Angel >> The PQ's bloody nose Monday's by-election losses of two former PQ strongholds (Jonquières and Laviolette) and a razor-thin victory in a third (Labelle) came as a sharp rebuke to the Landry government. Fed up by hospital closings, forced municipal mergers and that goddamn referendum idiocy, voters delivered a swift kick in the pants to a provincial administration that seems increasingly out of touch with the citizens' concerns. A contrite Landry conceded afterwards that he had badly misjudged prevailing sentiment. Economic security, he says, not sovereignty is now top priority.

Insect >> The Nicolet Commission The study of city traffic problems is being derided as a toothless joke by a coalition of 70 environmental groups, who are appalled by the idea of turning Notre-Dame into a sunken, Décarie-style highway. They accuse the commission of acting as a smokescreen for other non-publicly-consulted projects, including new highways and bridges, and of having no autonomy from PQ Transport Minister Guy Chevrette. Instead of encouraging urban sprawl with more car-friendly schemes, critics say, concentrate rather on better public transit and car pools. An interim report is anticipated in a month.