Canadiens’ Owner Seeking Minority Business Partner

In this file photo, Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett responds to a question during a news conference in Montreal, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007. (Paul Chiasson / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

From Metro News Edmonton:

MONTREAL — Montreal Canadiens’ owner George Gillett says in a newspaper interview that he is seeking an investment for his trifecta of sports ventures.

In an interview published in Montreal La Presse on Saturday, Gillett says he’s looking for a minority partner for his hockey, soccer and NASCAR teams, while he maintains a controlling interest.

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Canada, UFC A Match Made In Montreal

Sam Stout (right) of London, Ont., fights in his winning match against Matt Wiman of Dallas during the UFC lightweight bout at the Bell Centre last night. For more exclusive UFC photos, visit montrealgazette.com Photograph by: Phil Carpenter the Gazette, The Gazette

From The Montreal Gazette:

The UFC is absolutely loving Montreal. As it should. For the second time in a year, more than 22,000 ultimate fighting and mixed martial arts fans jammed the Bell Centre. And local hero Georges St-Pierre wasn't even on the card this time.

"I have no clue why. I never expected it," UFC president Dana White said this week. "The first thing I never really expected was how many female fans we have, and then I never expected Canada to be such a huge market.

"And there's tons of Canadian talent, too, and we've got a lot of it on this card," he added.

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Mayor's Feeling Heat On Ethics

Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay speaks about the provincial budget in March 2009. Photograph by: John Mahoney, Montreal Gazette

From The Montreal Gazette:

Tremblay's bid for 3rd term no longer seen as cakewalk.

"In politics," Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay said as he strode through the Old Port 10 days ago, "perception is everything." The mayor was walking in a procession of those who had lost families in the Rwandan genocide 15 years before, and he stood respectfully as they tossed flowers into the St. Lawrence River to show that no matter how much time passes, some people will always remember.

As with most of his public appearances, Tremblay was buttonholed by participants who congratulated him on the good job he's been doing. But already it was clear his performance was coming under increasing scrutiny.

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Boston 5 Montreal 1

Boston Bruins left wing Shawn Thornton (lef) checks Montreal Canadiens left wing Andrei Kostitsyn during the first period of Game 2 of their NHL Eastern Conference quarterfinal hockey game in Boston, Massachusetts April 18, 2009. Photograph by: Brian Snyder, REUTERS

Bruins Lay Lumber On Habs -- The Montreal Gazette

BOSTON – The Canadiens are counting on a return to home ice to get them back into their first-round playoff series, but there was little reason for optimism after a 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins last night.

The Bruins took advantage of an undisciplined Montreal lineup, scoring three power-play goals to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven quarterfinal series which resumes tomorrow night at the Bell Centre (7 p.m., CBC, RDS, CJAD Radio-800).

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More News On The Montreal Boston Hockey Game

Gainey rolls dice, hits snake eyes -- Montreal Gazette
Canadiens powerless against Bruins in Game 2 -- Canada.com
Bruins take commanding series lead -- National Post
Bruins bear-ish in Boston -- The Toronto Star
Bruins put Habs in 2-0 hole -- CBC Sports
Montreal gets boxed in by too many penalties -- Boston.com
Bruins rout Canadiens, take 2-0 series lead -- Boston Globe
Savard leads Bruins to 2-0 lead over Canadiens -- Reuters

Federal Minister Wants To Rescue Famous Quebec observatory

Photo from University of Montreal

From The CBC:

Mont Mégantic is in the riding of Public Works Minister Chrisitan Paradis.

The federal minister of public works said Thursday he will do everything he can to ensure the famous Mont Mégantic Observatory receives funding to remain open.

Christian Paradis said he was angry when he heard about the decision to cut funding to the observatory, which is in his riding of Mégantic-L'Érable east of Montreal.

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Investigation After Major Fire In East End

Environment Quebec was called in to monitor the air quality
in the area after the huge fire. (April 18, 2009)

From CTV:

A roofing company and a cement factory in Pointe Aux Trembles were destroyed Friday night after a major fire raged through the two buildings.

A hundred and twenty-five firefighters battled the five-alarm blaze that consumed Béton Bélanger at 12231 Sherbrooke St. E and Couvreurs Verdun at 12190 April St.

Investigators and firefighters were on the scene Saturday trying to figure out what happened.

It's believed that the fire originated in a tar tanker at Couvreurs Verdun.

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Reconstructing the Turcot

Transport Quebec wants to reconstruct the Turcot complex as part of a controversial $1.5-billion, seven-year plan. Photograph by: Tyrel Featherstone, Gazette file photo

From The Montreal Gazette:

Get rid of much of the highway and replace it with a series of roads in a brand new neighbourhood, some of it along the picturesque Lachine Canal.

Scale it back and invest the savings in public transit for West Islanders shuttling to and from downtown.

Why not rebuild it high up – but with artistic flare, not drab concrete.

Or just fix the old structure, perhaps with steel beams or overhead arches.

But whatever you do, critics say, don’t just rebuild the crumbling Turcot complex as an old-fashioned highway, whether up on high pillars as it is now, or low down on embankments, as Transport Quebec proposes to do in a controversial $1.5-billion, seven-year reconstruction plan.

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Montreal Impact Get Ready To Start New Season Still Hungry From The Last Season

From The Canadian Press:

MONTREAL — It was only two months ago that the Montreal Impact were saluted with a standing ovation from 55,000 blue-and-white clad fans at Olympic Stadium after a stunning 2-0 win in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals.

And then came disaster - blowing a 4-1 aggregate lead in the final 36 minutes of the second leg of the same quarter-final against Santos Laguna in Mexico that put an end to their international dreams.

But the highs and lows they lived by qualifying for the first CONCACAF club championship, and then blazing through the group stage to the quarter-finals, has the Impact hungry for more as they get set to begin another season.

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Boston 4 Montreal 2

Bruins right-winger Phil Kessel scores a goal past Canadiens goaltender Carey Price and defenceman Mathieu Schneider during the first period of Game 1 in Boston Thursday night. Photograph by: Brian Snyder, Reuters

Bruins Draw First Blood With 4-2 Win -- The Montreal Gazette

BOSTON – The Canadiens put together a strong effort Thursday night, but coach Bob Gainey said he would like to see his team play even better in Game 2 on Saturday.

“I’d like to see us be ahead rather than just catching up,” Gainey said after Zdeno Chara’s power-play goal at 11:15 of the third period lifted the Boston Bruins to a 4-2 win over the Canadiens in Game 1 of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

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More On The Boston - Montreal Hockey Game

Bruins have the momentum -- Globe And Mail
Habs struggle to control Bruins offence -- Toronto Sun
Habs lose game but take moral-victory lead -- National Post
Bruins win Game 1 battle -- Toronto Star
Searching for fight, Habs look punchy -- Boston.com

Drug Costs Smother Health Care In Quebec

A pharmacist pours pills removes pills from a counter at a Jean Coutu pharmacy in downtown Montreal. Photograph by: Phil Carpenter, Gazette file photo

From The Montreal Gazette:

Quebec spends far more on prescription drugs than any other province or territory in Canada – a factor that’s to blame for spiralling health-care costs, a new study reveals.

More disturbing, Quebec has gone from spending the least of any province on medications in 1985 – as a percentage of its total health-care expenditures – to the most last year, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

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