CBC Montreal

Last Updated: Wednesday, March 17, 2010 | 6:44 PM ET

Red Cross tsunami workers abused: report
: Some construction workers hired by the Canadian Red Cross to help rebuild communities following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami were left stranded and never paid for their work, according to an investigation by Radio-Canada. more »; Related: Horror and heroism: the Indian Ocean tsunami - CBC Archives; Related: CBC News Indepth: Asia Earthquake

Quebec Liberals got construction cash: ex-minister: Quebec's elections director wants to meet with a former Liberal provincial justice minister who alleges his party received generous donations from business leaders in the province's much-maligned construction sector. more »
RCMP suspected Lévesque was Communist: Newly released documents reveal that RCMP spies labelled René Lévesque "a suspected Communist" in the late 1950s. more »

Respected biochemist faces child porn charges: A well-known biochemist facing charges of possession and distribution of child pornography was released on bail Wednesday after he was officially charged at the Montreal courthouse. more »
Budget cuts will hinder native healing: Aboriginal women and children will bear the brunt of federal budget cuts to native abuse healing services, a Montreal shelter director warns. more »
Montreal blue-collars issue strike notice: Two of Montreal's leading attractions — the Biodôme and the Insectarium — may shut down next week because of a labour dispute between blue-collar workers and the city. more »
St. Patrick's Day in swing worldwide: Much of the world is turning green for St. Patrick's Day, the annual celebration all things Irish. more »
Copyright conviction raises privacy concerns: The decision to send a Montreal man to prison for pirating movies has set a dangerous precedent that could threaten privacy rights, say civil rights advocates in Vancouver. more »
Bleach best to beat norovirus: study: As many as 40 per cent of commercial disinfectants may be ineffective in killing the viruses that cause the stomach flu, according to a new study released by Laval University researchers. more »
Movie pirate gets 2½ months in jail: Canadian film distributors are welcoming the 2½-month-long sentence handed down on Tuesday to the Montreal man the FBI once called Canada's biggest movie pirate. more »

Montreal Features»

Motion to limit PM's prorogation power passes: Opposition members of Parliament join together to pass a motion that would prevent the prime minister from proroguing Parliament for longer than seven days unless supported by the House.
New avalanche warning system unveiled: The federal government has launched a new avalanche warning system, four days after two snowmobilers died in a B.C. slide.
Sex offender registry bill reintroduced: The Conservative government reintroduced a bill Wednesday that will toughen up Canada's sex offender registry.

Insurgent video shows Toronto student: CBC News has confirmed the identity of a Toronto man — believed to have joined an al-Qaeda-linked group in Somalia and killed in battle — on an insurgent group's online video.
Irish cardinal apologizes for hiding abuse: Ireland's senior Catholic Church cardinal has offered an apology for his handling of a case involving an abusive priest decades ago.
Red Cross tsunami workers abused: report: Some construction workers hired by the Canadian Red Cross to help rebuild communities following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami were left stranded and never paid for their work, according to an investigation by Radio-Canada.

Fewer ER visits for cancer patients possible: People dying of cancer are frequent visitors to emergency departments, but many of the trips may be avoidable, a Canadian study suggests.
Breast cancer drugs get faster screening: Experimental breast cancer drugs will be tested under a new DNA matching approach that aims to find which treatments work best and more quickly for certain patients.
Gays, lesbians excluded from U.S. trials: MDs: Some medical studies exclude participants based on their sexual orientation, U.S. cancer researchers say.

Haim's death leads to arrest: report: An arrest has been made in connection with the California investigation into the death of Canadian-born actor Corey Haim, according to a CNN.com report.
Copyright conviction raises privacy concerns: The decision to send a Montreal man to prison for pirating movies has set a dangerous precedent that could threaten privacy rights, say civil rights advocates in Vancouver.
Reality TV lures players into sadistic game: A French TV documentary to be aired Wednesday records people involved in what they thought was a game show in which they are asked to administer electric shocks to rival contestants.

Canadian astronomer spots Soviet rover on moon: An astronomer at the University of Western Ontario has found a Soviet moon rover in recently released images from a NASA satellite.
Planet with 'temperate' climate found: European astronomers have found a planet outside our solar system with a relatively moderate temperature, far cooler than other 'exoplanets' discovered to date.
Bluefin tuna export ban opposed by Japan: Opposition grew Wednesday to a proposal to ban the export of Atlantic bluefin tuna, with several Arab countries joining Japan in arguing it would hurt poor fishing nations and was not supported by sound science.

Loonie passes 99 cents US: The Canadian dollar marched closer to parity with its U.S. counterpart Wednesday, supported both by higher commodity prices and the prospect of continued low American interest rates.
SEC targets Wall Street role in runup to crisis: The head of the Securities and Exchange Commission confirmed Wednesday the agency is investigating several companies' actions in the run-up to the financial crisis of 2008.
Blockbuster mulls bankruptcy filing: Shares of Blockbuster Inc. lost nearly a third of their value after the video chain warned it may have to file for bankruptcy protection.

Got a balcony? Grow a garden: Having a lush, sprawling, Martha Stewart-esque garden is not realistic for most city dwellers, but growing "urban edibles" is well within the reach of most people.
Metal in candy cuts boy's tongue: Food safety officials are considering a recall after a Calgary boy sliced his tongue on a piece of metal embedded in a popular candy he bought at a store in the city's southeast.
Bleach best to beat norovirus: study: As many as 40 per cent of commercial disinfectants may be ineffective in killing the viruses that cause the stomach flu, according to a new study released by Laval University researchers.

Hasty headshot rule unlikely: Lamoriello: New Jersey Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello doubts any proposed blindside headshot rule will be adopted before the conclusion of the regular season.
Canucks' Samuelsson out 2-3 weeks: Vancouver Canucks forward Mikael Samuelsson will miss two to three weeks with a shoulder injury, the team said Wednesday.
Raptors home, far from home free: The Toronto Raptors spent two days breaking down tape and working on addressing their defensive shortcomings ahead of their home return Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks.