I passed over the news of Thursday’s daycare strike – sorry to any parents of young kids here, but my eyes slid over the story.
Workers at SÉPAQ, Quebec’s “national” park agency, are also asking for a strike mandate.
I only just noticed that the Quebec labour ministry posts a list of current and ongoing strikes.
A firefighter from a station in Pierrefonds has been arrested and charged with voyeurism and drug trafficking. One of his accusers was a tenant of a building he co‑owns in Laval. More news of charges against Alexandre Bleau.
Update: The firefighters’ union is washing their hands of him.
Creepy, for sure, but I’m curious as to why everyone is emphasizing that he’s a firefighter. That doesn’t seem relevant to his creepy activities. If he were and accountant or a truck driver would the reports be putting ACCOUNTANT or TRUCK DRIVER so forward in the reports? Why pick on firefighters?
Several possibilities:
1. Firefighters tend to be regarded, in a low-key sort of way, as honourable and heroic, and this breaks with the ideal.
2. Firefighters are on the public dime, so we have a collective investment in them that we don’t in a (privately employed) accountant or truck driver.
3. There’s no indication whether Bleau was misusing his position or equipment to do his voyeuring*, but there’s a sort of awful comic mental picture of a guy in firefighter rig using the fire ladder to rise to a second- or third‑storey window and peer in.
*but see H. John’s comment below
Kind of agree with Blork – everything you say, sure, but these are both criminal offenses regardless of who you are to commit them, why does it matter what your day job is – ?
Adding to that – his voyeurisrm related to his being a landlord, not a firefighter – the drug trafficking charge is also irrelevant to being a firefighter, as far as I can see
The CBC article does mention that he is alleged to have used the fire station for some of his videos:
“He allegedly produced video recordings of several women without their knowledge in Laval and Montreal, including at Station 57.”
If what that means is that he was spying on his coworkers as they changed for work, throw the book at him. Thanks, H. John.
There’s a reason that the term is ACAB not AFAB. As Kate points out, firefighters are generally well-liked and respected, and seen as “good guys”. Abusing that power for something so petty and lurid makes it even worse. Voyeurism? Meth? That’s small change, pal. Way to blow it over peanuts.
@ Kate:
4) Montreal firefighters constitute a blatantly racist institution. Do tell me if you’ve ever seen even *one* that’s a member of a visible minority. It’s right and just to point out each and all of their shortcomings at every available opportunity until this repulsive situation changes.
Major Annoyance, that’s as may be, but my three points were intended to counter Blork’s argument that the suspect’s occupation is irrelevant to the news story. Going by the reports so far, systemic racism doesn’t enter into it.
I’m not saying systemic racism is unimportant, only that it doesn’t appear to be a factor in this story, unless other information comes out.
The city’s first homicide, on Thursday, is suspected of being a matricide. The victim’s 21‑year‑old son has been charged with her murder. TVA says a history of domestic disputes and the accused’s mental health are factors.
It’s Quebec’s cuts to education that are forcing school service centres to end municipal access to their facilities, it turns out. Towns had relied on sharing school premises outside of class hours to offer sports and leisure programs, which will now have to close. Montreal is affected, but so are Laval and other towns in Quebec.
All this over what must be a paltry $9 million for the provincial government, which is intent on squeezing nickels and dimes out of public services to bolster the books.
Le Devoir visits a warming station for the homeless and talks to some of the people there.
Weekend notes from CultMTL, CityCrunch, La Presse, Le Devoir.
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