Quote of the week

“We felt very badly about 500 in the first place. I don’t believe that as badly as we felt, you could feel three times worse than we did. But we do feel badly.” —Syncrude president Tom Katinas, revealing that three times as many birds than previously estimated had died by drowning in the energy giant’s tar sands tailing ponds.

NATO gets demo’ed

Opponents of the war in Afghanistan take to the streets in cities across Canada and around the world this Saturday, April 4, for protests timed to coincide with NATO’s 60th anniversary summit taking place in France and Germany.

“NATO is the headquarters of the war in Afghanistan,” says Raymond Legault of Collectif Échec à la guerre. “And it is conducting that war despite majority opposition in most of the countries that are taking part.”

Here in Montreal, demonstrators will gather at Dorchester Square (corner Peel and René-Lévesque) at 1 p.m., before heading out at 1:30 p.m. for a march ending up at the Guy Favreau Complex. “We’re calling for the Canadian Parliament to uphold democracy here, instead of pretending to be for democracy in some foreign land,” Legault says.

In recent weeks, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has sparked controversy by telling interviewers the Taliban can’t be defeated militarily, while the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has announced plans to send 17,000 more American combat troops and 4,000 military advisors to Afghanistan. Since 2002, 116 Canadian soldiers and one diplomat have been killed in Afghanistan.

Info: echecalaguerre.org.

by Christopher Hazou

Plateau pot votes

Attention pot smokers, libertarians and all those with a realistic perspective on the killer weed: this November, you’ll find yourself with a genuine opportunity to move the struggle towards legalizing reefer just a little bit further in the right direction—if you reside in the Plateau.

Yes, celebrated local pot activist/politician Marc-Boris St-Maurice has officially announced he will be running as an independent candidate in the Jeanne-Mance riding in next fall’s municipal election.

“All that was needed to win this riding last time around was 3,006 votes,” says St-Maurice. “Voter turn-out is historically low here—around 20 per cent.”

In other words, if you’re a Plateau pot smoker and you’d like the local police to “start working harder to combat bicycle theft in the neighbourhood instead of arresting people for smoking marijuana,” then go crazy and take a second to vote this coming November.

“A lot can be accomplished on a municipal level just by instructing the police in our district to make cannabis offences their lowest possible priority,” he says. “It’s already been done quite successfully in certain American cities.”

by Chris Barry

Riot ticket challenge

If you’re one of the 200+ people who were arrested during the free-for-all at the March 15 demonstration against police brutality, the march’s organizers, the Collective Opposed to Police Brutality (COPB), want to hear from you.

COPB is putting together a legal case to collectively challenge tickets issued and arrests made by Montreal police.

“We’re talking to our lawyers about filing a class-ation case,” says “Manu,” a member of COPB’s legal support committee. Anyone who received a ticket has 30 days to contest it. They’re asking anyone who was a victim of, or witnessed, an act of police brutality during the march to get in touch, as well as anyone who has relevant photo or video evidence.

The taunting of police and acts of vandalism by a minority of militant protesters has become part of the ritual of the annual anti-police brutality demonstration, but the mayhem that ensued this year was particularly fierce. City officials have pegged the cost of damages caused at an estimated $200,000. The COPB has said it doesn’t condone such actions, but also refuses to condemn them.

To reach the COPB, e-mail cobp@hotmail.com or call (514)-395-9691. Info: cobp-mtl.ath.cx.

by Christopher Hazou

No to bunnies

Every Easter, bunnies by the basketful show up on the SPCA’s doorstep, abandoned by parents who thought they’d make fabulous Easter presents only to discover the bunnies needed, you know, love and attention.

“It’s not the easiest pet to have,” says SPCA exotic animals department director Stephanie Embriaco, pointing out most are unaware that bunnies live up to 10 years. She says many pet stores stock up on Easter bunnies to appeal to kids and parents who want their children to learn the value of responsibility.

“Pet stores don’t sensitize people. They’re just happy to sell,” Embriaco says, adding that many pet shop bunnies are separated from their mothers prematurely, which can make any animal prone to health problems. A lot of these bunnies end up at the SPCA; in 2008, it re-homed 285 bunnies. So the SPCA is inviting current and potential bunny and rodent owners to come on down for information on caring for small, caged critters and supplies like dried fruit, teeth grinding sticks and cages. Treats for humans will be for sale.

The event runs April 4–5 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 5215 Jean-Talon W. Proceeds go to sterilizing female bunnies. For info, e-mail spcarabbits@hotmail.com.

by Tracey Lindeman

Rear-view mirror

12 YEARS AGO - APRIL 3–10, 1997

On the cover: Daft Punk. The French duo decided months prior to the interview never to let their faces be photographed for media use. “The star system is becoming more and more ridiculous in dance,” says Thomas Bangalter.
•Re-releasing an extended version of Das Boot, director Wolfgang Petersen says, “I wanted to take… an action movie and turn it into much more of an epic.”
•Columnist Josh Bezonsky notes the connection U.S. media made between the mass suicide of San Diego-based cult Heaven’s Gate and Quebec/Switzerland’s Solar Temple. “This means, dear reader, that you now live in a society that is known for its anticlimactic referenda, Céline Dion and death cults. What a place to be!”
• Also commenting on mass suicides, the Media Circus column calls for a stronger, regular local broadcast of Art Bell’s “enjoyable and addictive”
• Also commenting on mass suicides, the Media Circus column calls for a stronger, regular local broadcast of Art Bell’s “enjoyable and addictive” late-night talk show.
• In a letter headlined “Why I Hate the Mirror,” the writer singles out the Feb. 13 Spice Girls cover as an example of the paper’s pandering to “rave-going yuppie offspring.”

Angel >> Free speech No matter whether you think George Galloway is an eloquent defender of Arabs’ rights or a preening, opportunistic buffoon, Canada’s decision not to let him into the country—one that came from Immigration Minister Jason Kenney’s office, and backed up by a Federal Court ruling on Monday—sets an ominous precedent. Galloway was ostensibly barred from entering because he openly supported Hamas (he says he was delivering much-needed aid and money to Gaza’s legitimate government), and there’s no denying where his political sympathies lie. But as bizarre as his behaviour and opinions may be, trying to muzzle him won’t work, and is generally a bad idea.

Insect >> Acting on torture With a track record regarding torture that’s already badly tarnished thanks to the Maher Arar affair, Canada’s spies are still saying they would act on information obtained under torture. The latest admission came earlier this week, when a senior Canadian Security Intelligence Service adviser told a Parliamentary committee that they would use torture-extracted information, albeit rarely. But aside from being too vague, that isn’t good enough. With the pro-torture side in retreat—a Spanish judge is considering indicting top Bush-era officials for providing legal justification for torture—Canada has to turn its back on this odious practice.