Hello Montreal,
We start the day with a busy political agenda in Quebec City, a tragedy shaking the South Shore, and some news showing that our city continues to move forward despite everything. Grab your coffee, we’ll get you up to date.
🔴 Main Story
The National Assembly resumes work amidst political uncertainty
After nearly two months of pause, members of the National Assembly are back in session under rather unusual political circumstances. Both the CAQ and the Quebec Liberal Party are in leadership races — the Liberals will choose their new leader on March 14, and the CAQ on April 12 — while the Parti Québécois continues to lead the polls. Premier François Legault expressed his happiness to see debates resume, but the opposition questioned whether the Assembly should have waited for the CAQ to elect a successor, given that 17 CAQ members have already announced their departure. Marwah Rizqy, the former Liberal parliamentary leader expelled from the caucus, returned to sit as an independent on Tuesday. She maintains that she didn’t ask for her expulsion and is at peace with her decisions. Interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay stated that the next leader will decide whether she can rejoin the caucus. Meanwhile, with the October election approaching, everyone is wondering what’s next.
⚡ Key Points
🚨 Sixth femicide in Quebec since the start of the year
Longueuil police confirmed Tuesday that the discovery of two bodies Monday in a Brossard residence was the result of a femicide followed by suicide. Sonia Maricela Gonzalez Vasquez, 54, was killed before Marcos Amilcar Diaz Lopez, 56, took his own life. Police had previously visited the address. This marks the sixth reported case of domestic violence in Quebec since the start of 2026. Advocates are sounding the alarm on a growing crisis.
👨⚖️ Laval father admits to drowning his children in 2022
At the start of his trial Tuesday, Kamaljit Arora, 49, admitted to “causing the deaths” of his 11-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter in October 2022. He is charged with first-degree murder, attempting to murder his eldest daughter, and attempting to strangle his ex-wife. According to the Crown, the eldest daughter found her siblings’ bodies upon arriving home, then went downstairs to see her father strangling her mother. She bit him to make him stop and ran to a neighbor for help. Autopsy reports concluded the children died by drowning. The case will likely hinge on Arora’s mental state at the time of the incident.
⚖️ Meriem Boundaoui trial enters its fourth week
The trial of two men accused of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Meriem Boundaoui, 15, continued Tuesday. The defense questioned the reliability of GPS and cellular tracking data presented by the Crown concerning a white Mercedes allegedly used in the shooting. On February 7, 2021, Meriem was sitting in a parked car when another vehicle approached and opened fire. The Crown stated she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, with the shooting linked to a parking dispute between two businesses. The trial is expected to last 10-12 weeks.
🛑 Clintons agree to testify in Epstein investigation
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton finalized an agreement Tuesday with House Republicans to testify in an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein later this month, avoiding charges of contempt of Congress. Hillary Clinton will testify before the House Oversight Committee on February 26, and Bill Clinton on February 27. This marks the first time lawmakers have compelled a former president to testify. Bill Clinton had a well-documented relationship with Epstein in the late 1990s and early 2000s but has not been accused of wrongdoing. Both Clintons stated they had no knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of underage girls.
💼 Toys “R” Us Canada seeks creditor protection
Toys “R” Us Canada filed Tuesday for judicial protection against its creditors, becoming the latest historic retailer to turn to the courts while facing nearly half a billion dollars in liabilities.
🏥 33 Outaouais doctors leave due to Bill 2
Quebec Health and the provincial government appear to have no immediate emergency plan to handle the departure of 33 doctors from the Outaouais region following the adoption of controversial Bill 2 on physician remuneration last October. The region’s health authority also reported that 15,000 people are losing their family doctor — although fewer doctors are leaving and fewer patients are affected than originally feared.
🏛️ Bill 9: Roberge says it’s not “against certain religions”
Jean-François Roberge opened public hearings Tuesday on Bill 9, the government’s latest attempt to strengthen secularism in Quebec, emphasizing that the movement is not against specific religions. During the first day of consultations, Quebec municipalities expressed concerns that the law could expose them to lawsuits, while others argued the bill infringes on fundamental rights.
🚑 Paramedics overturn ambulance in protest
Paramedics protesting Tuesday outside the National Assembly in Quebec City overturned a “non-functional ambulance” as part of their demonstration. A union representative stated the ambulance was purchased as a “symbolic gesture” to show their broken working environment. The union claimed the ambulance was destined for scrap and no longer in service. Bernard Drainville, CAQ leadership candidate, condemned the stunt on X. Paramedics are protesting stalled negotiations for renewing their collective agreement, with talks set to resume Friday.
🏭 Glencore suspends $300M investment in Rouyn-Noranda
Glencore has immediately suspended its $300 million investment tied to reducing emissions at the Horne smelter in Rouyn-Noranda after the province failed to reach an agreement with the Swiss multinational.
🤖 AI threatens jobs primarily held by women
Jobs often held by women and workers with university education are more exposed to artificial intelligence than others, according to Quebec’s Institute of Statistics on Tuesday. In fact, 71% of jobs held by women are in professions highly exposed to AI, compared to just 49% of jobs held by men. This is because women often work in service-sector roles, while men work more in production. Overall, 2.7 million jobs in Quebec were considered “highly exposed” to AI in 2024, representing 59% of all jobs.
🏳️🌈 Canada ranks second safest country for LGBTQ+ travelers
According to a Berkshire Hathaway report, Canada is the second safest country in the world for LGBTQ+ travelers in 2026. The report also ranked Canada among the safest countries globally overall. The Netherlands and France complete the top three, followed by Australia and Austria. Canada was also named the second safest country for women and people of color.
🏠 Local Stories
🍹 Montreal bartender wins ultimate championship
Marie-Louise Roy-Bilodeau, a Montreal bartender with just four years of experience, won the Ultimate Bartender Championship (UBC) Americas title. She excelled in six rounds of competition, including quizzes, pouring, scent recognition, table service, perfect service, and round building. She works at La Cantina Concha in Old Montreal and was the only woman in the top four.
🚧 Montreal mayor falls victim to potholes
Soraya Martinez Ferrada shared on social media that she punctured two tires while driving on Notre-Dame Street.
💰 Montreal settles La Tulipe lawsuit for $350,000
The Plateau-Mont-Royal borough council voted Monday night to settle a multi-year legal dispute over the La Tulipe performance venue, which closed in 2024 due to noise complaints.
🏒 Free skating event for Heated Rivalry fans tonight
Fans of the Canadian hockey romance series Heated Rivalry will gather at Esplanade Tranquille tonight for a free skating event featuring songs from the soundtrack. Jerseys are encouraged.
🏠 48 private rooms for homeless patients at downtown YMCA
The YMCA and CIUSSS launched a pilot project offering 48 private rooms for homeless patients post-hospitalization to break the cycle of emergency readmissions.
🔧 C.D.N.-N.D.G. promises better emergency communication
The Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough pledged to improve emergency communication after a power outage left over 1,000 residents without electricity for 72 hours.
🐄 Laval residents protest farm closure
Residents rallied against the planned closure of Laval’s Nature Center farm, demanding public consultation after the mayor announced its closure without prior input. Over 20,000 signed a petition to keep the farm open.
💙 Spotlight
Marie-Louise Roy-Bilodeau went to Colombia with zero expectations — she just wanted to enjoy the experience — and came back as a world champion.
📌 Practical Tip
If you’re a fan of Heated Rivalry, head to Esplanade Tranquille tonight between 5 PM and 10 PM for free skating and great Quebec music. Hockey jerseys are welcome.
Have a great day, Montreal. Take care of yourselves and your loved ones.
EXCERPT:
The National Assembly resumed its work on Tuesday in a context of political uncertainty, with the CAQ and the Quebec Liberal Party both in the midst of a leadership race while the Parti Québécois leads in the polls. The opposition is questioning whether the return should have been postponed until the CAQ selects a successor, as 17 CAQ MNAs have already announced their departure and the October election is fast approaching.