Drag queens wanted

Would it not be time for you to discuss the new generation of up-and-coming drag queens in Montreal? For instance, the Beaver Sisters who can be seen at Sona from time to time have refreshing ideas and always keep us entertained. Some consideration of the work being done by the new drag queens in the Montreal night life would be greatly appreciated.

Juniper

Régie picks on the poor

Kudos to Philip Preville for his exposé on the Quebec drug insurance plan ["Bad medicine," April 24]. It serves as yet another example of how our governments are tackling the deficit problem on the backs of the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society.

To add insult to injury, Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec spokesperson Pierre Boucher engages in some poor-bashing, claiming that people can't afford their medication because they "aren't capable of budgeting properly." Instead of dishing out such stereotyped clichés, it would be interesting to see how Mr. Boucher (and his ivory-tower political bosses) would react if they had to make ends meet on a $490 welfare cheque and then had to cough up to $50 in one month to pay for their medication.

Maria Ines Martinez - Montreal

Mirror gone positively lurid

Kristian Gravenor's cover story about the city's weirdest drinking establishments ["Mondo Montreal," April 24] included coverage of an out-of-town bordello. I commend your journalist for quoting the comments of one of its workers. Her lonely voice slightly redeems that otherwise entirely misplaced entry. But once more, your sex ad section seems to have spilled over into the editorial content.

Sad offerings of sweet debutantes and French delights fill your pages weekly, but if they cannot be presented as part of a bigger picture, they ought to be put to rest. Though they may add spice to the life of some of your readers, this tasteless and unrestrained promotion is intolerable in a newspaper with a background and a mission like the Mirror.

Marc Olivier Rainville - Montreal

Natural born pepper sprayers

I'd like to thank Jacquie Charlton for drawing attention to the police's indiscriminate use of pepper spray ["Sugar, spice and pepper spray", April 17]. I agree that these days the cops seem all too quick to use the spray at the slightest sign of trouble. The only bright side is that at least it stops them from drawing their guns.

Paul Major - Outremont

I found it shocking that the police would pepper spray a handcuffed teenaged schoolgirl in the face. Kudos to the Mirror for letting the public know what our men and women in blue are up to when they think no one is looking.

Diane Garneau - Montreal

One waitress vents

Over the years I have acquired a list of rants and when I talk about them I look like Wilma dubbed in Spanish. So I decided to write about them.

First, in last year's Best of Montreal, you voted the non-smoking Second Cup as best café. This is Montreal, not that other city about five hours west of us. As long as it's legal, it goes with alcohol and coffee.

Second, our music video channel does not promote local bands to its full potential. Music is bilingual and Evita does not have to be shown 30 times a day.

Third, smoking marijuana does not make people throw up, talk bullshit or become "clumsy." I do not mind if my government officials smoked marijuana in their youth; it's unfortunate that most of them have stopped.

Also, stop having deep conversations about American cinema. People should consider Montreal theatre and dance--there is definitely more to talk about, and my customers can come and visit me more often.

Finally, I have no administrative control over the beer prices, the food, or most importantly the music--I am not a "fake waitress," I am simply doing my job.

With respect and appreciation,

Kathy Kandyba - from La Cabane

Correction

In the April 17 edition of Artifax, we wrote that the art exhibit Six of the Nation at the Kanien'kehaka Raotitionhhkwa Cultural Center in Kahnawake featured the work of six women artists. In fact, the exhibit features the work of five women and one man. The Mirror regrets the error.