MTLQC – Montreal QC

Montréal QC ☕ Morning Chat

Good morning, Montreal.

This morning brings a mix of very local stories, very Quebec stories, and a few files that touch both public life and neighbourhood life. Between a closure raising concerns in Verdun and several political and judicial developments, there is plenty to take in. Here is the essential, without asking you for a second coffee just yet.

Main Story

Morton Rosengarten, Montreal sculptor and cultural figure, dies at 92

Montreal sculptor Morton Rosengarten died two weeks ago at the age of 92 after a long pulmonary illness. A major figure in the city’s cultural life, he collaborated with Leonard Cohen, taught many students including Joni Mitchell, and maintained a strong connection to Montreal throughout his life.

His work spanned sculpture, teaching, and the cultural memory of the city. He influenced several generations through both his art and his enduring presence in the artistic community.

Local

Closure of Verdun café Station W raises concerns over rising commercial rents

Station W, the café on Wellington Street in Verdun, will close at the end of May. Owner Simon Defoy says he was unable to reach an agreement with the building’s owners when it came time to renew the lease.

The closure has revived concerns about rising commercial rents. Behind a disappearing address lies a broader question about whether neighbourhood businesses can remain in place when conditions become more difficult.

Montreal fraudster lived a luxury lifestyle with money stolen from seniors

Court documents filed by U.S. prosecutors show that Stefano Zanetti, a Canadian man sentenced last week for his role in a large‑scale grandparent scam, used money taken from elderly victims to fund an extravagant lifestyle.

According to the documents, Zanetti lived on the waterfront in Panama, drove a Porsche, owned boats and jet skis, and bought cocaine while presenting himself as a successful watersports entrepreneur. In reality, prosecutors say he was a key figure in an international network that coordinated money pickups from vulnerable victims across the United States.

Quebec

UPAC met with Quebec Liberal leader Charles Milliard

UPAC met with Quebec Liberal leader Charles Milliard a few weeks ago as part of its investigation into last year’s Liberal leadership race.

The investigation was launched in December following allegations of illegal financing involving Pablo Rodriguez’s campaign team. Rodriguez was elected leader in June 2025 before resigning in December, which opened the door to Milliard’s election in February.

Roberge says expanding Bill 101 would shift 27,000 students to the French‑language system

French Language Minister Jean‑François Roberge says applying Bill 101 to vocational training and adult education would move 27,000 students from the English‑language network to the French‑language system.

These individuals are not eligible for English elementary or secondary school but can currently access adult general education or vocational training in English. The bill that would formalize this change has not yet been introduced.

Liberals and PQ neck and neck as CAQ gains ground

Two polls released Wednesday morning show an extremely tight race between the Quebec Liberal Party and the Parti Québécois, while the CAQ regains some ground.

In the Pallas Data–Québec125–L’actualité poll, the PQ sits at 29 percent, the Liberals at 28 percent, and the CAQ at 19 percent. A second poll, conducted by Synopsis Recherche for La Presse, places the PQ and Liberals tied at 30 percent, with the CAQ at 18 percent.

Italian court orders new extradition hearing for Dave Turmel

An Italian court has ordered a new extradition hearing for Dave Turmel, described as being linked to the Blood Family Mafia.

He will remain detained at Rome’s Regina Coeli prison while proceedings continue. This is a significant procedural development, although nothing is resolved for now.

Missing suspect sought in organized crime killing

The Sûreté du Québec has issued an arrest warrant for a 54‑year‑old Laval man accused of killing Charalambous Theologou in a Starbucks shooting last year.

The man has been missing since October, leaving the investigation both advanced and incomplete. A suspect is now formally identified but remains nowhere to be found.

National

PWHL adds expansion teams in Las Vegas and Hamilton, with one more to come

The PWHL has announced two expansion teams, in Las Vegas and Hamilton, and says another team will be added to bring the league to 12 franchises.

Hamilton becomes the third Ontario franchise. The league continues to grow quickly, with a footprint that is expanding geographically.

Ford backs Toronto bid for defence bank and rejects Quebec criticism

Doug Ford says Toronto should host a new defence bank and rejects the idea of attacking competing bids.

He disputes Quebec’s claim that Ontario is running a fear campaign in this file. The issue has become a political tug‑of‑war that goes well beyond the simple location of an institution.

Coup de Coeur

Morton Rosengarten’s life reminds us that a city is not built only with cranes, budgets, and planning documents. It is also built by people who create, teach, influence quietly, and leave behind a lasting mark without necessarily seeking the spotlight. There is something deeply Montreal in that kind of discreet but profound presence.

Closing

Thank you for starting your day here.

Take what is useful, keep a bit of momentum for the rest, and move into your Wednesday with a clear head. Some mornings are mostly about good reference points. This one is one of them. ☕