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November 2012 Archives

Quebec's blood agency says supply is safe

blood.jpgHalf of Quebec's blood supply is being checked after problems were found with two blood bags used to collect and store donated blood. Dr. Marc Germain from Héma-Québec says things should return to normal later today.

(Photo: CBC)


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Police investigating police

julieM.jpg

Bill 12 was tabled in the National Assembly on Thursday by the PQ government. It would change the way investigations are handled where people are seriously injured or killed at the hands of a police officer. Julie Matson's father was beaten and killed while, police say, he was resisting arrest in Vancouver. She feels the bill doesn't go far enough. But Denis Cote, the president of the Quebec Municipal Police Federation, is worried about civilians overseeing the investigations.

(Photo: Sarah Leavitt/CBC)








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Tracking Magnotta

Luka Magnotta is accused of murdering Concordia student Jun Lin. He's currently in a jail cell in Montreal. He's pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. CBC and Radio-Canada have been looking into the story of a group of online activists who were monitoring him on the web long before Jun Lin's murder. They even warned police about him. Madeleine Roy traveled to the United States to meet the group that was tracking Magnotta. She is a journalist for Radio-Canada's investigative program Enquete.

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Dangerous habits

A Quebec star is speaking out about some dangerous habits that gave him the fright of his and his 20 year old son's life. Comedian and actor Michel Barrette's son was hit by a car while jaywalking. He was also wearing headphones and texting at the time. Barrette says he sees this kind of behavior everywhere and he thinks it needs to stop. Daybreak's Shawn Apel brings us that story.

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Former SNC-Lavalin CEO arrested

michel picard.jpgA bad year for Montreal engineering firm SNC-Lavalin gets worse. On Wednesday, anti-corruption police arrested the man who was the company's CEO until 8 months ago. Mike Finnerty speaks to financial crime expert Michel Picard.

(Photo: Sophie Tremblay/CBC)





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Mandatory French test

Is the mandatory French language exam professionals from outside Quebec must pass to practice in the province fair? We hear from two professionals who took it and say it isn't. We also speak to a representative of l'Office Quebecois de la langue francaise who administers it.

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Cruise vacation becomes a real drag

Rupaul.jpgA Montreal man and his partner signed up to take a RuPaul themed cruise. The cruise was to feature performers from supermodel RuPaul's reality show. The couple was set to sail on Sunday but this week they received a letter from the cruise ship company that made them reconsider. 










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Gilles Duceppe

gilles duceppe.jpgThe former leader of the Bloc Quebecois was in the Daybreak studio this morning to talk about a recent ruling, language issues and the possibility of a career in municipal politics. 












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New lease on life

jay solokoff.jpgJay Sokoloff has been given a new lease on life. He has cystic fibrosis and this summer he received a new set of lungs. He has now recovered from the operation and is back at work. And the gift shop he owns in Old Montreal has just received an award.










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Cultural metropolis

The future of Montreal's cultural industries is an important part of the city's economy. There was a rare gathering of politicians, artists and people from the business community to draw a blueprint for what they call a cultural metropolis.  Daybreak's arts reporter Jeanette Kelly was there. 

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Plan for a pipe line

We take a closer look at plans to bring crude oil from Alberta to Quebec through an existing pipeline which connects Montreal to Sarnia, Ontario. Last week Premiers Pauline Marois and Alison Redford of Alberta agreed to form a working group to study the proposal. We hear from an environmentalist and a representative from the Canadian Petroleum Producers Association.

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Hockey strike hurting business

The NHL lockout hasn't only hurt fans. Businesses selling hockey merchandise are suffering too. La Capsule Sportive is one. It's a Quebec chain that sells sports merchandise. Claude L'Espérance is the owner. We also hear from economics professor Philip Merrigan about the financial impact of the strike on related businesses.

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Quebec political column

Bernard St-Laurent is the CBC's chief Quebec political analyst and host of Radio Noon and C'est La Vie. He joins Mike Finnerty for his weekly column on Quebec politics.

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West Island express buses

West Island transit users say the STM's new express buses aren't catching on. The buses are intended to ease traffic when work begins on the Turcot next spring. But commuters say the buses often leave the station with dozens of empty seats.

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Mayor Applebaum unveils grand coalition

exec.jpgMike Finnerty speaks with newly appointed member for Economic Development and Urban planning, Alain Tassé. And former executive committee member Alan de Sousa weighs in on his new responsibility, keeping the new committee in check.


(Photo: Sarah Leavitt/CBC)




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Retroactive tax on alcohol

In their new budget the provincial government announced a retroactive tax hike on alcohol for restaurants. Owners have to pay the tax on all the alcohol already in their inventory. Alain Creton is the owner of Chez Alexandre on Peel Street in downtown Montreal.

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Next mayor of Laval

Laval city council votes tomorrow to select the new mayor of the city. There are two candidates in the running. Both are from the soon to be disbanded Parti Pro Lavallois, the party once led by former mayor Gilles Vaillancourt. Alexandre Duplessis is the city councillor for Saint-Martin. Jacques St-Jean is the city councillor for Saint-Francois.


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Bachand reacts to PQ budget

raymond.jpgFormer Liberal Finance Minister Raymond Bachand reacts to the new Parti Quebecois budget handed down by Finance Minister Nicolas Marceau yesterday.







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Finance minister on new budget

nicolas marceau.jpgFinance Minister Nicolas Marceau speaks to Mike Finnerty about his new budget. This is the Parti Quebecois' first budget since it took office a few months ago.





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Budget reaction

Finance Minister Nicolas Marceau handed down his first budget yesterday. He's in the difficult position of trying to restore order to Quebec's finances and keep election promises in a minority government situation. We get reaction to the budget from unions, students, convenience store owners and the hospital association.

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Montreal mayor Michael Applebaum

photo.JPGDaybreak host Mike Finnerty speaks to Montreal's new mayor, Michael Applebaum.

(Photo: Sophie Tremblay/CBC)








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Fixing Montreal's image problem

Stories of corruption in Montreal come up in the news every day. Is Montreal developing an image problem because of it? A local advertising agency has come up with a campaign that says "Montrealers will never give up". Mario Daigle is the president of that agency.

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Feature interview with John Stokes

john stokes.jpgJohn Stokes has only been in Montreal for six years but he finds himself at the center of the technology start-up revolution as an investor and organizer. His latest project is Notman house on Sherbrooke Street which he plans to transform into a place where young tech entrepreneurs can collaborate and have access to investors.

(Photo: Founder Fuel)







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Quebec political column

Bernard St-Laurent is the CBC's senior Quebec political analyst. He joins Mike Finnerty for his weekly column on Daybreak.

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New housing development near animal rendering plant

There's a new housing development on the eastern tip of the island of Montreal. Next to it is an animal rendering facility that's been there for years. The people who live in the development say they didn't realize how bad the smell was going to be before they moved in. They want the company to do something about it.

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Swearing in of new mayor of Montreal

Michael Applebaum will be sworn in as mayor of Montreal today. He'll hold the post until next November's elections. To get there, he out maneuvered his former Union Montreal allies. He also struck deals with the two opposition parties to form a coalition. Mike Finnerty speak to three city councillors of different political stripes.

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Homelessness in the West Island

An aid worker from the West Island says there is an urgent need for a homeless shelter there. Andrew Chang is CBC Montreal's supper hour TV news anchor. He's been looking into the issue.

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Frites Alors! opens in Lyons

The owners of Montreal's Frites Alors! restaurant chain are busy preparing for the opening of their newest location. But it's not in the Mile End or in NDG. It's in Lyons, France.

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Bike boxes roll into Montreal

bikebox.jpgDaybreak's Ange-Aimee Woods explains why some Montrealers may have noticed big green squares painted on some of the city's street intersections.











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Deschamps and Applebaum face-off for role of interim mayor

deschampsThe suspense continues leading up to Friday's vote for interim mayor of Montreal. Daybreak's Shawn Apel speaks with Union Montreal's Richard Deschamps. And earlier this week Mike Finnerty spoke with this contender, Michael Applebaum. Here's the link to that interview: http://www.cbc.ca/daybreakmontreal/our-show/2012/11/13/applebaum-as-interim-mayor/

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Peter Blaikie on corruption in Montreal

Peter Blaikie is a long-time Montrealer and the co-founder of the Montreal law firm Heenan-Blaikie. He's also the former president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. He gives us his take on this moment in Montreal's history where allegations of corruption have already forced the mayors of Laval and Montreal to resign.

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Panel of municipal politicians

panel municipal.jpgOn this special edition of Daybreak from Place Ville Marie, we are turning our attention the future of Montreal at a critical period in it's history. Mike Finnerty speaks to members of the three parties at city hall. Marvin Rotrand is with Union Montreal,  Alex Norris is a member of Projet Montreal and Veronique Fournier is with Vision Montreal.








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Cleaning up corruption at the municipal level

The province has decided to appoint an auditor to oversee the city of Laval. The executive committee says Quebec is acting as if it no longer has confidence in city council. Jean-Francois Lisée is the Minister Responsible for Montreal and MNA for Rosemont.

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How much the city overpaid in public contracts

jean fortier.jpgHow much money did the city of Montreal lose due to the way it awarded public contracts? A report commissioned by the city says Montreal had a closed market which allowed companies to inflate prices by as much as 40 percent. Jean Fortier was chairman of the Montreal executive committee under mayor Pierre Bourque. He's been looking a the numbers for us and calculated how much the city has overpaid.

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Applebaum as interim mayor?

applebaum.jpegMontreal's interim mayor will be chosen Friday. There are several people interested in the job. Former executive committee president Michael Applebaum told Daybreak's Mike Finnerty he's been talking to all parties about how he thinks the city should be run. 



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Reaction to appointment of new Archbishop of Canterbury

barry clarke.jpgThe new Archbishop of Canterbury is Justin Welby. The announcement was made Friday but his ordination is still to come. Welby will lead the Church of England and therefore Anglicans here in Montreal and across Canada. Barry Clarke is the Anglican Bishop of Montreal.

(Photo: Sophie Tremblay/CBC)








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Vision Montreal takes seat in by-election

cindy leclerc.jpgVision Montreal's Cindy Leclerc has won a by-election in Riviere-des-Prairies. She narrowly defeated Union Montreal's candidate Nino Colavecchio.

(Photo: Sophie Tremblay/CBC)











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Update on Blake Geoffrion's condition

Canadien's prospect Blake Geoffrion has been moved out of intensive care. He suffered a skull fracture during a game at the Bell Center on Friday night. His father, Danny Geoffrion, spoke to Daybreak's Andie Bennett this morning.

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Hacking corruption in Montreal

brun.jpgMontrealers are meeting this weekend for the first ever Quebec corruption hackathon. Jonathan Brun of Quebec Ouvert explains how open data can help fight corruption in the city.





















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Will the Mayor of Laval resign today?

latreille.jpgIs Gilles Vaillancourt waking up as mayor of Laval for the last time in 23 years? Mike asks Radio-Canada investigative reporter Christian Latreille and the president of the Mouvement lavallois, David de Cotis.





















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Choosing Montreal's next mayor

City council is set to choose Montreal's new mayor on November 16. There are a lot of questions about who that mayor will be. There are also reports that suggest some Union Montreal members feel Executive Committee Chairman Michael Applebaum's ability to speak French is not strong enough for him to be mayor. Marvin Rotrand is the city councillor for Snowdon.

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Subsidence under some Montreal area homes

Lack of rain has caused the ground to shift under the foundations of some homes in the Montreal area. That's causing a lot of headaches for homeowners. You'll hear from two people in that situation and from a Montreal city councillor who's trying to help.


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Open letter to Montrealers

City of Montreal employees have written an open letter to the citizens of Montreal. They say people have been giving them a hard time since allegations of corruption emerged at the Charbonneau Commission. Marc Ranger speaks for the city's blue collar union.


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John Parisella on Obama win

parisella.jpegThe American people have re-elected Barack Obama to a second, four year term. John Parisella served as Quebec's delegate-general in New York City. He was also an advisor to former Québec Premier Jean Charest and served as chief of staff to Robert Bourassa and Daniel Johnson.





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Will Laval mayor resign?

There is mounting pressure from the provincial government for Gilles Vaillancourt to step down.  Daybreak's Shawn Apel went to a coffee shop in Laval and asked people what they think their mayor should do. We also hear from Marc Demers. He speaks for Laval's opposition party, Mouvement Lavallois.

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Alan de Sousa on mayor stepping down

alan de sousa.jpgGérald Tremblay stepped down as mayor of Montreal last night after more than a decade in office. This comes after damning allegations at the Charbonneau Commission. Alan De Sousa is the borough mayor for Ville St-Laurent and member of the executive committee.



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Opposition reacts to resignation of mayor

richard bergeron.jpgRichard Bergeron is the leader of Projet Montreal, an opposition party at city hall. He ran for mayor during the 2009 Montreal municipal election. 






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Sailing in the far north

nicolas peissel.jpgMontrealer Nicolas Peissel was able to do what other explorers have attempted but never succeeded in doing. He and his crew mates sailed across the northernmost route of the Northwestern Passages which connects Baffin Bay to the Arctic Ocean in Canada's far north. Peissel says this is evidence of climate change.

(Photo: Sophie Tremblay/CBC)






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Greater access to a GP for some Quebecers

dr. hebert.jpgQuebec's new health minister says he plans to provide a family doctor for Quebecers who most need one. He says he wants to focus on creating more group practices where several doctors work together along with a support staff. Dr. Rejean Hebert is the health minister and the Parti Québecois MNA for St-Francois.

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Demolition of burnt down home

bassenden family.jpgThe Bassenden family home is finally being demolished today. The family has been living in a trailer next to the burnt down shell of their house since a devastating fire destroyed it in March of 2011. Ange-Aimee Woods visited the Bassenden's as they prepared for the demolition.










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Mounting pressure for mayor to resign

Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay has decided to take a long weekend. This break comes amid allegations of widespread corruption in his administration. There is mounting pressure for him to resign. Michel Nadeau, executive director of the Institute for Governance, and Westmount mayor Peter Trent tell us what they think of the events at city hall. 

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Politicians react to PM's inaugural address

pauline.jpgShawn Apel interviews Quebec's finance minister Nicolas Marceau about Pauline Marois' inaugural address, the criticism it has received from opposition and the possibility of a Fall budget. Chantal Rouleau, the mayor of Mayor of Rivieres-des-Prairies Pointes-Aux-Trembles reacts to the proposed bill to fight corruption.


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Montreal makes an impact on soccer coach Jesse Marsch

jesse.JPGMontreal Impact coach Jesse Marsch speaks with Shawn Apel about his first time as a head coach, moving to a new city, and asks listeners where he can find good Mexican food in Montreal.


(Photo:Jesse Marsch and Doug Gelevan)






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