Montreal QC ☕ The morning chat
Good morning, Montreal.
Today, we mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with a march through our streets and an exhibition at the McCord that links beads and memory. In politics, the election campaign enters its final stretch, and the Canadiens opened their season with a welcome win. We also remind you of a few important deadlines before October 5.
Main Story
A march and an exhibition for truth and reconciliation
On September 30, Montreal joins the rest of the country for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The sixth annual Every Child Matters: A Day of Action for Truth and Reconciliation march will leave at 1 p.m. from Westmount Park, head to Westmount High School, and end at Cabot Square. Speeches and performances are planned at each stop, featuring Kevin Deer, the Manitou Singers, Ellen Gabriel, and Leonard Sumner.
Organizers invite participants to wear an orange shirt and bring their drums as a sign of solidarity. The march is organized by Resilience Montreal and the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, with support from the David Suzuki Foundation and the POP Montreal festival.
At the same time, the McCord Stewart Museum opens a new exhibition by visual artist Carrie Allison, askōhtēskanohwē, which explores Indigenous beadwork and family history. The exhibition, presented as part of the eighth edition of the Contemporary Native Art Biennial, brings together pieces from the museum’s Godet collection and new works by Allison, who is of nêhiýaw and Métis descent.
The artist, who developed the project through the museum’s artist-in-residence program, says she was moved by the opportunity to “visit” pieces created by her ancestors. The exhibition also includes BEADZ 2.0, an interactive installation of 25 giant foam beads for families. It runs until February 28, 2027.
Around Town
Internal documents describe a “radicalized subculture” at the Montreal-North police station
Internal SPVM memos, made public, describe a “radicalized subculture” among officers at Station 39 in Montreal-North before the station was rocked by allegations of racism and criminal misconduct. The documents include a copy of the chief’s presentation to the municipal committee and speech notes describing the handling of the incident at the Montreal-North station.
An 87-year-old Montreal woman died of hypothermia during a January power outage
A Quebec coroner’s report, made public, confirms that an 87-year-old woman died of hypothermia during a prolonged power outage during a period of intense cold last January. The report does not specify the neighbourhood where she lived.
Canadiens beat Maple Leafs 3-2 in opener
Josh Anderson and Alexandre Carrier each had a goal and an assist, and Jakub Dobeš made 25 saves, as the Canadiens won 3-2 in Toronto on Tuesday night. Zachary Bolduc also scored for Montreal, while William Nylander had both Leafs goals. First overall pick Gavin McKenna and forward Kirill Marchenko, acquired Monday, made their Toronto debuts. The Canadiens visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.
To Remember
Nearly a quarter of voters cast advance ballots
Élections Québec reports that 23.6% of voters took part in advance voting, which included polling stations in CEGEPs and seniors’ residences. The October 5 vote is fast approaching.
French-only voting guides draw 160 complaints in five days
Élections Québec received 160 complaints in five days after announcing it would send only French-language information guides to voters, citing the 2022 official language law. Twenty-seven of those complaints were identical to a template shared on social media by Derek Heatherington, a retired teacher from the Eastern Townships. A Superior Court judge temporarily suspended parts of the law on September 16, ordering the agency to send bilingual reminder cards.
16 people charged in cocaine trafficking probe
Sixteen people, aged 24 to 73, have been arrested and charged in “Project Chrome,” a multi-year investigation into cocaine trafficking in Quebec.
A 77-year-old woman found dead in Laval, her partner hospitalized
A 77-year-old woman was found dead Tuesday afternoon in an apartment in Laval’s Chomedey district. Her partner, a 78-year-old man, was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Laval police are treating the death as suspicious and have not ruled out femicide.
Practical Corner
Deadline to register on the electoral list is Thursday at 2 p.m.
If you haven’t received your registration notice or reminder card from Élections Québec, check your registration online. To register or change your address, you must go in person to the returning officer’s office in your riding before Thursday at 2 p.m. Bring documents showing your name, date of birth, and address, such as a driver’s licence, health card, passport, or birth certificate, along with a utility bill or lease.
Partial closure of Highway 40 this weekend
Concrete slab repair work will close the entrance from boulevard Saint-Michel to Highway 40 (Metropolitan) westbound, from Friday 10 p.m. to Monday 5 a.m. Up to two lanes will be closed on boulevard Crémazie westbound. Check Québec 511 before hitting the road.
Coup de Coeur
Carrie Allison’s exhibition at the McCord Stewart Museum is a beautiful example of what a museum can do when it opens itself to artists and communities. By giving access to pieces created by ancestors, it weaves connections between generations and shows that Indigenous culture is very much alive. An invitation to reflection on this day of commemoration.
To Close
We wish you a day of memory and solidarity, whether you march in the streets or take time to visit an exhibition. And if hockey interests you, the Canadiens have started their season well. See you tomorrow for the rest of the election campaign. ☕