Pilot Praised After Montreal Helicopter Crash

The TVA traffic helicopter went down around 7:30 a.m. ET Wednesday near the Bonaventure Expressway. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

From The CBC:

The pilot of a Quebec news helicopter that crashed Wednesday morning in Montreal at the peak of rush hour is being hailed for his skill in preventing a worse outcome.

"I think they are both lucky and I think our pilot did a marvelous job," Serge Fortin TVA vice-president told reporters at a news conference. "I think just landing the chopper this morning … having both guys coming out alive, I think it's a miracle.

"It was great piloting, If I can say that. I'm not an expert, but from what I've been hearing, it was pretty amazing what he did."

Read more ....

More News On Today's Helicopter Crash

Doctor praises helicopter pilot’s sang froid -- Montreal Gazette
Chopper crash leaves news team in shock -- CTV
Helicopter crashes in Montreal -- Globe And Mail
Two injured in Montreal helicopter emergency -- Canada.com
TV traffic helicopter crashes near Montreal highway, injuring two -- Canadian Press

Quebec Targets Homelessness In $60.5M Plan

Between two-thirds and three-quarters of Quebec's
homeless population live in Montreal. (Photo: Istock)

From The CBC:

Quebec has unveiled a new $60.5 million, three-year plan to fight homelessness, including measures to improve mid- and long-term housing options for people on the street.

Details of the plan were released Monday, after a year of consultations between 10 different provincial ministries and public organizations.

The plan is made up of 70 measures that address concerns "expressed by diverse groups in civil society," according to a news release issued by the Ministry of Social Services.

Read more ....

My Comment: Unfortunately .... this is just a spit in the bucket.

Concert News: Alicia Keys At The Bell Centre Feb. 28

Singer Alicia Keys performs on NBC's "Today" show in New York, November 24, 2009.
Photograph by: Reuters/Brendan McDermid

From The Montreal Gazette:

MONTREAL - R&B star Alicia Keys will perform at the Bell Centre on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010.

Keys, whose new album The Element of Freedom was released Tuesday, sits atop the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart as the featured singer on rapper Jay-Z's Empire State of Mind.

Tickets for Keys's Bell Centre show cost $50 to $125 (plus service charges) and go on sale Friday at noon via geg.ca or by calling 514-790-2525 or 1-877-668-8269.

Read more ....

Calvillo's Gift To The MUHC

The donation from Calvillo (seen here with wife Alexia) will help build a new kitchen and bathroom at the Montreal General Hospital family room.

From CTV:

Montreal Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo is giving back to his community, donating the $10,000 prize money from his CFL Most Outstanding Player Award.

Calvillo, fresh off a Grey Cup win, is giving the money to the Cedars Cancer Institute at the McGill University Health Centre.

His wife, Alexia Calvillo, was treated for B-Cell lymphoma cancer at the Royal Victoria Hospital, which is part of the MUHC.

Read more ....

Update: Calvillos give $10K to hospital -- CBC

My Comment: This is one of the many reasons why he is a champion.

Montreal's Weather Forecast Is Calling For Cold Temperatures

Brrrr! Time To Get Out The Woolies -- Montreal Gazette

MONTREAL – Those frigid temperatures that have been dogging Alberta and other parts of the west are heading our way for a couple of days, so it’s time to dig out the down jacket and the scarves, ’cause it’s gonna be frosty.

After two days of daytime highs hovering around the freezing mark, the mercury will plummet starting Thursday when a new front moves in.

Read more ....

My Comment: Another cold winter ..... yech ....

Montreal News And Weather -- December 15, 2009

MONTREAL NEWS AND WEATHER

CLSCs will offer flu shots over holidays -- Montreal Gazette

Power back on in Montreal -- CBC
Massive province wide power failure -- CTV

Quebec minimum wage raised to $9.50 -- CBC
Quebec minimum wage to increase to $9.50 next May -- CTV

Laval sees fast growth -- Montreal Gazette

Calvillos give $10K to hospital -- CBC
Calvillo's gift to the MUHC -- CTV

Centraide surpasses fundraising goal -- Montreal Gazette

Judge makes rare offer to convicted murderer -- CTV
Judge offers immunity in return for body -- CBC

Accused in family killings appear at inquiry -- Montreal Gazette

Two Shafias to go straight to murder trial -- CTV

Neilson family marks 1 year since disappearance -- CBC

Suspect charged in connection with armed robberies -- Montreal Gazette

Trade Rumours Swirl Around Halak

Canadiens' Jaroslav Halak makes a pad save against the Senators in a game at Scotiabank Place on Dec. 8, 2009. Photograph by: Phillip MacCallum, Getty Images

From The Montreal Gazette:

NEWARK, N.J. – As the Canadiens prepare to face the New Jersey Devils Wednesday night (7 p.m., RDS, CJAD Radio-800), the focus will be on a goaltender, and it’s not Martin Brodeur, who is in position to break Terry Sawchuk’s NHL record for career shutouts.

The man in the news is Canadiens backup Jaroslav Halak, who may or may not have asked general manager Bob Gainey for a trade. While Gainey told veteran ruefrontenac.com columnist Bertrand Raymond that he has talked to the Philadelphia Flyers about Halak, the goaltender was coy on Tuesday.

Read more ....

More Trade Rumors Of Canadian Golie Halak

Gainey comments on Halak trade rumours -- Examiner
Habs offer Halak to Flyers -- CTV
Canadiens reportedly shopping Halak for top-six forward -- National Post
Canadiens offer goaltender Halak to Flyers -- TSN

Judge: Show Us Where The Body Is .... And You Will Get Immunity?!?!?!

Judge Makes Rare Offer To Convicted Murderer -- CTV

There was a rare turn of events at the Montreal courthouse Tuesday when a judge offered immunity to a convicted murderer in exchange for the whereabouts of the victim's body.

Marchat Marseille, 20, was convicted of shooting David Mutunzi Nyagahene, 17, in an apartment in Montreal North in 2007.

A jury convicted Marseille on the weekend even though the boy's body was never recovered.

Read more ....

My Comment: This does not make any sense. This murderer has been convicted of murder .... let the conviction stand. The proper tack is to tell this murderer that his term in jail will be dependent on whether he cooperates or not.

Quebec Minimum Wage Raised To $9.50

From CBC:

Quebec is increasing its minimum wage by $0.50 to $9.50 per hour, effective May 1, 2010.

Workers in the restaurant and bar industry will also see their minimum salaries rise by $0.25 per hour, to $8.25.

Labour Minister Sam Hamad announced the 5.5 per cent wage increase on Tuesday.

Read more ....

Montreal Joins Calls For National Transit Strategy

The Canadian Urban Transit Association says Canadian cities need more than $20 billion to maintain public transit infrastructure over the next two years.

From CTV:

The city of Montreal is looking for new ways to fund public transit and it says money from taxpayers can do the trick.

on Monday evening, city council adopted a plan created by the Canadian Urban Transit Association.

The Toronto-based group says Canadian cities need more than $20 billion to maintain public transit infrastructure over the next 2 years.

Read more ....

My Comment: My beef with the Montreal Transit authority is that they are more focused on big and new projects .... but not on improving the existing service. For example .... the bus service to the West Island still sucks after all of these many years.