Quote of the week

“The whole … affair is a non-news event.” —ADQ leadership hopeful Éric Caire, on allegations by his rival Gilles Taillon that he falsified his resumé. The leadership contest has become so bitter that some observers believe it may destroy the party as a political force.

Betancourt on Colombia

Until Feb. 23, 2002, Ingrid Betancourt was just another Colombian politician and long-shot Green candidate for president. But when the left-wing guerrilla army FARC kidnapped her—isolating her in the jungles and mountains for six and a half long years—her captivity became a worldwide concern.

Though some would credit her beauty, privileged social status and dual French citizenship as the principal reasons the global media found her story so compelling, Betancourt remains a committed human rights activist, calling for a Colombian peace and reconciliation process.

On Thursday, Sept. 24, she will appear at the Gala du Courage au Féminin to receive an award from Reporters sans Frontières (RSF), Radio-Canada and l’Institut du Nouveau Monde. Governor-General Michaëlle Jean will present the award at the Sofitel Hotel (1155 Sherbrooke W.), 6:30 p.m., $250 in advance.

On Friday, Sept. 25, Betancourt will appear before the less well-heeled at a public conference on the future of human rights in Colombia. François Bugingo of RSF and Radio-Canada’s Anne-Marie Dussault will host and interview her at the Palais des Congrès (1001 Place Jean-Paul Riopelle), 6:30 p.m., $25/$20 for students, in advance only.

Info: rsfcanada.org, inm.qc.ca.

PATRICK LEJTENYI

AIDS work ahead

As yet another warm autumn settles over the beautiful island of Montreal, perhaps it’s time to remember all our friends and loved ones no longer here to enjoy it with us courtesy of the scourge that is AIDS.

On Sunday, Sept. 20, leaving at 9 a.m. from Parc Émilie-Gamelin (aka Berri Square), the Farha Foundation will hold its 17th annual Ça Marche AIDS walk to raise funds for, you guessed it, AIDS organizations throughout Quebec.

It’s a major affair, with over 200,000 participants having garnered the charity some $6-million over the course of its history. To make a pledge, go to camarche.ca.

Later this month, on Monday, Sept. 28, a somewhat less sombre but equally committed event that will be donating its profits to SIDA Montréal, among others, is the L’Homage à Michael Jackson spectaculaire going down at the Telus Theatre (1280 St-Denis). “Michael, who I met when he was secretly in town last year, contributed to AIDS charities and was all about giving,” says event producer Adam St-Coeur. “He was a humanitarian spreading a message of love and peace, and we want this tribute to reflect his spirit.”

Tickets cost $50 at the door, $45 in advance through the Admission Network (514) 790-1245.

CHRIS BARRY

Heroes of
cinema

A good—if unlikely—place to go looking for a hero till the end of the night may be the new season of political film series Cinema Politica.

“This year’s theme is heroes,” says founder and programmer Ezra Winton. “Some of the figures in the films are contested heroes. It’s a look at who gets hero status in our culture and who doesn’t. The way it can be such contested territory.”

In addition to tackling the contestable celebrity of left-wing figures like eco-feminist Vandana Shiva and firebrand Israel-critic Norman Finkelstein, this year’s selections include less obvious heroes.

One example is the maker of La Vida Loca, a documentary that goes deep into the world of gangs in San Salvador. The director, Christian Poveda, was found murdered at the beginning of September.

The muckraking continues with Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, which documents the filmmaker’s journey “into the depths of hip hop to confront rappers for their sexist and homophobic lyrics,” says Winton.

The new season kicks off with a screening of Revolución, a film that passes judgement on the contested heroism of the Chavez government, on Monday, September 21 at 7:30 p.m. in room H-110 at Concordia (1455 de Maisonneuve W.).

See cinemapolitica.org for the full schedule.

MATT JONES

Sum of bow plus wow

Sure, dogs are great at listening, wagging their tail, licking dust and sleeping, but it turns out they might be good at helping troubled kids learn about fractals and verb conjugation too.

This Saturday’s mixer for dogs and dog lovers on the Lachine Canal will serve as an informal fundraiser for Toutou Tutoring, an after-school program pairing at-risk youth in Little Burgundy, St-Henri and Hochelaga with dogs and trainers. The pilot project will place groups of three or four kids together with a facilitator and a dog while each kid takes turns reading out loud or explaining math answers to the dog. “Kids warm up to dogs,” says Yappy Hour organizer and holistic wellness practitioner Laura Clarke.

Clarke says the interaction with man’s bestie can help youth break down fears and build confidence and it facilitates interpersonal skills. “It’s for kids who, basically, their role models are on street corners—for kids who live in violent neighbourhoods,” says Clarke.

Toutou Tutoring is tentatively slated for launch in spring 2010.

Yappy Hour takes place this Saturday, Sept. 19, starting at 1 p.m. at the St-Ambroise Terrace (5080 St-Ambroise).

More information is available by e-mailing Clarke at omydogg@gmail.com.

LINA HARPER

Rear-view mirror

15 YEARS AGO - SEPT. 15–22, 1994

On the cover: Sandra Bernhard, launching her latest album, Excuses for Bad Behaviour Part I. On “Phone Sex (Do You Want Me Tonight),” she recalls the one time she called a party line and dismissed her partner’s request for a tit-fuck as “too boring.” Insisting the call was not staged, she says, “Only real life provides you with that kind of brilliance.”
•The SQ apologizes to the Mirror for arresting and detaining writer Lyle Stewart and photographer Robert Fréchette while covering a Montagnais barricade in Sept-Îles. The force called the incident “regrettable,” prompting the president of the Fédération Professionelle des Journalistes du Québec to call the apology unprecedented.
•TIFF hits: Bullets Over Broadway, Dance Me Outside, Exotica and Eat Drink Man Woman.
•Local singer-songwriter Priya Thomas says she got her big break by slipping a demo to U2’s sound engineer at their Montreal Forum concert. “That was a while ago, when I really thought there was no hope,” she says. “I gave a tape to Prince once too.”

Angel >> Busting white-collar crime High-flying criminal lawyer Edward Greenspan’s whining about over-zealous cops ferreting out corrupt business types notwithstanding, white-collar crime in this country is a serious problem. So the province’s announcement on Sunday that a new, beefed up white-collar crime squad will be going after thieves like Earl Jones, Vincent Lacroix, corrupt road builders and other shysters is no bad thing—even if it should be taken with a considerably sized grain of salt. Considering that La Presse reported that a cartel of 10–14 companies regularly divide public work spoils between them, and collude to keep prices artificially high, nailing these creeps would be both timely and satisfying.

Insect >> Spying on reporters It’s the kind of cynical but effective media manipulation the Harper government excels at: getting the military’s public affairs officers to point out which reporters are friendly and which ones aren’t, and passing that information back to Ottawa. A Canadian Press story this week revealed that military and civilian officials in Kandahar, Afghanistan are keeping close tabs on embedded reporters there, and filing daily briefing notes on reporters’ inquiries. Talking points and interview access are doled out accordingly, says CP. The Defence Department says they just want to keep track of what’s in the news, and not control it—but anyone who’s observed the maniacal grip the Conservatives keep on message control has reason to be suspicious.