triage nurse to get you an appointment somewhere other than an ER (if appropriate) makes a lot of sense. I think a big frustration for ER visitors is that, largely because of the abuse the frontline workers have suffered at the hands of unruly or mentally ill patients, you are basically told to sit down, shut up and do *not* ask questions, especially about when you might be seen. The system has evolved to a point where we all treat each other like the lowest common denominator. It’s encouraging to see a little more active, patient-focused queue management, even if it’s likely only because the ERs are understaffed and the hospitals can’t admit all the ER patients they should.

        Additional anecdata – like everyone, our household has had some lingering chest/nose/sinus illness for the last five weeks. We’ve used RVSQ four times – in each case, we all got appointments within 24 hours at clinics a little all over the place. The wait time to see the triage nurse and then the doctor was extremely short at three of four (at the last we only waited maybe 45 minutes beyond the appointment time). Ask me again in six months, but the non-ER urgent care part of the system seems to be holding up OK for the time being.

      • Ian 11:39 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        anecdotes = qualitative data. Consistent and reinforcing reported personal experience is one of the main forms of qualitative research. Don’t sell your first-hand experience short!

      • Kevin 12:48 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        Because of the many ‘reforms’ to healthcare we’ve had, the general public has no idea where to go for medical care.
        There are people who manage to scoop up appointments with their family doctor every week (and who frequently cancel appointments hours before they’re supposed to show up). There are doctors who do their best to keep slots open every day they’re allowed to see patients for ‘urgent care’ – when their receptionists don’t screw it up by blocking out those appointments, or filling them every Monday with people who want annual checkups.
        We have privately-run clinics doing pediatric care but nobody pays anything- it’s all covered by RAMQ.

        And I’m firmly convinced that Christian Dubé doesn’t know any of this.

      • jeather 12:51 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        I have been told that at some ERs — I think the Children’s, might have been Ste-Justine — they regularly make appointments for non-ER things within a few days if that is the appropriate move, and they have access to appointments that regular people don’t. Interesting that it’s adults too.

    • Kate 09:19 on 2024-12-10 Permalink | Reply  

      Champs Bar on St-Laurent has banned dancing and drag shows after noise complaints. CBC has a video report as well.

      The Gazette has launched a redesigned website Tuesday morning. I haven’t run into a paywall yet, but if anyone can’t see the story above, let me know and I will find a workaround.

       
      • Ian 11:40 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        One more step towards becoming “Montreal, which used to be fun”. If only there were some way to pitch in and send the complainy neighbours to Etobicoke.

      • Kevin 11:56 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        Did anyone else get a prompt to download the app for a Kansas City newspaper?

      • Robert H 13:06 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        Raphael Kerwin certainly has a point about the Régie’s seemingly inconsistent application of noise ordinances. I believe that a complaint coming from anyone whose arrival postdates the presence of Champs should be subject to greater scrutiny or skepticism from the borough officials.

        But, yes, Ian, this is another step in the gradual evolution of Le Plateau from a convivial coin vivant de la ville to a pretty but placid redoubt of the haute bourgeoisie. Cousin to what, in my university days, my Ontario classmates called “Scarburial.”

      • Chris 18:55 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        Kevin, yes, I did.

      • Ian 23:16 on 2024-12-10 Permalink

        @Robert H we used to call it Scarberia – similar sentiment.
        Another good one in Toronto was if a bar got too dull it was known as catering to the “weekend S&M crowd” – Scarborough and Mississauga.

      • Ephraim 09:24 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

        @Ian – An S&M bar… a bar where everyone will just…. stand & model…

      • Ian 19:02 on 2024-12-11 Permalink

        You laugh but that’s a common joke in the fetish scene, describing people more into the outfits than the activities 😉

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