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A decade ago, as soon as Watsenniiostha Nelson handed in her final project at Kiuna College, it dawned on her what she wanted to do with her life.

Through her assignments at Kiuna, a college rooted in a First Nations perspective, Nelson became convinced that putting culture at the heart of curriculum is the key to giving young Onkwehón:we the best chance to graduate and go on to a post-secondary education, whether that be in academics or vocational studies.

“It really opened up my mind,” she said. “If we did this more, do you know how many more kids we’d have that would be interested in school?”

Leading the community’s education system has been a long-held ambition for the 29-year-old Kanehsata’kehró:non. But she never expected it to happen so quickly.

“I honestly did not think this job would happen for at least another 20 years,” said Nelson. “It’s still all new, and I’m still in shock a little over the fact I hold that title.”

Nelson spoke to The Eastern Door on her way to class after a full day of work in Kanesatake’s education system – she is currently in her last semester at McGill, where she is pursuing a Master’s degree in educational leadership.

“My first two days I was like ‘Oh my God, what did I get myself into? Am I ready to do this?’ I had to keep telling myself ‘Yes, there’s a reason they hired you,’” she said.

“Now it’s just excitement.” 

She believes an education director who still knows what it’s like to be a student can be an asset as she takes the helm of the Kanesatake Education Center (KEC).

“​​I feel it has really given me a lot of insight into what direction we should be taking for the students,” she said.

She also noted that her lived experience will help her enact a specific kind of vision for Kanesatake schools. “Being Mohawk, I understand what the needs are for our students,” she said.

While she acknowledged Kanesatake classrooms already work hard to incorporate a cultural foundation considering the available tools, she plans to find ways to take this even further. 

She hopes to prioritize language and culture in schools, perhaps even finding a way to one day follow Kahnawake’s lead in setting aside the standard Quebec Education Plan (QEP) for a curriculum customized to fit the needs of local students.

While she believes the QEP has a lot to offer, it does not centre the language and culture Kanehsata’kehró:non are intent on strengthening.

“I think just taking education into our own hands is what we need as a community,” she said, adding that she would like to learn from what Kahnawake has accomplished.

Her intention to reach out to administrators in Kahnawake’s education department reflects the collaborative approach she hopes to bring to all aspects of her role.

“I very much want to take this in the direction of being very team-led and a collective way of thinking. I don’t want to be like, ‘Oh, just because I’m the director, I’m going to do this,’” she said. “That way of thinking does not work.”

Nelson was planning to meet this week with Ratihén:te High School principal Kimberly Simon and Rotiwennakéhte Ionterihwaienhstáhkhwa elementary school principal Deborah Rennie to learn more about their own visions for the school system and find middle ground.

Nelson’s position had been vacant since last summer, when Scott Traylen retired from his positions as KEC director and Ratihén:te High School principal. 

It’s the first time both school principals and the KEC education director have all been women and Kanehsata’kehró:non, Nelson noted.

In addition to working closely with colleagues, Nelson wants to build relationships with parents and ensure they have the opportunity to be involved in the education of their children.

“Not to say that they’re not right now, but I feel like we could take it to a whole other level of where they’re really inclined in their children’s learning, and just building that community as well, because they’re part of that community. They’re a stakeholder in education,” she said.

Local parent Karahkwiiostha Etienne, whose daughter goes to the elementary school, was pleased to learn that a new education director had been hired.

“That’s great news,” she said.

Etienne has known Nelson for most of her life, with the two having met at elementary school themselves.

“She’s very smart and motivated. I think she’ll do great,” Etienne said.

Nelson’s father is Jeffrey Nelson, who is renowned as the community’s most prolific coach, even starting up a competitive girls’ volleyball team at Ratihén:te this year. He believes Watsenniiostha has a lot to offer in her new position.

“She has the same kind of love for these kids in the community as I do,” he said. “She’s got the educational background, and she’s got the love, and she’s from Kanesatake. You can’t ask for anything better than that.”

To Watsenniiostha, the most important benchmark is the success of Kanesatake youth.

“I want to make sure that we’re building the confidence in our students to be able to accomplish whatever they put their minds to,” she said. 

“They’re going to get their confidence from learning who they are.”

[email protected]

This article was originally published in print on February 2, in issue 33.05 of The Eastern Door.

Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

The Old Port skating rink in Montreal is marking the Lunar New Year this weekend, on Feb. 9 and 10, when the Montreal Chinese Lion Dance Club will “celebrate luck and prosperity for the Lunar New Year with a presentation of the traditional lion dance.

Dancers will be dressed as colourful lions and present a skillful performance and a festive story of celebration.”

For more on the event and the, please click here.

For more Montreal arts coverage, please visit the Arts & Life section.

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The following is a capsule review of the Montreal restaurant Liverpool House. To read the 2024 Montreal restaurant guide, please click here.

Liverpool House

No longer just Joe Beef Jr., the Little Burgundy stalwart has a clear identity of its own and is full of the hearty yet playful dishes on which the restaurant’s reputation was built. Having added a seafood counter, known as Vinette, in the back of the restaurant, the raw bar (and oysters in particular) remains a major draw but you certainly can’t go wrong with the infamous zesty Italian beef tartare, perfectly roasted trout with morels or an old-fashioned steak frites. Don’t worry, the lobster spaghetti is still on the menu. (2501 Notre-Dame W.)

For more on Liverpool House, please visit their website.

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With Origin, director Ava DuVernay (Selma) adapts Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson’s best-selling book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. The book recontextualizes the history of racism in America as an aspect of a caste system, where Wilkerson identifies eight “pillars” of caste used to create a social hierarchy to maintain a system of oppression and control. Challenging material to adapt, DuVernay begins at the “origin,” i.e., the writing process for Wilkerson. The approach integrates biographical elements, as well as recreations from Nazi Germany, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, contemporary India and the American South.

In many ways, the film works in broad strokes. The ideas are interesting, and the performances are strong. DuVernay’s approach to investigating the artistic process is rich, at least in concept, as a means of understanding how the personal intersects with the social. It creates a layer of distance from the historical anecdotes that help shape these stories within the context of broader ideas. In many ways, it’s a film that aspires towards a formally and intellectually challenging framework, even if it ultimately falls flat. 

The experience of watching Origin grows increasingly frustrating as the film progresses, as the promise of its audacious formal approach gives way to incredible literal and conventional modes of engagement. While DuVernay recognizes that approaching the subject of caste within a fictional framework will require narrative problem-solving, she ultimately takes the easy way out. The need to create a film that will connect with a broad audience ultimately hampers its ability to be either great art or a vehicle for a compelling or rigorous framework on oppression. The movie feels like an appeal to fruitless empathy rather than an engine for transformation. 

Several conversations within the film between Isabel and different family members encourage her to find relatable ways of engaging with ordinary people. Long discussions synthesizing some of her main arguments are simplified to connect with people outside academic, journalistic or activist circles. While sometimes laudable, it also often feels clumsy, particularly the constant insistence that the study of caste is not the study of racism. It’s meant to emphasize a universal understanding of systems of hierarchy and oppression, an argument present in the book (she writes, “Caste is the bones, race the skin,”) but this idea comes across as dismissive and defensive on screen. The approach to unfolding the concept of caste, rather than a critical engagement, too often falls into traps of appeasement that ease rather than challenge the audience’s conscience or guilt. 

Though the screenplay and direction flounder in its approach to the big ideas of Wilkerson’s work, DuVernay excels at portraying her intimate life. The film’s depiction of family, work and romantic love brims with tenderness. The performances, led by Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Wilkerson, capture an intimacy that feels ripped open, as if the sinewy flesh of the characters’ interior lives are laid bare for each other and us, with an unusual but appreciated sincerity. The warmth and care that Ellis-Taylor brings to her performance trickles into how we understand Wilkerson’s approach to writing and research, informed by more than just a deep curiosity but a deeply vulnerable sense of personal responsibility. 

The film cycles through moments that work and many that don’t. The lack of aesthetic consideration compounds the literal approach to ideas and events. It’s unclear why the film was shot on 16mm, as it doesn’t use celluloid textures or interpretation of light to elevate the approach. Considerations of framing and blocking feel secondary to employing very classical modes of narrative filmmaking, which doesn’t service the film’s biographical or ideological elements. Any other approach to the image would have been more compelling, whether purely functional or challenging narrative conventions. Instead, we’re left with a stylistic approach that pantomimes melodrama removed from the qualities that make that genre work. 

Overall, Origin is an incredibly frustrating movie. It veers into interesting territory but almost always pulls back before it can dive into something compelling or challenging. DuVernay had her work cut out for her on this project, and her attempt is laudable, even if the final product is flawed and frayed at the edges. We give very little room for major filmmakers to stumble, so it’s increasingly rare to see a film with so much money and talent also be so messy in its approach. And I’ll bet even the film’s biggest detractors might be willing to go out and check out Wilkerson’s book.

Origin is now playing in Montreal theatres.

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

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It’s unclear to me if Argylle (Feb. 2) is being memed to oblivion all over Film Twitter and Letterboxd because it’s so good or because it’s so bad. The film is about an introverted spy novelist who is drawn into the activities of a sinister underground syndicate and features an all-star cast including, but not limited to, Dua Lipa, Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Catherine O’Hara, Samuel L. Jackson, John Cena and Richard E. Grant. 

If you’ve been on Twitter… erm, I mean X, this past month and checked out any viral tweet, you’ve likely encountered the hard-working Bob Marley: One Love (Feb. 14) social team trying to will the film into relevancy. The biopic starring Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami) and directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard) portrays how Bob Marley became the biggest reggae artist in history.

As Madame Web (Feb. 16) star Dakota Johnson calls shooting a film on blue screen “absolutely psychotic” and insists she’s not sure if it will be good or not, it’s hard to believe that the film (and its underwhelming trailer) will be able to inject new life into the slowly dying superhero subgenre. Then again, the all-star cast of incredibly meme-able stars (including Johnson), rounded out by Sydney Sweeney, Adam Scott and Zosia Mamet, might surprise us yet!

The Oscars go live on March 10, giving you plenty of time to catch up in February. Italy’s Best International Featire Film selection, Io Capitano (Feb. 16), hits the big screen mid-month. From director Matteo Garrone (Gomorrah), it’s a Homeric fairy tale that charts the adventurous journey of two young boys, Seydou and Moussa, who leave Dakar to reach Europe. Japan’s official Oscar submission, Perfect Days (Feb. 16) directed by German filmmaker Wim Wenders, is also coming out this month. The crowd-pleasing film is about a janitor in Japan who drives between jobs listening to rock music. At the end of the month, you can go to Cinéma du Parc to watch all the Oscar-nominated shorts, including Quebec’s own Invincible (Feb. 23). 

While it didn’t make the final cut for an Oscar nod, Tótem (Feb. 2) was Mexico’s nomination and one of the year’s most critically acclaimed films. It follows a seven-year-old girl named Sol who’s spending the day at her grandfather’s home for a surprise party for Sol’s father, Tonatiuh. As daylight fades, Sol understands that her world is about to change dramatically.

If you hate the Oscars and only really love movies that are too good for American award shows, a handful of fantastic festival fare is finally coming to Montreal theatres this month. How to Have Sex (Feb. 9) was a feature debut and a big Cannes favourite. The visceral coming-of-age film (shot by Montrealer Nicolas Canniccioni) is about three British teenage girls who go on a rites-of-passage holiday — drinking, clubbing and hooking up in what should be the best summer of their lives. Mads Mikkelsen stars in the Danish film The Promised Land (Feb. 9), a historical drama about Captain Ludvig von Kahlen, who pursued his lifelong dream: to make the heath bring him wealth and honour. You can also see the magnificent About Dry Grasses (Feb. 23), the mesmerizing but darkly funny Turkish film about a young teacher who hopes to be transferred to Istanbul after four years of mandatory service in a remote village but is accused of inappropriate contact by students. 

For some great #CanCon (endorsed by Cult MTL‘s screen team), you have your pick of Má Sài Gòn (Feb. 2) and Fitting In (Feb. 2). Khoa Lê directed the dreamy Má Sài Gòn, an intimate documentary about members of Saigon’s LGBTQ community as they struggle to find their place and reconnect with their families in a city where social norms still reject them. Fitting In, directed by Montrealer Molly McGlynn, is one of the most fiercely original coming-of-age films in recent years. The hilariously dark but touching film is about a teenage girl (played by Maddie Ziegler) who gets diagnosed with a reproductive condition that upends her plans to have sex and propels her into exploring unusual methods to have a sex life.

There are slim pickings for audiences looking for something to watch this Valentine’s Day. Your only “conventional” choice is Float (Feb. 9). After nearly drowning, a young woman unexpectedly falls for the small-town lifeguard who rescued her. Based on the novel by Kate Marchant.

This month’s other releases include another Cannes film, Le règne animal (Feb. 9), starring Romain Duris, Paul Kircher and Adèle Exarchopoulos, a sci-fi adventure about a futuristic world where humans are mutating into animals. Ethan Coen (sans his brother Joel) directed Drive-Away Dolls (Feb. 23) (initially titled Drive Away Dykes), a comedy caper starring Margaret Qualley as Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her timid friend Marian who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals. ■

This article originally was originally published in the Feb. 2024 issue of Cult MTL. Check Montreal cinema showtimes here.

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Three restaurants and a beauty salon in Montreal were targeted in a string of arson attacks overnight Tuesday. The motives are unclear and no arrests were made.

A new social housing complex for vulnerable people just opened in Montreal. The province's minister for social services, Lionel Carmant, said Le Christin is the largest housing project to date in the fight against homelessness.  

Opening herself up to dating after breast cancer and reconstructive surgery made Victoria Cassidy vulnerable to heartbreak. But she found her way to love and happiness, with someone who saw her as whole and complete.

By Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative

The Municipality of Ogden has raised tax rates on industrial and commercial land, potentially dealing a crippling blow to the private seasonal campground operated by the Weir Memorial Park board.

Historically, Ogden has maintained a single tax rate for all residential, industrial and commercial property on its territory; however, this year, the municipality has raised the tax rate on commercial and industrial properties by 50 per cent, from 76 cents per $100 of assessed value to $1.14 per $100. Combined with an increase in overall property values, this would more than quadruple the park’s annual tax bill, raising it from just over $3,550 to just over $14,750, according to park board member and former Stanstead mayor Philip Dutil, who has accused the municipality of “bullying” the park board.

Ogden Mayor David Lépine, for his part, denies targeting the park, saying the tax increase on commercial property has one goal – to cushion the impact of soaring residential property values. “In Quebec, municipalities have only one real source of revenue, and that’s property taxes,” he explained. “We looked around and saw that most municipalities differentiated between residential and commercial taxes, which we weren’t doing. We have about 23 commercial enterprises and we increased their rate [without distinction]. Had we not done that, residential taxes would have increased by 11 per cent instead of 6 per cent. I’m not surprised that the [park board] feels they are being targeted… they think it’s revenge, but that’s conjecture.”

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The 51-year-old Innu man who was found dead in a portable toilet, mere steps away from the Open Door shelter in January 2021 after public health officials had ordered it closed overnight. 

When East Coast Elite (ECE) headed into the finals at the Best in Box lacrosse tournament last weekend, they knew they were up for a challenge. The U17 squad, bolstered with six local players, was up against host team Penn Lax, the same opponent they lost to in the finals last year in the same bracket. 

This time around, ECE emerged victorious, securing the championship with a 5-4 win in an edge-of-your-seat game.

“It’s amazing to see the relationships that they’re developing with the US players that live down here,” said head coach Brendan Gorman. “And the chemistry that we were able to put together in such a short period of time, it really shows on the floor and it’s really a thing of beauty.”

It’s something he’s heard both from other coaches and parents from all over. “It’s just such an honour to have all these boys playing together under our umbrella,” he said.

But this victory is the culmination of years of work, both on and off the field, and it goes back about eight years, when Gorman began to forge ties with Kahnawake.  

“I was really proud watching them. Our boys kicked ass and hustled and played their game,” said Amy-Leigh Patton, mother of player Wyatt Cross, who’s been playing for Gorman since he was in fourth grade.

Five years later, Cross is one of a handful of local players that made up the U17 ECE roster, alongside Rahsontahawe Gabriel, Logan Gabriel, Leland Lahache, Rahsatstatie Cross, and Tiohahes Morris.

ECE was the number one team heading into the playoffs bracket on Sunday, ready to face Penn Lax in the finals. “They’re very disciplined. They know the game, they play hard. So we knew it wasn’t going to be an easy game,” said Gorman of their opponent.

The final game was neck-and-neck the entire way through. 

ECE started with a 1-0 lead, and both teams exchanged goals until they reached a 2-2 tie at halftime.

ECE started off strong once again, bringing the score to 3-2, which Penn Lax then tied, and soon took the lead 4-3 with five minutes left in the game. “In the second half, it was the first time that we trailed the entire game. And the boys stayed resilient,” Gorman said. ECE then took the lead once again with 1:12 minutes left, ultimately securing the championship title with a 5-4 win.

“Our goalie played incredible,” he said of Leland Lahache, who recorded 32 saves. “A lot of those were late in the second half when we needed him to stand up the most.”

ECE’s U19 team – classified as the high school elite division – boasted four local players: Owen Rice, Kasey Lahache, Tehoweroron Diabo, and Tehaianerahkwa Deer. The group took silver at the tournament. 

“The boys from Kahnawake are so valued in our program,” said Gorman, who’s also the national director for ECE, which aims to provide training, development, and game play opportunities for aspiring pro players.
Gorman, who’s based in Bergen County, New Jersey, about a 45-minute drive from downtown Manhattan, often ran in the same circles as ironworkers from Kahnawake. 

Nine years back, when he interviewed for a job as head lacrosse coach at Don Bosco Preparatory High School in New Jersey, he made plans to play golf with a longtime friend in the area the same weekend.

It was that same Saturday, by fluke, that he met Tawenrate Marquis on the golf course, an ironworker and also the father of local star lax player Koleton Marquis. 

The two knew they shared an interest even before a conversation began – Gorman was wearing his Ireland lacrosse polo, while Tawenrate wore a First Nations lacrosse polo. 

“Right away, we met each other, we know we’re lacrosse guys, we’re wearing polos, and we had the most amazing four hours on the golf course, just talking lacrosse,” Gorman recalled. 

From there on, their relationship only grew, and so did the team at ECE. Koleton became the first from Kahnawake to play box lacrosse with the team in wintertime, which was formerly known as O2 and Building Blocks Lacrosse (BBL), before the two merged and rebranded at ECE.

Gorman’s son, Connor Gorman, also played with the Junior B Kahnawake Hunters. 

It wasn’t long before interest from players from Kannawake and Kanesatake to join the ECE team grew through word of mouth.

“The coaching is phenomenal. Their attention to detail and skill development has been unmatched,” said Patton. “(Wyatt) found his confidence playing with this team.”

Patton added that the coaching has given Wyatt the drive to go even further and provided ample exposure and networking opportunities.

“It’s opened wide his eyes to a bigger picture available for him and I don’t think Wyatt would have gotten that had he not branched out and started playing out of Jersey or met coach Gorman,” said Patton. It’s through this team he got the connections to play on Team USA for the World Indoor Lacrosse championship.

“My end goal is to provide as much opportunity for the boys from Kahnawake to come down and not only play with us in the winter, but understand how important playing and education is if they have ambitions of going to a US college,” Gorman said.

He referenced the success of Koleton Marquis and Trey Deere as examples of how far the sport can take athletes who are intent on pursuing it into their academic careers.  

“I want nothing more than to continue that pipeline. And if there’s a family who wants to play, I’m never gonna say no. I want to keep developing this relationship,” he said. 

[email protected]

This article was originally published in print on February 2, in issue 33.05 of The Eastern Door.

The Legault administration, always happy to spend massive amounts of public money on the things we need least right now, announced that they will spend at least $870–million to repair the stadium’s roof and technical ring, the latter of which will be made of glass. The government anticipates the project will be completed in four years and that the new roof will have a lifespan of 50 years. They’re also anticipating doing so will bring about $1.5-billion in economic stimulus over the next decade, more than doubling what the stadium currently generates. The new roof will be fixed in place, but because of the glass component, will allow natural light to enter. In the government’s statement, they indicated this would be somewhat in keeping with stadium architect Roger Taillibert’s original vision, even if it ultimately means an end to any dreams of having a fully retractable roof.

Inevitably, people will ask why we’re throwing good money after bad and point to the stadium as an example of the “sunken cost fallacy.” As much as I hate to over-focus on dollars and cents, they do have a point, particularly so given that, when it comes to government spending, it’s austerity for everyone else.

The irony isn’t lost on me either: the government has little to no money to shelter the tens of thousands of homeless people in Quebec, but has nearly $1-billion to put a new roof over an underused sports stadium. 

It’s a sickening display of how perversely misguided government’s priorities are, and we should remember this come election time.

It is our perennial dilemma of seemingly olympian proportions: what to do with the Olympic Stadium?

2024 marks 20 years since the Expos played their last home game at the stadium, and by extension, 20 years since it’s had a primary tenant. What we’re supposed to do with a massive venue that’s unlikely to ever be used as the full-time home of a sports team ever again, and one that continues to cost exceptional amounts of money to maintain, are interrelated questions that have only become more pressing as time goes on.

They are interesting questions, too, because they suggest Montrealers have a say in the matter, but in fact the stadium, much of the land and some of the facilities around it actually belong to the government of Quebec. The Legault administration, which is almost allergic to doing anything that would benefit the city and people of Montreal, will throw money at the stadium irrespective of the fact Montrealers would prefer that cash be spent on other more useful things (social housing development, mass transit improvements, extending the bike network etc.). This in turn only exacerbates several other problems: Montrealers feeling the province is disconnected from their reality, Quebecers from outside Montreal thinking the government wastes money on us and Montrealers increasingly frustrated with how the province spends money here.

$870-million is an exceptional sum to pay to fix up a stadium that is unlikely to ever be anything more than occasionally used. Moreover, the cost estimates might not be anywhere close to reality. The Quebec government has a long disreputable history — one that can be traced back to the construction of the stadium 50 years ago — of paying far too much for civil engineering megaprojects. Whether it’s a consequence of corruption or simply too few major firms too close to those in power, the end result is the same for Jean and Jeanne Q. Publique. Given the way the CAQ does business, we might assume the Big O refit project is just more of the same gros jambon (pork barrel) politics. Call it a subsidy by another name to the construction and engineering industry.

That said, with a planned lifespan of 50 years, it’s clear the Quebec government sees the Big O as something that’s more than just a stadium. 50 years from now, it’ll be 100 years old. If it’s not a monument now, it certainly will be by then.

Globe and Mail columnist Konrad Yakabuski recently suggested demolishing the Olympic Stadium might be a better solution. This idea comes up often enough and, at least in recent years, tends to be paired with an argument proposing that redeveloping the site with high-density housing would be a great way to turn a money-losing expanse of land into one that would bring in considerable new tax revenues for the city.

The government shot down this idea today as impractical. It would be difficult and expensive to demolish the stadium without potentially damaging the tower and/or the metro line running underneath. The tower is a unique architectural achievement, one I happen to find quite beautiful. It’s also functional office space and a tourist attraction, and has a massive public aquatic complex and gymnasium facilities, so tearing these down along with the stadium wouldn’t make any sense.

The stadium is, despite its expense, a considerable architectural achievement and undeniably a historically significant building. Few stadiums or arenas in Canada will ever be considered architecturally significant in the same way that the Big O is, and few will ever be able to make a claim to be as historically significant as it is as well.

This is why it might now make sense for the stadium to seek federal classification as a national historic site, which could potentially make funds from Heritage Canada available for future repairs. A study commissioned in 2017 concluded that the entirety of Olympic Park has heritage value, that the tower and stadium are internationally recognized landmarks and among the city’s repertoire of major monuments. There are conditions in getting a heritage designation, but then again there probably aren’t any other protected historic buildings in Canada that would be anything like the Big O. It would certainly set a precedent, as unlike other historic buildings there would be a good justification in this case to allow for exceptions to normally strict rules against modifications that would allow the stadium to be improved over time. 

Whether the Quebec government is interested in cooperating with the federal government is another question.

Going this route could open doors to making the Olympic Stadium Canada’s stadium — a giant federally subsidized multi-sport, performance and convention venue, conveniently located in Canada’s premier tourism destination. We might not care as much about the cost of further repairs and improvements over the years if the costs are shared between the governments of Quebec and Canada and there’s an agreement in place that major federally subsidized events, like the Grey Cup, or any future international sporting events, are sent to Montreal. 

This may preclude any future use as a ballpark, but that was likely already the case. So be it — local promoters could continue renting the stadium for exhibition games. Using the stadium as a national sports training centre, or effectively saving it for a future summer Olympics bid, makes sense — it is what it was designed for, after all, and reusing the stadium and its associated facilities is just about the only way to make olympiads financially beneficial to their host cities. 

It worked for Los Angeles in 1984.

Involving the federal government doesn’t necessarily mean anything would have to change at an operational level — if all parties worked together in good faith. The Regie d’installations Olympiques (RIO) has done an excellent job, and their accumulated institutional knowledge should continue to be put to good use. The Fed’s involvement would be to supply needed renovation and improvement matching funds as much as direct events towards Montreal. This might not be to the liking of civic boosters in other cities, but that doesn’t matter — they don’t have what we do, what we’ve paid for.

Today’s announcement is just that: an announcement. We’ll have to wait and see whether this translates into meaningful action. As someone who has kept tabs on announcements for the Métro’s Blue Line, don’t count your infrastructure projects until someone starts putting out orange cones.

We should, collectively, take a moment to ask ourselves whether this has to be done right now, and whether this nearly $1 billion sum should be entirely paid by Quebec taxpayers. Tourism minister Caroline Proulx’s comment that the roof replacement project must go ahead without delay, or we risk losing the stadium entirely, rings hollow to me. Most Montrealers don’t remember this, but the stadium had no roof and was completely exposed to the elements for the first decade of its life: the tower wasn’t completed until 1987 and that’s when the retractable roof was installed. 

Given the stadium really isn’t being used anyways, it doesn’t really need to have its roof replaced right now, now does it?

Forget about sunken costs, let’s talk about why the government’s creating artificial urgency to spend $870-million on a roof for a stadium that functioned without one for 10 years. ■

Read more editorials by Taylor C. Noakes.

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Tree cutting in preparation for the construction of a battery plant in the Montérégie that was temporarily paused earlier this month has now resumed after a Quebec Superior Court judge rejected an injunction filed by an environmental group to halt the work.

Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) chief Ross Montour said he hopes they’ll have better luck with the approach they’re taking with their own lawsuit, which seeks to interrupt the construction by ordering the provincial and federal governments to consult them on the project. 

“It wasn’t unexpected,” Montour said about the judge’s decision to reject the injunction. “There’s a lot of money tied up in this.”

Both the MCK and the Quebec Environmental Law Center (CQDE), which filed the injunction, oppose the clearing of trees and the destruction of wetlands that will result from the plant. The MCK made repeated efforts since October to Quebec demanding consultations begin with them on the use of their traditional land – without success.

The factory for the production of electric car batteries is set to be in operation by 2026, and will be located across 170 hectares of land between Saint-Basile-le-Grand and McMasterville.

In a decision released last Friday, Quebec Superior Court judge David R. Collier wrote the CQDE failed to bring forward a convincing argument leading him to doubt “the validity of the ministerial authorization and the municipal permit.” Quebec’s environmental ministry authorized the project, while the neighbouring Saint-Basile-le-Grand granted the permit to cut trees at the site.

While the judge acknowledged the “loss of a natural environment that is both rare and important” for the region is sure to result from “the destruction or damage” to nearly 14 hectares of wetlands at the site, he wrote this loss is compensated by efforts taken to date by the company to restore Quebec’s environment in other areas. 

Northvolt, the Swedish company behind the project, paid $4.7 million toward a provincial fund aimed at preserving and restoring other existing wetlands in Quebec, the judge noted in his decision. In addition to that, it promised to plant 24,000 trees to make up for the 8,730 living and 5,365 dead trees it would cut at the site, he wrote.

“​​Northvolt contends it will suffer enormous economic harm if its project is delayed or ultimately abandoned,” the judge also wrote, adding it’s a “green” endeavour. “Quebec considers the Northvolt project of great importance to the province’s economy, with it creating 3,000 new jobs once the factory is built.”

Since the MCK isn’t being consulted and information about how that $4.7 million will be used to restore other wetlands is difficult to come by, Timothy Law said it’s hard to have faith this will make up for what’s to come at the Northvolt site. He works with the Kahnawake Environment Protection Office (KEPO) and advises the MCK whenever Quebec’s environmental ministry consults with them on projects requiring their authorization.

“We can’t count on the payment to the fund as being an appropriate type of compensation for the losses that we’re going to see at the Northvolt site,” Law said.  “We need time to explore what compensation actually means.” 

An audit by Quebec’s auditor general last April also found funding set aside for the preservation and restoration of wetlands in the province is underutilized, Law added. Though Quebec’s environmental ministry had $29 million injected into one fund over 2019 to 2022, less than $2.5 million was approved to go toward wetland projects, the audit found. The audit also revealed the province was frequently granting wetland destruction authorizations to companies that failed to demonstrate they had sought alternative locations for construction off of existing wetlands. 

“This financial compensation removes the responsibility from the proponent and makes them look good for having paid into it, but it doesn’t actually achieve any of the no-net-loss goals that the financial compensation is trying to get at,” Law said. 

Quebec’s environmental ministry’s decision to move ahead with the battery plant also comes following its rejection of a housing project on the same lot of land last March. 

At the time, it justified its decision on the grounds it would cause too much damage to the wetlands there, writing in a decision in early March that the ponds, marsh, and swamps there “allow for the maintenance of biodiversity in a context where natural environments are rare and where agricultural practices and urban development homogenize the landscape.”

The MCK was also among those consulted in 2022 ahead of the province’s decision to not authorize the destruction of wetlands there, Montour reminded.

“They denied it when it was a housing project, and then they turned around and arbitrarily approved the project without consulting – and the judge supported that. He felt that was fine; we don’t think it is,” Montour said of judge Collier’s decision. “Like I’ve said before, I’m not opposed to green energy, but I can’t support the destruction of species.”

As for the MCK’s lawsuit, Montour said he’s still waiting to hear when their day in court will be. He said their lawyers will be pushing for ongoing court ordered case management hearings between the MCK, Quebec, the federal government, and Northvolt, as a means to establish negotiations between everyone involved.

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This article was originally published in print on February 2, in issue 33.05 of The Eastern Door.

Mistakes in the 10-metre platform final cost Canadian diver Caeli McKay, who finished eighth of 12 women on Tuesday at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar. Artistic swimmers Audrey Lamothe and Jacqueline Simoneau were seventh in the duet technical routine.

In a report made public on Monday, a group that advises the provincial government on innovation strategies came up with 12 recommendations on how to best deal with artificial intelligence.

The following capsule review of Hiatus appears in the 2024 Montreal Restaurant Guide. To read the complete issue, please click here.

Hiatus

If you’re racking your brain for a fresh spot for a night out in downtown Montreal, let the light at the top of Place Ville-Marie be a beacon for Hiatus. Open for dinner as well as lunch on weekdays, Hiatus offers beautiful panoramic views and fantastic Japanese-inspired dishes, and cocktails — try the baked oysters and “nouilles aux oeufs” (if you’re not feeling lobster or A5 Miyazaki Wagyu) while sipping on a spicy Skyline Sling (which combines Suntori and Glenmorangie). Located on PVM’s 46th floor, with a bar that now serves Japanese bites on the 45th, Hiatus lives up to its status as the restaurant at the top of the city with a blend of aesthetic refinement, warm service and consistently satisfying food. (1 Place Ville-Marie, 46th floor)

For more on Hiatus, please visit their website.

For more on the food and drink scene in Montreal, please visit the Food & Drink section.

The post Montreal Restaurant Guide: Hiatus appeared first on Cult MTL.

Quebec confirmed repairing the Olympic Stadium's roof and ring will come with a price tag of $870 million. The stadium will be closed for four years as of this summer.

Quebec’s National Assembly is back at work after a long holiday break and it’s likely going to be a combative parliamentary session as the CAQ government will try and defend its questionable record to opposition parties that will have their guns blazing now that they see the party in power is trending down.

After a long four-year honeymoon period where the CAQ and its leader François Legault appeared to do no wrong, enjoying often inexplicably sky-high popularity numbers, the bubble appears to have burst. Quebecers are angry, disillusioned and deeply worried about the cost of living, healthcare, education and housing — areas that don’t appear to remotely show any signs of resolution. And while some major reforms have recently been adapted, many questions remain about how they will be implemented. 

Historically, the CAQ has favoured a style of government that rushes through legislation and reforms with little consultation and even less explanation. Quebecers are rightfully concerned and critical. Historic province-wide strikes have eroded support for Legault, who, during the three-year pandemic, was able to govern with little to no opposition, and greatly benefited from that. Reality, however, has finally caught up to Premier Legault. And knowing he’s in hot water, some spin doctoring was promptly ordered. 

‘Change what doesn’t work: your government’ 

A few days after the CAQ held its party caucus in Sherbrooke, a partisan ad surfaced that was probably filmed while everyone had congregated at the same hotel. It isn’t the first time the CAQ government has produced a purely partisan ad paid for with our money. This one at least had some unintentional entertainment value.

The ad basically informs us that in 2024 “our government” will go back to what it essentially is, “the team of change.” We first see Premier François Legault, and then in succession ministers Bernard Drainville, Geneviève Guilbault, Christian Dubé and Sonia LeBel appear to tell us one by one that “more investments in education are coming,” that they “believe in better access to our healthcare system” and that “it’s time, now more than ever, to show you what we’re capable of doing.” 

Why didn’t you show us what you’re capable of doing before? Were you trying to pace yourselves? Holding back? 

Premier Legault then reappears in the ad to tell us, “This is what we were elected to do: change what doesn’t work.” The video ends with “Your government” which is a tagline the CAQ has used in several promotional campaigns in the past, but in this video, it awkwardly follows “Change what doesn’t work,” creating more than a few chuckles from many who pointed out that it practically appears to suggest that what isn’t working and needs changing is… “your government.”  Awkward pacing, to say the least. 

Regardless of the chuckle-worthy PR faux pas, and much more importantly, people were right to point out that the ad made them feel like they were in the middle of an election. It felt so much like aggressive political advertising that I almost had to remind myself that we’re a solid two-and-a-half years away from the next provincial campaign. 

The CAQ is clearly feeling the heat and trying to bounce back in the polls by promising action and change. The problem is that this is a government that’s already five years into governing, so the status quo it’s claiming to combat is… itself. If there’s inaction and a feeling of inertia, it can only point the finger back to the CAQ. If there’s a lack of change, once again, it can only blame the powers that be. That’s them. They’re the powers that be. This has echoes of Taylor Swift singing, “It’s me! Hi! I’m the problem, it’s me.” Telling voters that they need to vote for change is a tactic that works with a party aiming to form government, not one already firmly ensconced in a position of power for half a decade. 

Campaigns used before with mixed results

It’s not the first time that the CAQ has used these types of promotional campaigns meant to stir up emotions paid for with our money — without great success. Back in 2022, it had to apologize for running a Bill 96 campaign ad prematurely, congratulating itself for passing legislation that hadn’t yet been adopted by the National Assembly. As gaffes go, it was a tad presumptuous.

The ad was also heavily criticized by many legal experts, including constitutional lawyer Julius Grey, for containing a multitude of “falsehoods” on the controversial language law — primarily the government’s claim that it wouldn’t affect access to healthcare for English-speaking Quebecers. Constitutional law professor Frederic Berard referred to the ad at the time as “lying to people with public money.” Fast-forward two years and they weren’t wrong. Access to healthcare has indeed been impeded for English-speaking Quebecers in many documented cases, among many other concerns for the province’s linguistic minorities. There are currently six lawsuits against Bill 96 underway, most of them regarding access to healthcare in English, for people who have the legal right to it.

It’s clear from the promo video that the CAQ knows it’s on the hot seat as it’s seen its support plummet recently. It appears to now be using the rhetoric of “change” to re-inspire faith in the government. I’m not sure whether it will work. Voters traditionally have short memories, but five years in, most Quebecers have started to notice that — pandemic withstanding — this government has had a good chunk of time to make incremental and substantial changes in areas it promised it would make some improvements and where Quebecers say changes are most needed in: healthcare, education, housing, climate and cost of living.

Legault recently said he wants the government to “refocus” and named five priorities: education, health, the economy, the environment and Quebec identity. In the past five years, I’ve unfortunately seen far too much focus on divisive identity politics and far too little time spent on areas that affect all Quebecers profoundly. With two and a half years remaining on Legault’s second mandate and with opposition parties coming for him, it remains to be seen what the focus will be and whether any of these promised changes will materialize and be enough for the CAQ to regain momentum. ■

This article was originally published in the Feb. 2024 issue of Cult MTL.

Read more weekly editorial columns by Toula Drimonis.

The post The latest CAQ ad suggests, ‘Change what doesn’t work: your government’ appeared first on Cult MTL.

Richard McLean took Quebec to court, accusing it of having discriminatory rules regarding pensions for people with disabilities. He died in 2022, but his fight is far from over and the debate has now reached the United Nations.

Stéphan Genest from Magog, Que., will be showcasing his ballbecue — a mobile barbecue in the shape of a football — at the NFL Super Bowl party. The project has been 15 years in the making and the Quebecer hopes to optimize the tailgating experience.

By Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative

A former mayor of Danville and two former councillors have launched a petition calling on Minister of Municipal Affairs Andrée Laforest to launch an independent inquiry into the situation that led to the municipality falling three years behind on its financial statements.

“We don’t want to accuse anyone – the inquiry will tell us if anyone on the council or the administration did wrong, including any of us,” former mayor Michel Plourde, who served from 2013-2021, told The Record. Plourde and his former council colleagues Nathalie Boissé and Jean-Guy Dionne launched the petition Jan. 25. “We’re sticking our necks out. People might say, ‘You’re doing it to clear your reputation,’ and in a way, we are, but we want answers too.”

Between 2017 and the departure of the previous city manager in 2021, the city did not file a single annual financial statement according to Plourde. “The mayor has a duty of surveillance [but] the mayor and council cannot do that job [of filing the annual reports],” he explained, citing the Cities and Towns Act, which gives that responsibility to the town’s clerk or treasurer. In addition to the missing annual statements, Plourde alluded to missing interim statements and delayed council meeting minutes. For legal reasons, he is unable to discuss the circumstances of the town manager’s departure, although he said he hoped an inquiry would allow more information to be made public and shed light on whether financial misdeeds were committed.

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L’article Former Danville mayor, councillors call for inquiry into past finances est apparu en premier sur Sherbrooke Record.

Teachers in Quebec's English schools have voted in favour of the government's proposed deal, but their union president says there remains dissatisfaction because of the lack of improvements on working conditions. Host Peter Tardif speaks with Steven LeSueur for the details.

Demonstrators called for Quebec to allow an independent environmental study and be more transparent about the project.

Quebec's largest nurses' union and federation of CEGEPs welcome the change of course.

Quebec will announce Monday that it will replace the Olympic Stadium’s roof and technical ring, according to information obtained by Radio-Canada. The government considered demolishing it, but decided renovations are more financially viable.

Some foreign nationals will continue to be banned from buying Canadian housing, as the federal government extends the expiration of the program until 2027.

An Amber Alert for a missing 8-year-old girl was cancelled after she was found safe Sunday morning.

The city is known for its thriving video game industry, but lately it's been facing some choppy waters. A few high profile studios have announced layoffs.

Swimmer Betty Brussel just broke three world records. She’s training hard for her next competition — and getting ready for her 100th birthday this summer.

The study shows that various organizations want to reverse the decline of downtown Gatineau, Que., one that's been fueled by an exodus of workers, including many federal civil servants.