The human fascination with high-stakes entertainment—stories, activities, and experiences that hinge on risk, adrenaline, and intense emotional engagement—has shaped cultural narratives for millennia. From ancient gladiatorial contests to modern blockbuster films, society’s appetite for thrill-seeking persists as a defining feature of our collective psyche. 

This article explores the psychological, evolutionary, and cultural mechanisms driving this phenomenon, examining how pop culture capitalizes on humanity’s innate desire for excitement and how the entertainment industry crafts narratives that resonate with our deepest instincts and desires.

The Psychological Foundations of Thrill-Seeking

At the core of high-stakes entertainment lies the concept of sensation-seeking, a personality trait first systematically studied by psychologist Marvin Zuckerman. Sensation-seekers are individuals who crave novel, complex, and intense experiences, often pursuing activities that provide a physiological “rush” of adrenaline and dopamine. Zuckerman’s Sensation-Seeking Scale (SSS) categorizes this drive into four dimensions:

1. Thrill- and Adventure-Seeking: Pursuit of physically risky activities (e.g., skydiving, extreme sports).

2. Experience-Seeking: Openness to unconventional lifestyles, art, or travel.

3. Disinhibition: Preference for social spontaneity and sensory stimulation.

4. Boredom Susceptibility: Intolerance for repetitive or predictable situations.

Sensation-seekers who score highly on these metrics are disproportionately drawn to horror movies, action-packed narratives, and immersive entertainment that simulates risk. For example, the global success of franchises like Mission: Impossible, A Quiet Place and the many John Wick sequels hinge on the ability of their instalments to deliver relentless tension, immersive action scenes and edge of the seat stunts, catering to audiences seeking heightened arousal.

The Role of Neurochemistry

The brain’s response to high-stakes scenarios is rooted in neurochemical processes. Exposure to simulated danger triggers the release of adrenaline and cortisol, hormones associated with the fight-or-flight response, while the resolution of tension (e.g., the hero or heroine’s survival) activates dopamine pathways in the brain linked to pleasure and reward. 

This biochemical cocktail creates a “safe fear” paradox: audiences experience the thrill of risk without real-world consequences. As psychologist Katrina Rozga notes, sensation-seekers are particularly adept at reframing fear as enjoyment, seeking out scenarios that provide “complex, novel, and intense sensations.”

Evolutionary Perspectives on Risk and Reward

Evolutionary psychologists argue that thrill-seeking behaviors may have conferred survival advantages in ancestral environments. The willingness to explore new territories, confront predators, or engage in competitive rituals likely enhanced resource acquisition and social status. 

Modern high-stakes entertainment, such as survival reality shows (Alone, Survivor), echoes these primal challenges, allowing viewers to vicariously experience risk-mediated success.

The “Play” Hypothesis

Play behavior in animals—such as mock fighting or cliff-jumping in young goats—is thought to develop skills necessary for adulthood. Similarly, humans may engage with high-stakes narratives as a form of cognitive play, honing problem-solving abilities and emotional resilience through simulated crises. Video games like Call of Duty or Elden Ring, which demand strategic risk-taking, exemplify this dynamic.

Music and the Audio Adrenaline Rush

Musical genres like heavy metal, dubstep, and hyperpop weaponize auditory stimuli to mimic physiological arousal. Drops, dissonant chords, and rapid tempo shifts evoke the unpredictability of high-stakes scenarios, appealing to sensation-seekers. Artists like Billie Eilish and Travis Scott incorporate horror motifs and bass-heavy production to create immersive, risk-laden soundscapes.

And don’t forget the role that sound can play in promoting feelings of fear and anxiety in the movies, with probably the most famous example being the soundtrack from the original 1975 blockbuster, Jaws.

Extreme Sports: From Counterculture to Mainstream

The X Games Effect

Once relegated to niche communities, activities like skateboarding, BASE jumping, and big-wave surfing have gained cultural legitimacy through events like ESPN’s X Games and Olympic inclusion. These sports commodify risk, transforming daredevilry into televised entertainment. Athletes like Tony Hawk and Leticia Bufoni now straddle subcultural credibility and corporate sponsorship, embodying the tension between authenticity and commercial appeal.

The Business of Risk: How Industries Monetize Thrill

Theme Parks and Immersive Experiences

Modern theme parks like Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights and Disney’s Galaxy’s Edge engineer controlled risk through haunted mazes and interactive narratives. These attractions leverage “perceived danger”—such as sudden drops in roller coasters or actor jump-scares—to deliver safe yet potent thrills.

Streaming Platforms and Binge-Worthy Tension

Netflix’s Squid Game (2021) and Alice in Borderland (2020) exploit high-stakes tropes—life-or-death games, moral ambiguity to drive binge-watching. The unpredictable pacing and cliffhangers trigger dopamine-driven compulsion, similar to gambling mechanics.

Online casino platforms similarly capitalize on this neurochemical feedback loop, offering slot machines and live dealer games that mirror the tension-and-release cycles of scripted entertainment. This convergence of storytelling and risk-reward psychology underscores how digital experiences are engineered to keep audiences—and players—engaged through perpetual anticipation.

Societal Implications and Ethical Considerations

The Normalization of Risk

Critics argue that pop culture’s glorification of risk may desensitize audiences to real-world dangers. Films like Joker (2019) and Fight Club (1999), while artistically lauded, have been scrutinized for potentially inspiring antisocial behavior. Conversely, proponents assert that fictionalized risk provides a cathartic outlet, reducing the likelihood of harmful real-world experimentation.

Balancing Innovation and Responsibility

As entertainment technologies advance, creators face ethical dilemmas in simulating risk. The 2024 film Down Below faced backlash for its intense psychological horror, prompting discussions about content warnings and audience well-being.

The Enduring Paradox of Safe Danger

High-stakes entertainment endures because it satisfies a primal duality: the need for security and the craving for transcendence. By simulating risk within structured narratives, pop culture allows audiences to confront existential fears while reaffirming their survival—a dynamic as old as storytelling itself. As filmmaker Christopher Nolan observes, “The best thrillers aren’t about the danger; they’re about how people respond to it.”

This delicate balance between thrill and safety ensures that high-stakes narratives will continue to captivate, offering a mirror to humanity’s most fundamental contradictions. Whether through the adrenaline of a car chase or the suspense of a heist, these stories remind us that within the boundaries of fiction, risk becomes not just manageable but exhilarating.

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Jennifer Turcotte joined dozens of protesters outside Quebec’s National Assembly to call for the reduction of arsenic emissions at the Horne Smelter in Rouyn-Noranda, Que. She says her community has been dealing with fear for decades.

William Dandjinou is celebrating a big accomplishment. The 23-year-old made history by becoming Canada's first-ever overall Crystal Globe winner.

Chantal Kreviazuk, the Grammy-award winning singer from Winnipeg, changed the lyrics to O Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off game against the United States on Thursday to sing "that only us command" instead of "in all of us command."

The airline says it cancelled flights out of Montreal and Toronto to prioritize the safe return of passengers currently stranded in destinations due to recent major snowstorms.

Quebec City police failed to act quickly enough on a court order to hospitalize a man during a psychotic episode, a delay that may have cost his neighbour, 65-year-old Jacques Côté, his life, according to a report by coroner Géhane Kamel.

Local vocational centre tackles Quebec’s healthcare worker shortage

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

In response to Quebec’s escalating shortage of healthcare workers, the Lennoxville Vocational Training Centre (LVTC) is implementing innovative training programs to bolster the province’s healthcare workforce. Director Diane Lavers detailed these initiatives in a recent interview, highlighting LVTC’s commitment to addressing the pressing need for qualified healthcare professionals.

A growing crisis in healthcare staffing

Quebec’s healthcare system is grappling with a severe shortage of nurses and support staff. According to a report by the Montreal Economic Institute, the province is facing a deficit of 4,000 nurses, with projections indicating that this shortage could escalate to 28,000 by 2026. The issue is further compounded by a significant exodus of young nurses. Montreal CityNews reports that for every 100 new nurses entering the profession, approximately 43 leave before reaching the age of 35. Contributing factors include challenging working conditions, heavy workloads, and emotional strain.

LVTC’s proactive training programs

To combat this crisis, LVTC has launched several targeted programs aimed at training and retaining healthcare workers. One notable initiative is the PAB-FAMT project (Préposés aux Bénéficiaires – Formation Accrue en Milieu de Travail), developed in collaboration with the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l’Estrie – Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS) and regional school boards. This program offers simultaneous employment and training for individuals pursuing careers as préposés aux bénéficiaires (PABs) or caregivers.

“They would hire the person, then if there’s Lennoxville that gives the course, the Institutional and Home Care Assistance (ICA) course in English and in French, I’ll use bilingual,” Lavers explained. This approach allowed students to begin their training without waiting for large cohorts to form, facilitating continuous entry and individualized learning paths.

During the program’s tenure, LVTC trained over 90 students in Lennoxville and an additional 20 to 25 students at a satellite campus in Granby, established to serve the western sector. However, due to recent budget cuts, the PAB-FAMT project concluded, prompting LVTC to adapt its strategies.

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L’article Training tomorrow’s caregivers est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

A small plane crashed in a field in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que., on Thursday afternoon.

Lucas Houle was last seen at Longueuil Metro Station on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 8. He may have also been spotted later that day in Montreal's Sud-Ouest borough.

After it was declared the worst humanitarian crisis in the world by the African Union, Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller says Canada is committing to resettle 4,700 refugees fleeing the ongoing civil war in Sudan. 

Earlier this year, National Post columnist Michael Taube argued that it shouldn’t matter that Alex Jones endorsed Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre. “Politicians can’t control who chooses to endorse them,” he wrote. “Intelligent and rational Canadians understand this.”

At the time, I chuckled at Taube’s obvious attempt at removing the dreaded stain of a Jones endorsement. Canadians who questioned it, the pundit implied, were neither intelligent nor rational. Even as his list of troublesome supporters continues to get longer, should we be concerned? After all, it’s not Poilievre’s fault if these grifters like him.

Let’s be serious for a minute.

Of course it matters who endorses you in a political race! An endorsement is a sign of agreement, of similar value systems and political priorities. It’s a public declaration of support for your platform and what you stand for as a politician and potentially as a person.

One can certainly argue that a single shady endorsement shouldn’t be enough to alienate potential voters. But how many contentious people championing you are too many? 

At some point, does it become obvious that a lot of morally objectionable and politically dangerous people are supporting Poilievre?

Grifters, fraudsters, billionaires and shock-jocks 

Far-right radio host Alex Jones endorses Poilievre. The Infowars founder and conspiracy theorist is a morally bankrupt gun nut who’s claimed that mass shootings were “suspicious” and “used to try to create guilt on the part of the average gun owner.”

Jones alleged the U.S. government faked the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that left 20 students and 6 staff members dead at the hands of a mass murderer. Jones’s lies led to the parents of the Sandy Hook victims being harassed and threatened for years. Who inflicts that kind of pain on people who’ve already suffered a parent’s worst nightmare?

Jones has linked the LGBTQ community to pedophilia, hosted leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers (both groups took part in the January 6 insurrection) as well as white supremacists and antisemites. The number of lawsuits against him are too long to list here. If I were a politician aspiring to credibility, an endorsement from Jones is not what I’d be looking for.

Convicted fraudster and occasional National Post columnist Conrad Black endorsed Poilievre as “someone who has a plan to fix Canada.”

We already know why Black waxes poetic over “his old friend” Donald Trump, the man who granted him a federal pardon in 2019. But Black has been a fan of Poilievre for years, claiming that attacks on him “are just part of the frenzied and contemptible effort of the mindless, sophomoric, left-wing media of Canada.” 

While Poilievre tries hard to position himself as a champion of working-class Canadians, a quick look at his track record as a long-standing MP and what he’s consistently voted against says otherwise. 

Bill Ackman, an American billionaire who’s backed Trump, recently endorsed Poilievre on X, saying he should be Canada’s next PM — “the sooner, the better.” 

Billionaires rarely have the average person’s best interests in mind. 

Elon Musk: supporting fascism and praising Poilievre

Elon Musk may or may not have performed a Nazi salute during Trump’s inauguration, but he’s definitely allowed neo-Nazi and far-right sites to flourish on X. He’s also spent considerable time criticizing the Canadian PM and our government, while heaping praise on Poilievre. 

Musk has retweeted prominent race scientist adherents on his platform X, amplified racist accounts and outright lied about undocumented immigrants in the U.S. 

Weeks before Germany’s general election, Musk claimed on X that “only the AfD can save Germany”. The fascist party recently stuffed thousands of fake “deportation notices” in immigrants’ mailboxes. Musk recently spoke at the party’s campaign launch, telling partisans that Germany should move past its Nazi guilt, a claim the Holocaust memorial chair says is “dangerous.” 

Musk has claimed Britain was a “tyrannical police state” and called Trudeau an “insufferable tool.” Why is he so interested in meddling in democratic countries’ free elections and what does his support for Poilievre spell for us, given what Musk supports so openly?

Ben Shapiro is another winner placing his support behind Poilievre, calling him a “man for the people.” Like many conservative pundits, Shapiro makes a lot of money speaking at college campuses, complaining about his freedom of speech being stifled. He supports a ban on abortion, thinks homosexuals and trans people suffer from mental illness and endorses the death penalty. 

Podcaster Joe Rogan also endorsed Poilievre, calling him a “common sense” guy. Rogan has also called Canada a “communist” country and Trudeau “a fucking dictator” while admitting that he has “zero understanding of Canadian systems of governance and politics” — so make of that endorsement what you will.

‘Masculine energy’ and macho meanness 

Canadian conservative pundits Jordan Peterson and Gad Saad have also consistently praised Poilievre while mocking Trudeau. That is, when they’re not busy having temper tantrums on social media. For “global thought leaders,” they certainly bristle at criticism. Saad has called people “retarded” online more times than I can count. Even my seven-year-old nephew knows not to use that derogatory term and yet this middle-aged man seems to delight in its use.

It’s not accidental, of course. Use of the slur “retard” tripled on X after Elon Musk shared the word in a post. 

This fake bravado, this notion that nasty and derogatory are somehow signs of strength is on the rise. 

Watch Poilievre during certain much-praised interviews and what fans refer to as his “no nonsense” approach to answering reporters’ questions. It’s the cocky, smug attitude they’re praising, the way he’s angrily chomping away at an apple while being interviewed.

Musk thought that video “was fire.” Those looking for someone to cosplay “masculine energy” (everyone wave to Mark Zuckerberg!) will find the video pleasing. 

In the exchange, Poilievre pretends to “take down” mainstream media, even though the man he’s disrespecting is just the editor of a small community newspaper. 

Poilievre was recently interviewed by Peterson, whom he thanked for his convictions as a “free-speech champion.” Peterson’s speech has never been impeded. He was merely ordered by the College of Psychologists of Ontario to undergo a remedial coaching program after he implied someone should kill themselves online, conduct deemed to be “degrading, demeaning and posing a risk to the public.”

What all of these endorsers have in common are their conservative views, self-identification as libertarians, their frequent use of culture wars to assist their grifting — and fawning over Trump.

People have noticed. 

Vox referred to Poilievre’s tactics as “Canada’s polite Trumpism.” The Daily Beast called him “MAGA’s Canadian sweetheart.” Le Monde calls him “Canada’s Trump-inspired Conservative leader.”

Watching the chaos now unfold south of the border, do Canadians really want their next leader to be someone compared to Trump or endorsed by so many people gushing over him? ■

This article was originally published in the Feb. 2025 issue of Cult MTL.

Read more weekly editorial columns by Toula Drimonis.

The post Pierre Poilievre has racked up endorsements from a who’s who of fascists, fraudsters and alt-right influencers appeared first on Cult MTL.

The province's auditor general found that the auto insurance board, known as the SAAQ, blew through the budget allocated to its new digital systems by at least $500 million — and has nothing to show for it. Two years later, the SAAQclic system still doesn’t work properly.

Streaming guide JustWatch has revealed the top 10 movies streaming in Canada. Topping the charts is action/romance film The Gorge — starring Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy and Sigourney Weaver — which is streaming now in Canada on Apple TV+.

“Two elite operatives, Levi (Miles Teller) and Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy), are assigned to guard towers on opposite sides of a secretive gorge, tasked with protecting the world from an unknown threat hidden within. Their mission is to maintain the secrecy of the gorge, unaware of the true danger lurking below.”

In second and third place are The Substance (MUBI) and The Wild Robot (Prime Video).

For previous updates on the most popular movies and TV shows streaming in Canada right now, please click here.

For our latest in film and TV, please visit our Film & TV section.

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A 20-year-old man was fatally shot in Montreal's Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough Wednesday evening, Montreal police say.

The buses will run between downtown Montreal and the South Shore and are meant to operate alongside the REM — when it's working — and catch the fallout when it fails.

The challenge facing Montreal snow-removal crews this week is without precedent: two big storms back to back have left more than 70 centimetres of snow to clear. But the city is also equipped with far more powerful machines than it had in the past.

As crews work to clear the snow following back-to-back winter storms, some people with limited mobility are feeling more isolated.

Building snow forts and tunnels can be fun, but it can also be dangerous if those structures collapse.

Robert Miller's legal team is appealing a Quebec Superior Court decision that authorized a class-action lawsuit against the billionaire, his company, Future Electronics, and purported accomplices, for allegedly paying minors for sex.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau green-lit the development of a high-speed rail network between Toronto and Quebec City. Versions of the project have been floated for decades.

Quebec Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry says she intervened at Dawson College, asking the institution to avoid speaking about sensitive topics during a French-language course about Palestinian culture. 

Lisa Bond was on her way home to Gaspé, Que., when she witnessed an avalanche which swept across Highway 132.

A 19-year-old was arrested Wednesday morning by Montreal police in connection with shots fired at a Jewish school in November 2023. 

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

Liberal leadership hopeful Chrystia Freeland made her pitch to party members and local voters during a stop at Butler Farm in Waterville on Feb. 19, emphasizing her support for supply management and warning of economic threats posed by former U.S. president Donald Trump.

Around 50 residents gathered as the Butler family gave Freeland a tour of their dairy farm before she took questions from the media. Freeland, who grew up on a farm in Alberta, described the visit as personally meaningful. “A farm isn’t just a job; it’s a family commitment, a community effort,” she said. “I grew up knowing what it means to work on a farm, and I respect what families like the Butlers do every day.”

Commitment to supply management

Asked about her stance on Canada’s supply management system for dairy, Freeland was unequivocal: “Yes, absolutely. I will defend supply management,” she said. “This is a time to build a resilient economy. We need our farmers, our dairy producers. They are central to our economic security.”

Freeland noted that she had discussed the issue with local Liberal supporters the previous evening in Orford. “I said it then, and I’ll say it again: I will fight for Canada’s economy and I will fight for supply management,” she stated, emphasizing its role in ensuring stability for farmers.

She also suggested that Canada should be prepared for renewed trade tensions with the U.S. “We need to publish a list of retaliatory tariffs now, so Trump knows we will push back if he tries to impose tariffs on Canada,” she said, adding that if elected prime minister, she would target American dairy products in any trade dispute.

Taking on Trump and Poilievre

Freeland framed her leadership bid as a response to what she described as a “critical moment” for Canada. “Trump doesn’t see Canada as an equal. He has openly suggested that we should be the 51st state,” she said. “We have to be clear: We will not capitulate. We will not negotiate our sovereignty.”

Freeland pointed to her experience negotiating the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) under Trump’s first term as evidence she is prepared to defend Canada’s interests. “I’ve negotiated with Trump before, and I won. He tried to bully us, and we stood firm.”

She also took aim at Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, arguing that he is ill-equipped to face another Trump presidency. “Poilievre spends every day saying Canada is broken. He wants to be a little Trump, but he’s not ready to stand up to the real one. He’s not the person to defend our country.”

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L’article Freeland defends supply management, Bibeau supports at Waterville stop est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

The post QCT Online Print Edition – Feb. 19, 2025 appeared first on The Quebec Chronicle Telegraph.

If passed, Bill 89 would allow the Quebec government to maintain services that it considers important to the well-being of the population in the event of a strike or a lockout. 

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said the city was doing a great job "given the situation." There is no estimate for how long the snow-removal operation will take.

Quebec City says residents might feel the impact of the upcoming strike on snow removal, garbage collection and the services at public sports centres.

After a six-year absence, the Folk Alliance International conference returns to Montreal this week. 

The conference, whose 37th annual edition begins tonight at the Sheraton and runs until Saturday Feb. 23, is geared toward the folk music industry to showcase artists, host panels and workshops in the daytime, and offer networking opportunities. It is the biggest folk music gathering of its kind worldwide.

Nearly half (around 45% to 50%) of all attendees are artists, while agents, managers, presenters, venues and radio DJs, among other industry-facing roles, are also in tow. In other words, basically the entire folk music ecosystem is represented in some form or another during this five-day conference.

This year, visitors will be greeted to official and private showcases within various corners of the hotel from both domestic and international folk and folk-adjacent artists (this year’s country of focus is Portugal), with the International Folk Music Awards happening tonight to kick off the proceedings. Montreal’s own Allison Russell serves as the keynote speaker, and will be interviewed by NPR’s Ann Powers.

We spoke via Zoom with Jennifer Roe, FAI’s Kansas City-based executive director (she’d prefer not to talk about the Super Bowl result, as our chat was the day after the big game), to discuss how the conference works, which components she’s most excited for this year, and how John and Yoko’s bed-in for peace inspired the last Montreal edition of the conference six years ago.

Dave MacIntyre: Why bring the conference back to Montreal now?

Jennifer Roe: We have had a commitment to host our conference in Canada about every six years. The last time was six years ago, in 2019. We did not necessarily anticipate coming back to Montreal, but through the process of looking for hotels, Montreal ended up being the best option for us.

DM: Why is Montreal such a great place for an event like this?

JR: It comes down to logistics. In addition to having great support from the local community… we are always concerned about the financial impact of coming to our conference. Many of the folks coming to our conference, we consider them artists, entrepreneurs, managers and small business owners, and really have to look at the bottom line. Affordability is often one of the number one things we look at. 

We’re also limited by how we do our conference, because we try to keep our conference in one space. There’s not many places, or not many hotels, throughout Canada that can really accommodate our event that are at a price point we can afford. 

DM: What do you remember about the last Montreal edition held in 2019?

JR: That 2019 edition was really special. We were at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth. It happened to be the 50th anniversary of Yoko Ono and John Lennon’s famous bed-in that happened at the Fairmont. We were able to tap into that and had our own bed-in celebration where we had folks do their own protest in their own hotel space. We had several artists who did it in the John Lennon/Yoko Ono suite. That was pretty special. 

DM: What are some key differences between this year’s edition and last year’s?

JR: Ultimately, the conference model is the same between last year and this year. The biggest difference will be, obviously, in a different city at a new space. A colder city! (laughs) Being in Montreal, we’ll definitely have more Canadians attend our conference than they do in the U.S., especially the year before. We anticipate about a 10% to 12% attendee growth from our last conference.

Our theme this year is different — our theme is “illuminate” — but again, the conference feel itself is consistent. We certainly are there to network, to engage with each other, and to make sure we’re providing space for that.

DM: What are some of the more notable keynotes, panels and workshops you’re looking forward to this year?

JR: Our keynote speaker this year is Allison Russell. She is doing an interview with Ann Powers, with NPR Music. I’m very excited for that. Allison Russell is ending a series of being on Broadway performing in Anaïs Mitchell’s Hadestown. If you have not seen that, it’s an amazing musical production. I’m excited to hear what’s happening in her life, to hear her history the last several years and learning from her path of being and working in music full-time. For other panels, we always do wisdom of the elders, which is really hearing the stories of elders in our community, and what they’ve done in life and music and the paths they’ve taken.

DM: Which other components of the conference this year are you personally looking forward to most?

JR: I will tell you, it’s so rare that I actually get to enjoy the conference, because I’m making sure that things that are happening are connecting with people! (laughs) But I know the energy that goes into putting all those pieces together. We take such pride and joy in making sure we have a conference that fills the needs and hits what folks are trying to accomplish. I’m excited to just see all that come together. Our team has put a lot of energy into that. 

Of course, I love the official showcases. There are the private showcases, which are late-night performances in hotel guest rooms. Folks can walk on four different levels from room to room. What I love about the official and private showcases is the ability to discover new music. A lot of people do an excellent job of researching who they want to listen to, which is a lot of work. I think that’s amazing, especially if that’s your job! (laughs) But for those of us who really just get to listen around and hear the music, walking down the hallways for a song or two is really special. 

DM: What would your sales pitch be to convince first-timers to go to the conference?

JR: The Folk Alliance conference is an excellent opportunity for folks to come, especially if you’re part of the music industry and especially if you want to tour in North American markets. It’s a great way to connect with people, to be with people who have the same interests and desires you have, and learn. 

For artists, it’s an opportunity for them not just to showcase their talents, but to collaborate and connect with other artists, who hopefully can help advance their careers by collaborating together. We often provide first-timer scholarships. Make sure you check out our scholarships for coming and joining us in the future. We certainly want our first timers to experience it without much of a risk. ■

For more on the Folk Alliance conference, which takes place at the Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel (1201 René-Lévesque W.) from Feb. 19–23, please visit their website.

For our latest in music, please visit the Music section.

The post The world’s biggest folk music conference, Folk Alliance, is happening in Montreal Feb. 19 to 23 appeared first on Cult MTL.

Pierre Poilievre’s poor favourability will cost the Conservatives come election time

A new study by the Angus Reid Institute has found that net favourability of Pierre Poilievre has reached -19%. Just 37% of Canadians have a positive opinion of the Conservative Party of Canada leader; his unfavourability sits at an all-time high of 56%.

Conversely, 46% of Canadians have a positive opinion of Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney, whose net favourability sits at +9% — 28 points higher than that of Pierre Poilievre.

A separate study by Nanos also found that Carney is considered to be the best option for prime minister to negotiate with the Trump administration, ahead of Poilievre by 14 points.

The fact remains that Pierre Poilievre is divisive, rubs most Canadians the wrong way and a large majority don’t want to see him become prime minister.

As a result, support for the Conservatives will decrease as the next election approaches.

For more commentary about Montreal politics and culture, please visit Observations from Montreal.

For our latest in news, please visit the News section.

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The federal government has announced plans to begin work on Alto, a high-speed rail linking Quebec City and Toronto. The rail line, on a newly built, separate, electrified track, would carry trains travelling at 300 kilometres per hour — double the speed of Via Rail trains.

The high-speed, high-frequency rail line will reportedly reduce travel time between Montreal and Toronto from nearly six hours by car (or 5 hours by Via Rail express) to three hours. Other cities served include Trois-Rivières, Laval, Ottawa and Peterborough.

The project, which was green-lit in October, will go ahead now that the contract bid has been awarded to Cadence.

For the latest in news, please visit the News section.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make an announcement, take questions at Montreal press conference

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce Wednesday morning that his government will connect Quebec City and Toronto with a high-speed rail line, Radio-Canada has learned.

Police in Châteauguay, Que., believe the girl may have been buried by a collapsed snow tunnel. An investigation is ongoing.

Osheaga dropped its complete 2025 lineup this morning, announcing headliners the Killers, Tyler, the Creator and Olivia Rodrigo as headliners, with loads of other exciting acts filling out the bill.

Among them are Billie Eilish’s bro FINNEAS, recent Taylor swift opener Gracie Abrams, alt stars TV On the Radio, rapper Doechii, dance/electronic producers Jamie xx and the Chainsmokers, rock bands Glass Animals and Cage The Elephant, actor/singer-songwriter Dominic Fike and Shaboozey (who is also playing this year’s edition of LASSO Montreal), boygenius’s Lucy Dacus, R&B/hip hop artist Jorja Smith and more.

The festival also notes that there are 21 Canadian acts among the Osheaga 2025 lineup, including 12 Quebecers, among them the Beaches, bbno$, EKKSTACY, Aqyila, Rau_Ze, Hologramme, Ruby Waters, Bibi Club, Debby Friday, PyPy and Mint Simon.

Three-day passes for Montreal’s mega summer music festival, which will take place at Parc Jean-Drapeau from Aug. 1 to 3, go on sale ($415/$785 Gold/$1,670 Platinum) this Friday, Feb. 21 at 10 a.m.

For our latest in music, please visit the Music section.

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One person is dead and another is in critical condition, after a fire broke out in a two-storey building on Saint-Antoine Street near Saint-Ferdinand Street.

Mayada Ageeb is one of a few hundred Sudanese Quebecers who have so far been excluded from a humanitarian pathway program to help direct family members escape to Canada.

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By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

Chrystia Freeland is making her case to become the next leader of the Liberal Party and, ultimately, the next Prime Minister of Canada. In a wide-ranging Feb. 18 interview, she emphasized her experience, her vision for the country, and what she sees as an urgent need for leadership in the face of external and internal challenges. Freeland will be in Waterville on Feb. 19 alongside Liberal MP Marie-Claude Bibeau as she continues to make her case to party members.

Freeland, who has represented the Toronto riding of University–Rosedale since 2013, served in key roles under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, including foreign affairs minister, deputy prime minister, and finance minister. She played a central role in negotiating the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and led Canada’s response to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum. Now, she is campaigning to replace Trudeau, arguing that her leadership is crucial at this moment in history.

“This is an existential moment for our country,” she said when asked why she was the right person to lead the Liberals. “We are facing a true threat from Donald Trump—an economic threat, a threat even to our sovereignty. And I know that I am uniquely the person to meet that challenge.”

Freeland pointed to her record, particularly her role in navigating Canada through tense negotiations with the Trump administration in 2018, as proof that she is up to the task. “Canadians saw me face Trump the last time he threatened to tear up our trade deal. There was a lot of kicking and screaming, but at the end of the day, I got an even better deal than we had before.”

She also cited her leadership on domestic policy, such as the Canada Child Benefit and the rollout of $10-a-day childcare, which was inspired by Quebec’s model. “We created the Canada Child Benefit, transformative for Canadian families. As finance minister, I followed Quebec’s example and created a system of $10-a-day daycare across the country. These are all great things, and it is really important for Canadians—and especially Liberals—to be proud of them.”

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L’article Chrystia Freeland makes leadership pitch, warns of U.S. threat est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.