Montreal QC ☕ The morning chat
Good morning, Montreal.
We start with a story that hits at public trust in the police, as Quebec orders investigations into a SPVM officer. Then: a Westmount evening celebrating the strength of caregivers, a man on the run to keep his raccoon, and a new McGill study that could change prostate cancer care. Plus a reminder for your clocks, and a bit of hockey.
Main Story
Quebec orders investigations into officer accused of urinating on homeless people
Public Security Minister Guy Lapointe Jr. announced over the weekend that the Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) and the police ethics commissioner would look into the SPVM officer accused of urinating on homeless people. He framed the move as a way to “maintain public confidence.”
The announcement follows a protest held Saturday at Station 21, where hundreds of Montrealers—more than a thousand by some estimates—denounced allegations of police misconduct. The demonstration was largely peaceful, but tensions ran high: riot police used cayenne pepper and four arrests were made.
Recall that on October 16, it came to light that two officers from Station 21 had been suspended. One is accused of urinating on homeless people, the other of humiliating suspects while on duty. Both are under internal investigation.
In Our Neighbourhood
A Westmount evening to celebrate the strength of caregivers
On Monday night, Montrealers gathered in Westmount for “Connecting for Caring,” an event of stories, poetry, music, and art inspired by the book Courage to Care: Ripples of Love in Action. The collection, which brings together more than 160 contributions, aims to recognize the often invisible role of caregivers.
Curator Al Etmanski launched the project after the death of his partner, who had championed the cause. He invited people from across Canada to share their experiences. Among the first he reached out to was Montreal dancer Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli, who wrote a piece on fatherhood with a disability. “If my story can inspire another parent with a disability to understand they can overcome their challenges, that’s what I hope to achieve,” he said.
Other contributions explore the limits of what caring for others can accomplish. Fabrice Vil, also from Montreal, recounts his own mental health crisis in a piece titled “Caring Doesn’t Cure.” “I went through a mental health crisis a few years ago, which led me to realize that caring doesn’t solve everything, but it does help healing to a certain extent,” he explained.
A Montrealer on the run gets his raccoon vaccinated against rabies
Louka Berman, who says he’s been on the run since provincial authorities tried to seize his raccoon, took his animal, named Pepper, to get a rabies shot on Monday. The appointment took place at a shelter north of Montreal.
Pepper went viral in September after a video of Berman cycling with the raccoon on his back circulated online. Berman says environmental enforcement officers showed up at his home with a seizure warrant but failed to capture the animal. He says he’s raised thousands of dollars through online fundraising campaigns, hoping to build a wildlife sanctuary in the city.
Quebec is currently facing a rabies outbreak among raccoons, though the virus hasn’t reached Montreal yet.
New McGill study to slow the spread of prostate cancer
Researchers at McGill University, in collaboration with teams in Australia and New Zealand, have found a promising approach to reducing the spread of prostate cancer. Adding darolutamide—a drug that blocks hormonal signals fueling cancer growth—to standard treatment reduced the risk of spread in patients with aggressive cancer, in a phase 3 clinical trial involving 1,100 participants.
Patients who received darolutamide saw their cancer spread later than those who got a placebo. Researchers also observed fewer prostate cancer-related deaths and fewer rises in PSA, a blood marker that can signal the disease’s return.
“Our results have the potential to influence the standard of care for patients with very high-risk prostate cancer worldwide,” said Dr. Tamim Niazi, associate professor in McGill’s oncology department.
Worth Noting
PQ contests recount in Vachon, disbarred lawyer at the heart of the controversy
The Quebec Liberal Party is contesting the results of the recount in the Vachon riding, where its candidate lost by three votes. According to reports, the Liberals are considering using the fact that a lawyer disbarred from the Barreau acted as a PQ advisor in their election challenge.
PSPP to meet Emmanuel Macron in France “in the coming weeks”
Quebec’s new premier spoke by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday. An in-person meeting is planned in the coming weeks.
PSPP’s first speech in the Salon bleu causes headaches
The PQ leader wants to give his opening speech without the presence of the lieutenant-governor, a decision that raises questions.
The Crown and Indigenous rights: a debate opens
Abolishing the monarchy in Quebec could worry First Nations and raise constitutional issues, according to a Radio-Canada analysis.
Canada-EU: PSPP won’t be able to speak
The Canada-European Union summit will take place October 29 and 30 in Montreal, but Paul St-Pierre Plamondon won’t be able to address it.
Canadian stock market outperforms the US for a second year
The TSX composite index is up about 13% since the start of the year, while the S&P 500 is up 12%. According to TD, this is the longest sustained period of TSX outperformance over the S&P 500 in nearly two decades.
Canadiens win first two games of four-game road trip
The Canadiens continued their four-game road trip in Winnipeg with a 2-1 win over the Jets in the Heritage Classic, in front of more than 30,000 fans.
Practical Corner
Clocks go back on Sunday
Daylight saving time ends this weekend. In the night from Saturday to Sunday, at 2 a.m., clocks go back one hour. Two years ago, 90% of Quebecers who took part in an online consultation said they were in favour of dropping the time change, but no law has been passed. Five Canadian provinces and territories, including Alberta and Manitoba, have chosen to adopt permanent daylight saving time.
Road salt stays on the menu for Montreal winter
The City of Montreal will still use road salt in its de-icing plan this winter, despite experts’ concerns about its effects on infrastructure and the environment.
Coup de Coeur
The story of Luca “Lazylegz” Patuelli and the other contributors to Courage to Care reminds us that caring for others is a gesture that can be told, shared, and passed on. In a city where we often rush, stopping to listen to these stories is already a way of caring for your community.
To Close
We wish you a day where the unexpected stays light, like a raccoon on a bike. And don’t forget: Sunday, we gain an hour of sleep. ☕