Season Flu Shot Clinics Open Across Quebec

From CTV:

Quebecers are being asked to roll up their sleeves again -- this time for the seasonal flu vaccine.

Flu clinics opened up Monday across the province.

The seasonal flu shots are free for people in high risk groups.

They include children under the age of two, people 60 and over, and people with a range of illnesses.

The illnesses include heart, lung and kidney ailments, diabetes, cancer asthma and immune deficiencies.

Health are workers can also get free flu shots.

Read more ....

Montreal Suburbs Decry 13% Hike In Agglo Expenses

Mayor Gérald Tremblay's administration issued levy notices to Montreal's 15 suburbs on Dec. 18, 2009. Photograph by: Pierre Obendrauf, The Gazette

From The Montreal Gazette:

'Alarming' increases driven by 'runaway spending': Westmount mayor.

MONTREAL – Montreal island suburbs have been told to expect an average 13-per-cent increase in their share of agglomeration expenses in the 2010 city of Montreal budget to be made public Wednesday.

Suburban mayors make reference to the 13-per-cent figure in a news release they issued Monday morning, two days in advance of the Jan. 13 budget date. The mayors say they are upset that they didn’t have a greater say in determining agglomeration spending for 2010, and accused the Tremblay administration of a lack of rigour in spending restraint.

Read more ....

My Comment: 13% increase .... I will also call this "runaway spending".

Halle Berry Jumps Queue At Trudeau Airport

Halle Berry, husband Gabriel Aubry and their 22-month-old daughter were whisked through security at Trudeau international airport – with the help of a Montreal Police officer. Photograph by: Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Halle Berry Avoids Airline Scrutiny In Montreal -- Toronto Sun

MONTREAL - The new security measures put in place at airports does not apply to everyone, it seems.

According to an independent journalist who was standing in line for a flight at Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau on Monday, U.S. actress Halle Berry, her partner and their child were ushered through the boarding queue and directly to their flight, ahead of waiting passengers.

Read more ....

More News On Halle Berry

Cop helps Halle Berry jump line at airport -- Toronto Star
Officer let Halle Berry bypass airport security line -- CBC
Actress gets a jump on airport queue -- Globe And Mail
Halle Berry jumps queue at Trudeau airport -- Canada.com
Montreal police admit Berry skipped airport line -- CTV
If You Were Halle Berry, You Could Jump Airport Lines, Too -- E! Online

Montreal Taxes Going Up

Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay will unveil the city's $4.3-billion budget for 2010 on Wednesday. Photograph by: Pierre Obendrauf, The Gazette

Mayor Tremblay's Challenge: Avoid Budget Backlash -- Montreal Gazette

Tax hikes are likely to be announced Wednesday to make up shortfall.

"The problem is that we only, or almost only, hear from people who are against something; we rarely hear from those in favour."

– Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay, May 22, 2009

MONTREAL – It isn't as if we weren't warned.

When Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay unveils the city's $4.3-billion budget for 2010 on Wednesday, he will be detailing the height, weight and ugliness of the fiscal gorilla he and his councillors have been alluding to for much of the last year.

Read more ....

Update: Montreal homeowners should expect tax hike -- CBC

My Comment: I thought that when the suburbs were forced into joining Montreal .... our taxes will be going down or stable. But since amalgamation my taxes have more than doubled .... and who knows what this week.

Hmmmm .... I/we have been lied to (again) by our politicians.

Cracks Open Up In Laval Metro Tunnels

The Laval metro tunnels have at least 17 cracks that are more than
six feet long and more than one millimeter wide.

From CTV News:

The Laval metro is not even three years old, and already the cracks are showing.

Media reports on Monday say that at least 17 cracks have opened up in the tunnels of the new metro network - all are more than six feet long and more than one millimeter wide.

The cracks have not been repaired despite an engineer's recommendation back in November 2007 - just seven months after the Laval network opened to the public.

Read more ....

My Comment: This is discouraging .... either we are having some minor earthquakes in Laval, or someone did not use the right concrete.

Expect Boost In Montreal Property Values

Montreal Skyline

From The Montreal Gazette:

It's "way too early to tell" how big the boost in Montreal Island's municipal evaluations will be in a new tax roll to take effect Jan. 1, 2011, Montreal city spokesperson Patricia Lowe said Tuesday.

The current roll values all buildings and land across the island at $195.7 billion.

Preliminary work began last summer on the upcoming three-year roll. To be unveiled next September, it will provide the basis for municipal taxes levied through the end of 2013 -- –from the western to eastern tips of the island.

Michel Benoit will be keeping an eagle eye on the process.

Read more ....

My Comment: Here comes the ENORMOUS tax increases.

Mariott On Peel St. Deemed Safe

Photo: A slab of concrete fell from the 18th floor of the Marriott Residence Inn, on Peel Street, in July.

Montreal Hotel Deemed Safe After Fatal Accident -- CBC

Woman killed by falling concrete block last July.

A hotel in downtown Montreal has finally been deemed safe five months after a block of concrete fell from the façade, killing a woman below.

Quebec’s Régie du bâtiment, the provincial agency responsible for enforcing the building safety code, has received an engineer’s report attesting to the safety of the Marriott Residence Inn on Peel Street following the incident last July.

Read more ....

Update: Mariott on Peel St. deemed safe -- CTV

My Comment:That part of the city core will never be the same.

Que. In Gambling Addiction Treatment Deal: Report

From The CBC:

A settlement may be in the works between the Quebec government and Loto-Québec in a legal battle over the cost of treating people with gambling addiction, according to a published report.

La Presse said Thursday that the provincial government has agreed to reimburse treatment costs for problem gamblers between 1994 and 2002.

The agreement reportedly settles the class action lawsuit brought against Loto-Québec in 2001.

Read more ....

Update: Gambling addicts get $50 M compensation deal -- CTV

My Comment: This 'agreement" is just a drop in the bucket to solve a problem that is pervasive throughout our society. Oh well .... like all politicians .... they believe that throwing away some money may get rid of the problem.

Firebombings Continue In Montreal

Montreal police are investigating an arson attack early Thursday at the La Belle Province restaurant on Ste. Catherine St. E., at the corner of Bourbonnière Ave. Photograph by: Google Street Views, The Gazette

Arsonists Strike Again, Firebomb La Belle Province -- Montreal Gazette

Third Molotov attack in Montreal in two days

MONTREAL – Police are investigating a third Molotov cocktail attack in Montreal in two days.

An arsonist broke a window of a La Belle Province restaurant on Ste. Catherine St. E., near the corner of Bourbonnière Ave., at 12:50 a.m. Thursday and lobbed in a Molotov cocktail.

The fire was quickly extinguished, and damages were limited to the counter and part of the floor, police said.

Read more ....

Update #1: Firebombings continue in Montreal -- CBC
Update #2: Restaurant firebombed on Ste-Catherine St. -- CTV

My Comment: It appears that there is some type of war/conflict now happening between various criminal groups in Montreal.

Back From A Nice Vacation.

Had a wonderful vacation ..... but like all good things they must come to an end. Blogging will resume today.