South Shore Man Confirmed As Quebec's Third Case Of H1N1 Flu

DNA test kits of the the influenza H1N1 or swine flu virus prepared by PrimerDesign Ltd are displayed at the company laboratory in England on May 2, 2009.
Photograph by: Getty Images.

From The Monteal Gazette:

A South Shore man who had recently returned from Mexico was confirmed Sunday as the third Quebecer infected with the H1N1 flu virus.

The man is recovering at home and his case has been judged to be mild, Alain Poirier, director of Quebec’s Public Health Department, told a news conference. Poirier said he did not know the man’s age.

Meanwhile, a team of doctors and nurses are planning to visit a private Pierrefonds school tomorrow to answer parents’ questions after one of the students fell ill with H1N1. That student was Quebec’s second case of so-called swine flu.

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New Approach To Cut Speeding

Surete de Quebec accident scene investigator photographs a pair of childrens running shoes on the lawn of a house in Ile Perrot October 31, 2007. A three year old girl was killed when two cars involved in an accident crashed onto the property where she was playing. Photograph by: John Mahoney, The Gazette

From The Montreal Gazette:

Traffic deaths are dropping as heavier penalties and stricter enforcement kick in, but Quebec isn't easing off the pedal in its awareness efforts - this year's ads will use the logic of statistics.

Quebec tried blood, gore and death. Now, it's turning to cold, hard numbers.

For the past two years, the province's auto-insurance board has used shock TV ads showing blood spurting from dying accident victims in a bid to convince Quebec drivers to slow down, Now, the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec has launched a TV campaign that uses statistics and charts to show how little time drivers save by speeding.

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Quebec Child Infected With H1N1 Virus; Numbers Rise Across Canada

Alain Poirier, Quebec's director of public health, confirmed the first case of H1N1 flu in the province on Thursday, April 30, 2009.

From CTV News:

The province's director of public health has confirmed that the second person in Quebec infected with the H1N1 flu virus is a child who recently returned from a family vacation to Mexico.

At a press conference Saturday afternoon, Alain Poirier said the young student attended school while displaying symptoms of the flu strain.

The child's case is considered mild.

Public health officials are now trying to contact all of the child's teachers, and the parents of the child's classmates, to warn them of possible infection.

The name of the school will not be revealed until all parents have been contacted.

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Quebec Minimum Wage Raised To $9

From CBC:

Quebec's minimum wage went up by 50 cents Friday to $9 an hour.

It’s the second time the minimum wage has gone up in two years.

But it’s not enough to keep people out of poverty, especially when compared to other provinces, community advocates said.

"When we raise the minimum wage, we also give the power for workers to buy more, or to put back [some money] in the economy," said Mélanie Gauvin, spokesperson for the Front de défense des non-syndiqué(e)s, a group representing non-unionized workers.

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Canadian Centre For Architecture Marks Its 20th Anniversary

The exterior of Lord Shaughnessy's mansion, seen here on Tuesday, September 18, 2007, is one of 50 heritage properties to hold open houses this weekend. The semi-detached mansion was built by Robert Brown in 1874 and is now part of the Canadian Centre for Architecture. Photograph by: Dave Sidaway, Montreal Gazette

20 Years: 20 Hours At Montreal Architecture Centre -- The Montreal Gazette

MONTREAL - The Canadian Centre for Architecture marks its 20th anniversary this weekend with “20 Years: 20 Hours,” a celebration of its achievements in Montreal and internationally.

From noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, the centre will display its designer and exhibition spaces free of charge as part of Design Montréal Open House, which will include guided tours led by the CCA building designer Peter Rose and highlights from 20 years of exhibitions.

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Downtown Montreal Losing Prime Green Space

Atwater water filtration plant, 2002. Photograph by: Richard Arless Jr., Montreal Gazette

From The Montreal Gazette:

Dupuis Park will be fenced off while work is done on Atwater filtration plant.

When Albert Albala noticed the signs for Dupuis Park disappearing last summer, he started to worry.

Since he moved to Verdun four years ago, Albala has spent many spring and summer evenings playing soccer at the park, a four-hectare mound of green space beside the Atwater Ave. water filtration plant.

Built up over one of the Atwater filtration plant's water reservoirs, Dupuis Park offers a lovely view of downtown Montreal, and area residents have for many years enjoyed flying kites, walking their dogs, playing soccer, cricket, ultimate frisbee and other sports in this park.

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Irregular Land Sales Cast Shadow On Mayor's Office

City Of Montreal

From The CBC:

Montreal mayor Gérald Tremblay cancelled a scheduled public appearance Friday afternoon as questions surrounding a dubious real estate transaction continue to hound his office.

Tremblay was supposed to give a speech for the 20th anniversary of the Défi Canderel (Canderel challenge), a corporate fundraiser for cancer research. But his office said he wouldn't be able to make it.

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My Comment: I have written about this before .... but this is the dirty secret of Quebec politics. Land sales and land purchases have always benefited those who are in power ..... this is not the first time it has happened, it is not going to be the last.

Canadiens Legend Guy Lafleur Found Guilty

Former Montreal Canadiens player Guy Lafleur (left) returns to court with his lawyer at Palais de Justice in Thursday, April 16, 2009. He is is charged with giving contradictory evidence while testifying in court for his son, Mark. Photograph by: Phil Carpenter, Montreal Gazette

From The Montreal Gazette:

Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur has been found guilty of obstructing justice by giving contradictory evidence at a bail hearing in September 2007 for his troubled son Mark Lafleur.

Lafleur failed to tell the court that his son, Mark, broke his bail conditions when he spent two nights in a hotel with a 16-year-old girl.

The maximum penalty for perjury is 14 years in jail.

Lafleur showed no emotion when the verdict was announced.

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Montreal Has It's First Swine Flu Patient

A nurse at the Isolation station at the university hospital demonstrates the protective gear needed as they prepare the ward for people infected with the "Swine flu" in the central German city of Frankfurt/M. on April 30, 2009. Three cases of swine flu have now been confirmed in Germany, the latest European. Photograph by: AFP PHOTO DDP / THOMAS LOHNES,

Swine Flu Patient Is A Montrealer -- The Montreal Gazette

'It's transmitted by us now,' doctor says

QUEBEC - Alain Poirier, Quebec’s director of public health, said Thursday that Quebec’s first confirmed case of H1N1, as the swine flu has been renamed, has been confirmed by the Winnipeg laboratory that checks virus samples.

Poirier made the announcement during a news conference, which began with Poirier saying there were no cases of H1N1 in the province.

The patient is a Montreal man, public health officials said.

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More News On Montreal's Swine Flu Patient

1 confirmed case of swine flu in Quebec -- CBC
Gov't confirms first case of H1N1 in Quebec -- CTV
B.C. school shut amid flu fears; 34 cases in Canada -- CTV
Mayor says Montreal's ready for possible pandemic. -- CJAD
Swine flu H1N1 spreads to Quebec -- CJAD

Culinary Intellectual Property And The Montreal Bagel

Should Canada being doing more to protect its distinctive culinary traditions, such as the Montreal bagel, which can often be found in inferior knock-off forms in the U.S. and, er, Toronto? Tyrel Featherstone / Canwest News Service

From The National Post:

Amid the parade of iconic brands that adorn Beverly Hills is an unexpected piece of culinary culture from home. There, one block from Rodeo Drive, is a small establishment called St. Urbain Street Bagels that offers up Montreal's famous foodstuff in a bakery full of historical posters of the city.

The sight of a distinctive Canadian culinary item in the world's most famous shopping district might be cause for pride. Except for one fact: The doughy confections for sale in Beverly Hills have as much resemblance to Montreal bagels as Velveeta does to cheddar. Rather than burnishing the city's gastronomic image, the pseudo bagel cheapens it.

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