MTLQC – Montreal QC
Montréal QC ☕ Morning Chat
Good morning, Montréal.
We hope your coffee is nice and warm on this snowy Saturday morning. Yes, winter still isn’t done with us.
But between the falling snow, a murder charge shaking the city, and several political and economic developments affecting everyone, there’s a lot to take in today.
Take a big sip and let’s dive in.
🔦 Main Story
35‑year‑old man charged with first‑degree murder in the death of a Montréal dépanneur owner
A 35‑year‑old man, Xavier Gellatly, has been charged with first‑degree murder in the death of Chong Woo Kim, owner of the Fleur bleue dépanneur in Plateau‑Mont‑Royal. Kim was found lying inside his store Thursday morning near Laurier metro station. The accused was arrested a few hours later at Complexe Desjardins after a police manhunt.
The case has sent shockwaves through the community — and raised serious questions — because of Gellatly’s extensive criminal history. In 2012, while living in British Columbia, he killed Chelsea Holden, a 28‑year‑old mother of two. He was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to seven years in prison. After his release, he returned to Quebec, where he accumulated more convictions: uttering threats, breaching release conditions, animal cruelty in 2022, and even assaulting a peace officer in 2009.
Given this history, many Montrealers are asking how someone with a record of violent offences — including a previous killing — could have been released so quickly. Some are openly wondering whether this tragedy could have been prevented had Gellatly remained behind bars longer. These concerns are circulating widely in the neighbourhood and on social media, fuelled by a sense of frustration with the justice system.
On Friday evening, the community gathered for a candlelight vigil in memory of Chong Woo Kim. Neighbours, including Rosario Noriega, described him as a shopkeeper “who always smiled” and who was part of the fabric of daily life in the area. The tragedy highlights the vulnerability of small business owners who serve their communities day after day — and the deep pain felt when one of them is taken so brutally.
⚡ The Essentials
One year into the Carney government: a mixed but decisive shift
One year into his mandate, one thing is clear: Mark Carney is running the federal government very differently from Justin Trudeau. Much of Ottawa’s political class describes the former central banker as a CEO‑style leader who wants to run the country like a Fortune 500 company.
Recent polling from several firms shows Carney’s Liberals surging into the high‑40% range… majority‑government territory. The party has pivoted sharply, moving from a strong focus on social equity to an agenda centred on economic consolidation, major infrastructure development, and Cold War‑level increases in military spending.
Carney has quickly dismantled several key Trudeau‑era policies, ending the controversial consumer carbon tax and scrapping the digital services tax. He has revived Canada’s relationship with India, warmed ties with China, and opened new channels with Japan, Malaysia, and others.
He has passed nine government bills into law, including the Canadian Economy Act. Carney has also delivered psychological blows to his opponents by recruiting four MPs from the Conservative and NDP caucuses to cross the floor. Winning two of the three April by‑elections would technically give him a majority.
Iran war adds new uncertainty to the Bank of Canada’s already cloudy outlook
The Bank of Canada is weighing a wave of last‑minute economic data against uncertainty surrounding global trade and the war in the Middle East as it prepares for its second interest‑rate decision of 2026. Economists say the central bank is navigating rough waters this year, with a surprise jump in unemployment and broader economic weakness competing with new inflation risks driven by a global oil‑price shock.
The Bank’s policy rate remains at 2.25% after holding steady in January. Friday’s jobs report showed unemployment rising to 6.7% after the economy shed 84,000 jobs in February. Statistics Canada also reported that the economy contracted by half a percentage point on an annualized basis in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Iran’s attacks on commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf and its decision to block the Strait of Hormuz have sent global oil prices soaring. Beyond higher prices at the pump, rising energy costs are expected to push up packaging and transportation costs for food. StatCan reported food inflation at 7.3% year‑over‑year in January.
Canada helps citizens flee the Middle East
Since the United States launched its war against Iran on February 28, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand has said her top priority is helping Canadians who want to leave the Middle East. As of Friday, nearly 8,500 Canadian citizens and permanent residents have returned to Canada from the region, while more than 1,000 others have reached safe third countries.
In the days following the start of the war, Global Affairs Canada deployed “more than three‑quarters of 50 staff per day” to respond to calls from Canadians in the region. Staffing has since been reduced as daily requests dropped from a peak of 1,400 early in the conflict to around 400.
The Kuwaiti government is preventing foreign nationals, including Canadians, from leaving without a permit requiring employer consultation. Canada spent $11 million keeping chartered aircraft on standby for three months starting in August 2024, and about $4 million to fly 844 citizens, permanent residents, and family members from Lebanon to Istanbul in October of that year.
In 2024, Global Affairs Canada set aside $40 million in advance for Middle East evacuations.
Canada to supply 23.6 million barrels of oil under IEA release plan
Canada has committed to providing 23.6 million barrels of oil as part of a broader International Energy Agency plan to stabilize global energy markets amid the ongoing Middle East war. A statement from the minister’s office says the 32 IEA member countries, including Canada, agreed to a coordinated release of oil reserves… the largest in the agency’s history.
Global oil prices have surged as the conflict has halted shipments through the critical Strait of Hormuz, where one‑fifth of the world’s oil supply passes. Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson said Canada will “do its part” to help reduce global oil prices.
Jet fuel prices are rising, and summer flights could get more expensive
Jet fuel prices are climbing as the war in the Middle East disrupts the global oil supply, putting pressure on airline costs ahead of the busy summer travel season. Experts say the question isn’t if airfares will rise, but when, for how long, and by how much.
The average price in the United States reached $3.99 per gallon on Friday, up from $2.50 the day before the war began two weeks ago. Some airlines are partially shielded from sudden price spikes through fuel hedging.
Hong Kong–based Cathay Pacific said it will increase its fuel surcharge starting Wednesday. Air France–KLM said round‑trip economy fares on long‑haul flights could rise by about €50 (roughly $57 CAD). Air India introduced fuel surcharges Thursday on select routes.
Experts say travellers planning summer trips may be able to soften the impact of rising fares by booking earlier rather than waiting for last‑minute deals.
Carney shifts from defence to Nordic skiing ahead of meeting with Norwegian PM
Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to spend part of today taking in Norway’s national sport before a working dinner in Oslo with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. Carney will visit Holmenkollen, just north of Oslo, where he’ll meet Canadian athletes competing in the FIS Nordic World Cup.
After a day of cross‑country skiing events, Carney will return to Oslo for his meeting with Støre. Senior government officials briefing reporters ahead of the trip said the discussion will focus on foreign investment, clean energy, critical minerals, aerospace, and artificial intelligence.
The two leaders are also expected to discuss global energy security as the war in Iran continues to disrupt supply chains. Carney and Støre are scheduled to meet with leaders from four other Nordic nations on Sunday.
Ottawa grants 12‑month work‑permit extension for Quebec permanent‑residency applicants
The federal government has approved Quebec’s request to extend temporary work permits for skilled workers while the province processes their permanent residency applications.
Quebec public security minister open to publishing police watchdog reports
Quebec’s public security minister says he is open to releasing reports from the province’s police watchdog, which currently does not publish the findings of its investigations. Quebec’s police oversight body is the only one in Canada that does not make its investigative reports public.
🏙️ Local Stories
Quebec’s first sovereignty‑themed café opens in Montréal
Club Pays, Quebec’s first sovereignty‑themed café, opened Friday on Montréal’s Plaza St‑Hubert. The café is operated by OUI Québec, a non‑partisan citizen group advocating for Quebec independence.
From “Québecanos” to “bisc‑oui‑ts,” the café serves snacks and drinks, including alcohol. The space also hosts events and live performances to showcase Quebec artists.
Camille Goyette‑Gingras, president of OUI Québec, said Club Pays is more than a sovereignty movement — it’s a community. The group says people from all backgrounds are welcome, whether they want to learn or have open conversations about Quebec independence.
Proceeds from Club Pays go to OUI Québec.
Video evidence presented in closing arguments in Montréal teen’s drive‑by shooting case
Closing arguments wrapped up Friday in the trial of two men charged with first‑degree murder in the death of 15‑year‑old Meriem Boundaoui. In a Montréal courtroom, Crown prosecutor Simon Lapierre presented surveillance footage showing a vehicle approaching a parked car where a group of people were standing, followed by what appeared to be gunshots from the approaching vehicle before it drove away. The entire sequence lasted about 10 seconds.
Lapierre argued that the two accused, Salim Touaibi and Aymane Bouadi, were attempting to resolve a conflict when the shots were fired. According to the Crown, Boundaoui was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when she was struck inside the parked vehicle on February 7, 2021, in Saint‑Léonard.
The Crown also presented other evidence, including geolocation data from a Mercedes and cellphone records, in an effort to show the shooting was planned.
The judge is expected to give instructions to the jury next week before deliberations begin.
Serge Audette begins his defence in decades‑old homicide case
Serge Audette, the man on trial at the Montréal courthouse for the alleged killing of a woman in 1996, began presenting his defence on Friday.
Montréal’s mayor heads to South Korea for economic and cultural mission
Montréal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada is travelling to South Korea for a five‑day trip aimed at strengthening economic and cultural ties.
💛 Community Highlight
The Montréal community gathered for a candlelight vigil to honour Chong Woo Kim, the dépanneur owner who was killed — a reminder that even in tragedy, this city knows how to come together to honour those who serve us every day with a smile.
❄️ Practical Corner
Get ready for snow and wind
Montrealers woke up to a snowy start on Saturday as a late‑winter system moved into the region, bringing fresh accumulation and strengthening winds. Environment and Climate Change Canada is calling for about five centimetres of snow throughout the day.
Southwest winds of 20 km/h, gusting to 40, will shift westward this afternoon and strengthen to 40 km/h with gusts up to 60. The daytime high will reach +2°C.
Snow is expected to taper off this evening before skies gradually clear. West winds of 30 km/h, gusting to 50, will ease later tonight.
Temperatures will drop to –8°C, with wind chill making it feel like –8 this evening and –14 overnight.
More snow Sunday afternoon
Cloud cover will increase again Sunday before snow begins in the afternoon. About two centimetres of accumulation is expected locally.
Winds will shift from the east at 20 km/h, gusting to 40, by late afternoon. The daytime high will be –1°C, though wind chill will make it feel closer to –10.
Periods of snow are expected to continue Sunday night with a low of –1°C.
Plan your travel accordingly
With falling snow and strong winds, road conditions may be challenging. If you need to head out this weekend, give yourself extra time and drive carefully.
👋 Before we go
That’s it for this snowy Saturday. Between winter refusing to leave, a tragedy affecting our community, and economic and political developments touching everyone, you’ve got what you need to understand what’s happening in our city and beyond.
Stay warm, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, and enjoy the weekend, Montréal. ☕