Quote of the week:

"People are ready for a more moderate slate. They're frustrated by the current CSU and the way they operate." - Natalie Pomerleau, on her decidedly un-radical Evolution, Not Revolution's landslide victory in CSU elections, in Saturday's Gazette

Activists on trial

In the wake of the anti-trade, anti-deportation, anti-war demonstrations and the like over the past two years, one of the pivotal moments for the city's activist left, the anti-G20 protest of October 23, 2000, has become a distant memory. Not, however, to the three activists whose trial for their alleged role in that day's violence is about to begin this Monday morning at the Montreal courthouse.

Jonathan Aspireault-Masse, Christina Xydous and Jaggi Singh face the charge of participating in a riot, which could land them in the clink for up to two years. While Singh, who has four other cases before the courts, will be defending himself, the other two have hired veteran activist lawyer Pascal Lescarbeau to defend them.

"I'll be there to make sure the defendants have a voice," says Lescarbeau, who has been involved with activists before the courts for years. "I think that if the case is heard by a jury, if the jury has the real, complete picture, the defendants should be acquitted. The way I see it, it will be a criminal, not a political trial. I'm not going to try any little defence lawyer tricks."

The issue of the 23 plainclothes Sûreté du Québec officers who infiltrated the crowd before the riot will also come up at some point during the trial, Lescarbeau says, but he isn't sure when or how.

"I see this as an escalation of legal intimidation," says Singh. "Political protests are clearly being targeted." The trial is expected to last up to three weeks. » Patrick Lejtenyi

Taking on pill pushers

The pharmaceutical industry will be facing a two-fisted attack next Wednesday at Concordia courtesy of Breast Cancer Action Montreal, when two of the country's experts will discuss the consequences of our pill-popping ways. First on the podium will be the University of British Columbia's Barbara Mintzes, an expert on the implications of selling medication as a consumer good.

"She did the first-ever research study to assess the impact of direct-to-consumer advertising on health care," according to organizer Laura Shea. "The thrust of her work is to show that advertising can have a negative impact on health and health care costs."

Also on the mic will be the Confédération des syndicats nationaux's health policy specialist Claude St-Georges, who notes that the current system has seen public costs of medicating Quebecers rise from $1-billion to $2.2-billion in six years. His solution? "We should have a single universal program run by the provincial government. It would control the cost of medication and there'd be a big payoff in the reduction of costs. Also, the system would be accessible to all. Most citizens seem to approve of that plan but the government is more sensitive to insurers and pharmaceutical companies," says St-Georges. "They favour industry over public health and we're convinced it's not a profitable strategy."

Those wishing to hear more can lower a seat at Room H110 of the downtown Con U Hall building (1455 de Maisonneuve W.), Wednesday April 9 at 7:30 p.m. It's free. » Kristian Gravenor

Appealing to community spirit

Today marks the beginning of McGill's campus-community radio station CKUT's 14th annual, 10-day fundraising drive. The station, found at 90.3 FM, has been bringing alternative music and news programming to Montreal since 1987.

As always, the station says its mandate is to give a voice to those who often go unheard in mainstream media, as well as to raise awareness about needs in the community. For example, their Homelessness Marathon was the first of its kind: "We were on the street all night in –40C weather to help illustrate in people's minds just how painful life can be without the basic shelter," says Suhrid Manchanda, the station's fundraising coordinator. "It was a great success."

Recently, CKUT has been offering coverage of protests and action against the war in Iraq. Manchanda emphasizes that, "Now, as always, it is vital to support independent media. A plurality of perspectives may be the only way to come to grips with some of the problems we face in the modern world."

The volunteer-run operation depends on its fundraising drive to keep the station alive - this year it hopes to raise $70,000. For each donation of $25, donors are eligible for an entry into the Grand Prize draw, offering up a range of nifty prizes: a digital video camera, a trip to Florida, a year's supply of beer (!), a year's membership to the YMCA and more. But it's win-win as all donors pledging more than five bucks get something from the CKUT community gift-bag. » Alexandra Spunt

Rear view

13 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK

• Cover: The Mirror welcomes the Bulgarian State Women's Choir to Montreal, telling readers that "these women perform some of the most beautiful music on the planet." The choir featured, according to the article, "26 stout Bulgarian women…in peasant finery with an astounding repertoire of 10,000 songs."

• Bruce MacDonald's indie movie Roadkill, having bested Jésus de Montréal for best Canadian feature at the Toronto film fest, opens in Montreal. "MacDonald has mythologized northern Ontario and turned Sudbury, Kapuskasing and Thunder Bay into hip, exotic places," writes Martin Siberok.

• Community groups and unions distribute anti-GST ballots outside of metros and shopping malls. "‘This is a regressive tax,' says Gilles Léveillé of the FTQ… ‘You pay the same amount whether you make $100,000 or collect welfare.'"

• In the Mirror's readership poll, one respondent asks, "Why are your cover articles so politically correct/trendy that they don't sound sincere? The writing is nauseating."

Angel >> More progress on the pot front Federal Justice Minister Martin Cauchon will be tabling legislation, possible as early as the end of the month, proposing the complete decriminalization of small quantities of marijuana. While the exact amount isn't yet known, it's thought to be between 25 and 30 grams. About time, too: judges across the country have been throwing possession charges out of the court for years, most recently on Monday in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. In related news, the Bloc Pot will be holding their fifth anniversary party tonight, Thursday, at the Medley, corner St-Denis and René-Lévesque. Cost is $10. Call the Bloc Pot (528-1768) for more info.
Insect >> FIBUA As the war in Iraq moves from the desert to the cities, one military acronym sure to be heard is "FIBUA." Fighting In Built-Up Areas is a nightmare scenario for any soldier (and civilian) caught in it: casualties on all sides are always high, and cities-cum-battlegrounds are blasted into rubble. While Bush and Co. have repeatedly stated their humanitarian concern for the people of Iraq (this is a war of liberation, remember?), one can't help but think back to that awful, paradoxical American phrase from the Vietnam War: "In order to save this village, we had to destroy it." When Baghdad is "saved," what will be left of it?