I don’t read the pseudo-tabloid that is the Journal de Montréal, but as I was waiting for a friend at the gym today I picked it up and discovered a very interesting (although terribly written) article about the huge differences between Westmount (one of the richest parts of Montreal) and Saint-Henri (one of the poorest) which are separated only by one street / a few hundred meters.

A difficult read, but here were some interesting factoids to translate out:

• Students in Saint-Henri are half as likely to finish high school.
• In Saint-Henri, a little less than 57.3% of adults 20 and over have finished high school. Cross Saint-Antoine street, and this proportion jumps to over 90%.
• Nearly half of students who enroll into junior high school (Secondary 1) in Saint-Henri do so at least a year behind.
• Life expectancy is 82.1 years in Westmount. In Saint-Henri, you can expect to live over 10 years less than that.

These types of stats, of course, occur all over the country… but these obviously hit harder because they’re closer to home. We’ve got such a long way to go… : \

Reporter: “What do you think about western civilization?”

Gandhi: “I think it would be a good idea.”

I didn’t really have much incentive to learn more about it.

Until, that is, some close friends of my dad’s (Thank you Margo and Michael!) graciously invited me to a splendid “operetta” or “light opera” performed by the Lakesore Light Opera. I had a great time (much better than I thought I would, considering the inaccurate preconceived notions I had about this sort of thing), and I would heartily recommend that you try to catch one of the last two shows which are tonight and tomorrow night at the John Rennie Theatre in Pointe Claire. The Lakeshore Light Opera perform Gilbert and Sullivan operettas.

The shows being at 8:00pm sharp, and the ticket prices are very reasonable (see their website). There are two productions for you to enjoy back to back: “Trial by Jury” and “The Pirates of Penzance”. Both were extremely enjoyable, but I had a particularly wonderful time watching The Pirates of Penzance; it was very easy to follow and the humor kept me smiling – when I wasn’t laughing out loud. This show made a total convert out of me – I’m going to make myself a regular, and I’ve been reading up everything I can find on Gilbert and Sullivan.

If you’re in town and looking for a great time tonight or tomorrow night – whether with family, friends or your reluctant other half – I highly recommend that you make it to the show if you can still find tickets. Just be prepared to become an addict like I did!

-Steven Mansour

(excuse the quality of the photos; they’re from my phonecam.)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050202.wxswimm03/BNStory/Sports/

Montreal is, of course, the telemarketing capital of, well, probably the country.

28 arrests in Montreal-based telemarketing raid

The problem with this is, the article states that “100,000 victims have been defrauded $45,000,000 by this organization over a period of 18 months”. Whoa. I’m in the wrong business.

The Liberal government took $1.5 million from its sponsorship program to build a giant TV screen for the Old Port of Montreal because it couldn’t find the money anywhere else.

No comment.

No matter how much of a Grinch you are (shame on you!), you gotta crack a little smile when you see an elderly couple walking hand-in-hand in the snow.

As luck wouldn’t have it, I had do some last minute shopping at the nuclear shelter/shopping mall known as Le Carrefour Laval (one of the largest in Eastern Canada I believe). That isn’t camera blur; the entire mall was actually coated in a surreal, blurry fog. Or so it seemed from all the noise and lights. I’m told that alcohol can cause that effect as well.



This was the view driving back from the mall; a cloud front being pushed away by clear skies. I really hope that it’s indicative of the times to come for 2005; I think most of us could use some clear skies.

:)

Montreal is known to outsiders for many things (and notorious for a few): great nightlife, a thriving artistic community, beautiful women, incredible restaurants tucked away in every corner, and, of course, the cultural scene.

Of the festivals we hold here in Montreal, the most well-known ones internationally are the Jazz Festival, the Just for Laughs comedy festival and the film festival. It seems that the latter is now in a state of chaos, due of course to politics within the organizing bodies.

Like another important money-making event that we almost lost due to the perpetual lack of “common-effin’-sense” which the government seems to perpetuate, the quagmire surrounding the 2005 film festivals threatens us and our city’s reputation.

In other news, I’ve started to develop a strong appreciation for graffiti and urban art – it’s the only pleasant part of note in the snapshot below, taken yesterday on the Montreal plateau (near St-Laurent):

I was driving back home from downtown late last friday night (probably the worst snow night so far), when it had been snowing hard for a few hours and the fine, upstanding snow removal entities we have in place didn’t see fit to start working yet. The 20 minute trip took a lengthy one-and-a-half hours, with speeds of about 20km/h on the roads (maximum is 50km/h) and 50km/h on the highway (maximum is 100km/h or “as fast as you can go”, depending). The pic above is of Sherbrooke street, one of the main streets in downtown Montreal.

It was an interesting drive all the same. It’s quite something to be driving carefully, respecting the weather conditions (lest I find myself wrapped around a pole), and warily watch a group of 19 year olds packed in mom’s SUV zoom by in the right lane with all four winter tires spinning. Four wheel drive and winter tires do not a Demi-God make. Regardless, I drove by that very same SUV about 5 minutes later, after it had become one with a snowbank. As I stopped by and ensured that no one was dead (well, excluding brain-dead), I reminded myself to take it extra-easy on the way home, and I slowed down by another 5km/h.

I love this city.