Prime Minister Harper rallies Mount Royal riding

I was part of history this morning as Prime Minister Stephen Harper paid the ultimate compliment to Saulie Zajdel, his Conservative Party star candidate in one of the country's greatest Liberal strongholds. Only three days before the federal election, Harper chose to visit the Mount Royal riding and address a large and enthusiastic gathering at the Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre in Snowdon.

This marked the first time in the five years Harper (left) has served as prime minister that he visited Mount Royal. "He certainly would not have done so unless there was a feeling we have a chance to win this riding," Gary Shapiro, a longtime riding executive, told me.

Amos Sochaczevski, who owns The Suburban Newspaper, echoed those sentiments. He also told the crowd that despite the fact he is personal friends with Mount Royal Liberal MP Irwin Cotler, he is firmly behind Zajdel and the Tories. To thunderous applause he thanked Harper for being the best prime minister Canada has ever had in terms of standing up for Israel.

Zajdel, a Montreal city councillor for 23 years, has been campaigning so hard that he lost his voice. He nonetheless still rallied the crowd, introduced other candidates such as Larry Smith (Lac St. Louis), Agop Everklian (Pierrefonds-Dollard), Neil Drabkin (Westmount-Ville Marie),
in the room and then welcomed Harper on stage.
(Zajdel above and Everklian, Smith and Hampstead Mayor Bill Steinberg pictured at the left)

"Saulie Zajdel is campaigning right to the last drop of his voice," Harper said in his opening remarks.

Wearing an open shirt, a wireless microphone and glancing occasionally at a teleprompter Harper told the audience why it is necessary to elect a majority Conservative government. "The minority Parliament did not focus on the economy," he said. "Canada cannot go back to another minority Parliament like that."

Harper picked apart his opposition, warning of dire consequences if a coalition involving the NDP, the Liberals and the Bloc were to take power. He took questions from select media at the end, most of whom seemed quite confrontational.

"If you have another minority government, will you resign?" one reporter asked.

Harper replied that if his party wins the most seats he will accept that as another mandate to lead the country.

Can the Tories do the unthinkable and take Mount Royal? I have never seen Irwin Cotler work so hard, blazing the campaign trail like a youngster at the age of 71. He and his team have taken nothing for granted. Zajdel told me he feels good.

It should be a very interesting Monday night.

Plattsburgh really welcomes Quebecers

PQ leader Pauline Marois and Bloc boss Gilles Duceppe will be pleased to hear that our nearby American New York suburb of Plattsburgh wants to make its French Canadian visitors feel more at home. Garry Douglas, head of the North County Chamber of Commerce, says that as important as attracting Quebecers is making their visit as enjoyable and welcoming as possible, be it shopping or enjoying the day at the beach at Ausable State Park (left).

"All of our area hospitality and retail businesses need to step up their efforts to make our Quebec friends comfortable, including more bilingual menus and signs, more French skills among customer service staff, and zero tolerance for any impatience, prejudice or poor attitudes toward our neighbours,” Douglas noted. “Walt Disney said that people spend money where and when they feel good. Let's make them feel very good about spending money, supporting jobs and generating sales tax revenue here in the North Country."

The Chamber and its Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau recently conducted a survey of more than 250 tourism-related businesses, verifying the importance of Canadian visitors to area businesses and the economy.

"We certainly know that Canadian spending in our area is of great importance and has been growing," states Douglas, “but we decided it was time to take a snapshot of just how important it is and what the trends and opportunities may be, especially as we refine our Montreal marketing plans for this summer."

The Chamber surveyed more than 250 tourism-related businesses, with the results revealing that a strong majority depends on Canadians for 20 percent or more of their business. Almost a fifth depends on Canadians for more than 50 percent of their business. Eighty eight percent rate the importance of Canadians on their businesses as important or very important. Furthermore, eighty eight percent reported an increase in Canadian business in 2010 compared to 2009.

"These numbers confirm that we are enjoying the benefits of both a strong Canadian economy and the fact that the two currencies are remaining near par," says Douglas. "And they reinforce our belief that the opportunity is ripe to attract even more visitors and spending from north of the border this year, especially over the summer."

“We expect another strong summer in respect to Canadian visitors,” added Michele Powers, the vice-president of marketing. “When you combine the strength of the Canadian dollar, New York State’s recent four percent tax exemption for all clothing purchases under $55, and an aggressive marketing campaign, the outlook is good.”


We are so lucky as Montrealers to have the city of Plattsburgh so near. Only a 64 kilometre drive that can be made in a little more than an hour, as long as the line-up at the Lacolle border crossing is not too long, here you have access to stores and restaurants that we cannot find in Montreal: Target (soon to be here), JC Penny, Pac Sun, Hollister, Debs, Victoria’s Secret, Bed Bath and Beyond, TJ Maxx, Price Chopper, Hannford’s, Friendly’s, Perkins, 99, the Ground Round, the fabulous Butcher Block and much more.

With our dollar at $1.05, compared to the American greenback, folks are racing to Plattsburgh for day trips. If your schedule permits, I recommend you follow my formula and try to stay a few days. We have always enjoyed the accommodations at the Comfort Inn and Suites which was devastated by a horrible fire more than two years ago. The owners spent $11 million to rebuild and did a magnificent job.

I have been going to Plattsburgh since my childhood. The place to go in those days was Pyramid Mall. It was not anything that special, but it still offered great deals. As our dollar went up and down Plattsburgh’s appeal weakened a bit. In the meantime, Pyramid Mall gave way to Champlain Centre down the road. This is a pretty impressive shopping centre. The addition of Target a few years back really added to its appeal.

Oh, I remember the days when I would go down for the day with friends. We’d rush through the aisles of TJ Maxx, buying jeans, socks and underwear and meet up with other Quebecers in the washrooms as we cut off labels and tried to squeeze into several layers of clothes.

I met countless Montrealers on my most recent trip. They simply told the border guards what they spent and if they had to pay duty, so be it. By staying for a few nights, we were legally allowed a certain amount so everything was out in the open.

Of course, the newest attraction to Plattsburgh is its airport. Resembling more of a bus station (see right), it is the home to four airlines and great deals on flights. Montrealers use it regularly, for the rates are far superior to certain destinations than what Air Canada or West Jet will charge you.

Schwartz's The Musical: Toronto option and much more

The Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen, better known as Schwartz’s, has received its fair share of publicity over the years. In recent years it has been the subject of a documentary film and a book by journalist Bill Brownstein. When the highly regarded Centaur Theatre announced last year that it would be presenting a stage version of the Brownstein publication called Schwartz’s The Musical many people wondered whether this was an elaborate April Fool’s joke.

Founded in 1928 by Reuben Schwartz, a Jewish immigrant from Romania, the restaurant has been at the same location ever since, on Bulevard Saint-Laurent. The locale is a single white-tiled room containing several rows of long narrow tables. Next door is a new takeout counter, with limited seating, which has helped reduce the lineups which frequently snake up the street. (photo above left, Felicia Shulman and Vito DeFilippo)

The musical features the outstanding comedy duo of Bowser & Blue, brought to life on stage with a full cast of larger-than-life characters who call Schwartz's "home," and some of the many customers who pass through its doors. Schwartz's: The Musical celebrates the eccentric side of Schwartz’s and the dreaded F-word: franchise!

Since its debut at the end of March, the musical has plated before repeated sellout crowds and had its run extended twice. As of this writing it is scheduled to continue until May 7. Directed by the Centaur’s Artistic and Executive Director Roy Surette, the multi-talented cast of actors and musicians comprising Chris Barillaro, Rick Blue, George Bowser, Jim Cahill, Vito DeFilippo, Bruce Dinsmore, Holly Gauthier-Frankel, Dominic Lorange, Stephanie Martin, Gordon Masten (who can also be seen these days I n the big screen movie Source Code as the conductor), and noted stage veteran Felicia Shulman play as many as 60 characters ranging from Toronto executives, to Schwartz’s owners, staff and loyal customers from over the years! (photo above, one of the funnier scenes from the show)

The fictitious story is set in 1998 when owner Madame Chartrand (Shulman) decides to sell the deli. In comes Martin. She portrays Amber, a gal who is sent from Toronto to Montreal by her boyfriend to check out its potential for franchising. The set is amazing, the script hilarious and the musical numbers quite impressive as well.

Could the musical be headed down Highway 401 to Toronto? Hy Diamond, a Montreal businessman who actually purchased Schwartz’s in 1998, believes this would be a natural. “I have been telling everyone who will listen that this show just has to go to Toronto,” he told me.

Surette confirmed that the question being asked to him most often these days is whether or not the show will indeed be seen in Toronto. “Well the script itself presents a real tongue in cheek rivalry between Montreal and Toronto,” he said. “I do intend to get on the phone with the folks from Mirvish Entertainment and make a pitch. I could definitely see them booking this for a limited run.”

There is a classic line in the musical when discussion turns to whether it would be a good idea to have a Schwartz’s Deli in Toronto, that with all of the ex-Montrealers in Canada’s largest city “it would give them a reason to live!”

Another great line comes when a character says , “You know its spring, when the Leafs are out,” a dig at Toronto’s hockey team.

Surette has only been with the Centaur for a few years, having arrived here from Western Canada. “Like any tourist to Montreal, I would come here and one of my first stops was Schwartz’s,” he says. “When Bowser and Blue approached me two years ago with the idea of creating such a musical I thought it was a great idea. The response, in terms of ticket sales and reviews, though, has exceeded my expectations.”

Diamond notes that for more than 80 years Schwartz’s has been attracting diners from around the world. The musical follows the book by Brownstein, for which a second updated version was recently introduced, and the film called Chez Schwartz. It played in theatres, on CBC, is still available as a DVD and can now be seen on Air Canada flights. “At Schwartz’s, it does not matter whom you are or where you are from,” he remarked. “Everyone is treated the same way. People know this as a proud Montreal Jewish institution.” (photo above, Hy Diamond and granddaughter Jennifer Wieskopf)

Recently, Diamond brought in his 27 year old granddaughter Jennifer Wieskopf to work by his side. A graduate of York University’s Shulich School of Business, with a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, she has been focusing on marketing and promotions and as a liaison to the producers of the musical. “I have helped them a lot with props,” she said. “Stuff like pickle jars or waiter’s uniforms. We really wanted to make the set look as realistic as possible. We even had the cast here to eat, but kept it kind of secret so they could observe exactly how our staff function . A photo shoot was also organized.”

Interestingly, Wieskopf is kosher and as a result she cannot eat the mouth watering smoked meat. “I enjoy the pickles, the French fries and the black cherry cola,” she laughs.

My first memories of Schwartz’s go way back to when my dad was friends with Maurice Zbriger, a previous owner and noted musician at the time. He would host our entire family for dinner on a regular basis, reserving a special table in the rear of the restaurant.

Whenever my brother in law comes to town from Chicago, he insists upon this being one of his first stops.

There are always celebrity sightings. Manager Frank Silva can barely keep track of them. Former Premier Lucien Bouchard loves the place and his character is depicted in the musical, as are Joan Rivers and Leonard Cohen.

Taking in the show on the night I attended was Quebec Minister of Finance Raymond Bachand and his lovely wife. They were laughing the entire time and stood up with the rest of the audience at the end to contribute to a standing ovation for the cast.

For ticket information go to http://www.centaurtheatre.com/ or call 514-288-3161.

Michael Douglas Montreal Bound: Wants To Thank McGill Teaching Hospitals

Actor Michael Douglas is no stranger to Montreal. He and his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones have a home in the Mont Tremblant area and frequent our fair city often. On Tuesday, May 3 at Le Windsor, Douglas will be the special guest at the annual fundraiser of the McGill Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.

When a cancerous tumour was found in Douglas’s throat last summer, he was initially treated at one of the McGill teaching hospitals. Here he talks about it with David Letterman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z67gcf311KQ&feature=related.

Douglas says the cancer is now gone. Obviously, his star presence at the Montreal fundraising dinner is a way for him to say “thank you.”

"The odds are, with the tumour gone and what I know about this particular type of cancer, that I've got it beat," the veteran actor said in an interview with U.S. morning show Today recently.

The 66-year-old Douglas pointed out that his parents have set a good precedent for aging — his mother (actress Diana Dill) is in her late 80s, while his father (iconic actor Kirk Douglas) is 94 — he noted that his cancer treatment has nonetheless changed his perceptions. "I feel good about those genes,” he said. “But it's definitely a third act. And so you're a little more conscious of your time in how you choose to spend it. All of a sudden the affection from my family, from my friends, and from my fans hit me at a much deeper level than I would have ever imagined before. And it gave me a really new appreciation of just how valuable, how precious good friends are and family."

An important mission of the McGill Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and its oncology program is to provide state-of-the art care for patients with cancers and other disorders of the head and neck. These cancers are unpredictable and may affect the thyroid, throat, voice box, mouth and tongue, and the nasal chambers. Their research programs have led to many new treatments and surgical procedures to combat these potentially fatal diseases. These research programs have offered patients hope for the future with an attempt to bring an important cure that much closer.

Mr. Douglas recently waged his own battle with throat cancer,” note Drs. Saul Frenkiel and Sheldon Elman, chairs of the event. “Through personal determination and with the help of modern treatments including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, we hold great optimism for his successful recovery. We are extremely grateful that he has offered his support to our research mission here at McGill University.”

The invitation to the event states that by supporting the research fund that honours Michael Douglas, “you will facilitate our endeavours to provide our community of patients with the most modern care available.”

Those with VIP tickets ($750 each) will be able to attend a special cocktail party with Douglas prior to the dinner. There is a spectacular live auction with some spectacular opportunities: two golf foursomes with Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, a trip by private jet for deep sea fishing off the coast of Florida (sponsored by Vic Betrand of Mega Brands), a trip via private jet to New York City to see the new Broadway production of Spiderman (sponsored by Stephen Bronfman), a package including racing lessons at the Jim Russell Driving School in Tremblant and accommodations at Hotel Quintessence, (sponsored by CSL native and Michael Kors guru Lawrence Stroll), paintings and necklaces. One of the originators of this event was Dr. Melvin Schloss, a prince of a man who has the magic “ear, nose and throat” touch at the Montreal Children’s Hospital.

Douglas will not be doing many interviews while in Montreal as his voice tires easily, I am told.

Some biographical information about Douglas, via imdb.com.

Douglas is reported to be worth over $200 million. His first real break came on the TV series The Streets of San Francisco (1972) opposite screen veteran Karl Malden. Michael gained quite a following on this show, and left it to produce One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). In the 1980s he tried his hand at comedies, the most successful being Romancing the Stone (1984), its sequel The Jewel of the Nile (1985), and The War of the Roses (1989), in which he co-starred with Danny DeVito and Kathleen Turner. It was in the 1990s, though, in which he gained the most notorious aspects of his reputation. He starred in Basic Instinct (1992), a thriller, heavy on sex and violence, that was a worldwide hit. Having played a similar role in Fatal Attraction (1987), it did indeed appear that he was being typecast in "man against woman" type roles, and pictures like Disclosure (1994) did nothing to dissuade that opinion. He finally tried to break away from this image with The American President (1995) and The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), yet when he started dating Catherine Zeta-Jones, 25 years his junior, this image continued, even after their marriage. He has done the two Wall Street movies, the In-laws, Solitary Man, Traffic and many more. He is now preparing to portray legendary pianist Liberace in his next movie.

Take a look at his recent appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: http://videonews.antena3.ro/action/viewvideo/67654/Michael-Douglas-la--Tonight-Show-cu-Jay-Leno.

Michael Douglas Trivia Question

Which movie did Douglas film in Montreal early on in his career? It was called Running and he portrayed fictitious American marathon runner Michael Andropolis who sets his heart on representing his country at the 1976 Olympic Summer Games in Montreal. I remember the scenes of him sprinting into Olympic Stadium.

Michael makes broadcasting "Dean's" list

You may remember former news anchor Michael Dean from 940 AM Radio. Well, he has found a clever way to get back into the media by merging his experience in broadcasting with a specialization in finance and real estate to create his own TV show on YouTube called Dollars n Sense. During the federal election campaign he is airing weekly episodes. “Since I already had all the equipment needed, I figured I may as well put it to work for me,” he said.

The show is entirely researched and produced by Dean from his own home studio/office. “As the show is in its infancy viewership is still pretty low. As with many things on the internet - you're just lost in virtual space until you get the word out in other ways. A show like mine - unlike others on You Tube - stands little chance of going viral, simply because the subject matter is a little dry for most and most are looking for cute little kitten videos or the latest on Lindsay Lohan.”

Here is the link: http://youtu.be/SouZYgmUa-Q

Michael is a licenced mortgage broker for Dominion Lending Centres. He can be reached at 1-877-333-4983, ext. 770. Log on to http://www.michaeldean.ca/ or email mdean@dominionlending.com.

Professional baseball returning to Montreal?

The recent Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors Sports Celebrity Breakfast, for which I was one of the organizers, honoured former Montreal Expos limited partner Mark Routtenberg. There were 650 cheering baseball fans on hand that morning. It was the Expos team of 1994 that was in the spotlight. In attendance was that team's manager, Felipe Alou; pitchers Pedro Martinez, John Wetteland, Mel Rojas and Denis Boucher; outfielders Rondell White and Marquis Grissom; and first baseman Cliff Floyd. (Pictured above is myself, my dad Larry, Charles André Marchand of CKAC Radio, rapper Annakin Slayd and former Expo John Wetteland at the Sports Breakfast)

There was so much enthusiasm in the room for the return of professional baseball that I mentioned several times how our city could indeed support a minor league pro squad. The Can-Am League is very successful and a team in Quebec has thrived there for years. I looked over at Routtenberg and said that he was the logical person to lead this initiative.

Well, the suggestion has snowballed. Routtenberg has already been in touch with the commissioner of the Can-Am League, Miles Wolfe (below) and plans to meet with him in person. It appears as if White and Floyd might be willing to invest in a franchise. Another former Expo, Warren Cromartie, emailed to remind everyone that he too has been working on such an initiative. Add former Expos broadcaster and one-time prospect Marc Griffin, who wants a Can-Am team on the South Shore.

The stumbling block is the absence of an appropriate stadium that can hold up to 5,000 fans. Forget about the Big Owe. That is not even a possibility. If Premier Jean Charest is willing to contribute $200 million of our dollars for a new hockey arena in Quebec City, then he sure should hand over a tiny fraction of that amount for a nice, outdoor baseball stadium. Ditto for Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay, who could use some good publicity at this time.

Where to put the stadium? The former Blue Bonnets/Hippodrome Raceway on Decarie would be ideal. However, after the U2 concerts this summer we should begin hearing stories about multi-million dollar housing development options.

The most simple option? Simply renovate the Centre Claude Robillard Stadium in Ahuntsic, which served as the home of the Montreal Impact soccer team for years. It would probably cost the least amount of money, already has the stands, facilities and parking.

Let's bring pro ball back to this city!

How the Cotler Camp Competed with Zajdel Campaign Launch

The federal riding of Mount Royal has been a Liberal stronghold for 70 years. Incumbent Irwin Cotler (below) has won five successive elections in 10 years, including his first effort in 1999 with an incredible 92 percent of the vote. The last time voters here witnessed a real close race was in 1984 when Sheila Finestone, who had won the right to succeed former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau as the Liberal candidate, edged out Tory challenger Sharon Wolfe by just over 4,000 votes (22,716 to 18,707).

Cotler's margin of victory has shrunk with each election, gaining 55.64 percent of the vote in 2008 versus low profile Tory Rafael Tzoubari. In light of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's strong suppport for Israel, the Tories feel they have a chance to seriously challenge Cotler. Their emissaries succeeded in luring former Montreal City Councillor Saulie Zajdel (above) out of retirement to carry the Tory banner

It has been an interesting campaign thus far, with a number of debates on the schedule. The Liberals are lucky to have someone with Cotler's reputation. He was well known as an international human rights expert before he sought public office and when the Liberals were in power he rose to become Minister of Justice. At the age of 71 he shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, I am quite amazed with the way in which he has blazed the campaign trail. He also has an exceptionally politically savvy chief of staff in Howard Liebman.

Take Wednesday night for example. Zajdel had his official campaign launch rally planned for 5 p.m. at the Gelber Conference Centre, the same locale where Cotler kick started his campaign a few days earlier. That very morning a notice to community leaders and media went out from Liebman, inviting them to a hastily called meeting with Cotler and former Prime Minister Paul Martin.

More than 200 people attended the Zajdel affair, including Tory MP Maxime Bernier, Senator Leo Housakos and a number of other candidates.

Mount Royal also has prominent Bialik High School teacher Jeff Itcush running for the NDP.

Cotler is clearly not taking Zajdel for granted. It all makes for an interesting race. Long gone are the days when folks would stay home, automatically assuming a Liberal cakewalk.

Martin Lapointe's NHL career and his Côte Saint-Luc connection

I enjoyed a very nostalgic evening last week. As the guest of Montreal Juniors owner Farrel Miller, I attended the annual Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner at the Hyatt Hotel. Martin Lapointe (pictured with me at the left), Vincent Damphousse and Robert Desjardins were three of the inductees with a local connection; the other was Harold McKay from the Maritimes.Lapointe, Damphousse and Desjardins played at a time when I followed the QMJHL on a very serious basis. The league had some true superstars at the time, from Pat LaFontaine and Mario Lemieux to Stephane Richer, Patrick Roy, Claude Lemieux and Sergio Momesso.

In the case of Lapointe, I literally saw him grow up. A native of Ville St. Pierre (now part of Lachine), Lapointe was one of the top players for the Westluc Saints hockey organization. Teams were composed of players from Cote Saint-Luc, Hampstead, Montreal West and Ville St. Pierre. Most of the games were played at the Samuel Moskovitch Arena in CSL. I first met Lapointe, now a youthful looking 38 years of age, when he was the PeeWee level. I covered the team for a local community newspaper called The Monitor, served as the game timekeeper and public address announcer and hosted the annual awards banquet.

I followed Lapointe through four PeeWee and Bantam seasons. He then graduated to the Lac St. Louis Midget AAA Lions. CSL’s Solly Levine, the team’s director of operations, had previously been involved with Westluc and played a role in his development. Lapointe starred for the Lions and was drafted by the QMJHL’s Laval Titans where over the course of four seasons he scored 149 goals and added 189 assists for 338 points in 195 games. He was selected in the first round, 10th overall. In 1991 NHL entry draft by the Detroit Red Wings for whom he helped win two Stanley Cups. Ville St. Pierre celebrated his rise to stardom by naming the local arena after him. He played in the NHL for 16 seasons, scoring 181 goals and adding 200 assists for 381 points in an incredible 991 games.

Lapointe left Detroit when he became an unrestricted free agent. The Canadiens were interested in his services, but the Boston Bruins came up with an offer he just could not refuses: a five year, $25 million contract. Lapointe found himself with the Chicago Black Hawks and the Ottawa Senators at the end of his career. After the 2007-2008 season Lapointe still wanted to continue his career. But no offers were forthcoming. He told me then it was probably related to the salary cap.

Married to the beautiful Tanya, whom he met while playing junior, the happy couple have four children. Martin is devilishly handsome, built like a truck and extremely personable. After taking some time off early on in his retirement, he got an offer to become a full-time scout for the Black Hawks. He accepted the challenge and moved his family to Chicago, one amazing city I might add. “It really keeps me on the road a lot,” he told me. “I think I will scale back next year.”

I asked what he likes to do best when returning to Montreal, he of course focused on visiting with his parents and sisters. But he loves dining on a steamy hotdog and fries at the legendary Lafleur’s Restaurant. He has great memories of his years with the Westluc Saints, the annual banquets at Bill Wong’s Restaurant on Decarie and the people he met along the way.

It was his mom, Lapointe reveals, who taught him how to skate. “I was five years old,” he said. “My mom went in the backyard and watered it down to make ice.”

Damphousse (right), who looks like he can still step on the ice and play, grew up in Anjou. He played three years for Laval and was selected in the first round, sixth overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He spent 18 NHL seasons with Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal and San Jose and tallied 432 goals and 773 assists in 1,378 games. He now operates four spas across Canada and does charity work.

Desjardins, from Verdun, was a standout goalie in the QMJHL and played with four teams: Shawinigan, Hull, Longueuil and Victoriaville. He then went on to play for the Concordia Stingers for four seasons, turning pro with the Wichita (Kansas) Thunder of the Central Hockey League. It was a short three year career, but in an emotional address he told the audience that he met his wife there and still calls Kansas home. He was even a bit worried he might have lost some of his French.

Also at the awards banquet, Montreal Juniors star Louis Leblanc was named the league's personality of the year. The West Island native and a 2009 first round draft choice of the Montreal Canadiens, Leblanc added some sizzle to the league this year. When I met him last summer, before the season I began, I asked if he would visit some public schools. Well, he was good on his word and made a few appearances. Look for him to start next year off with the Canadiens farm team in Hamilton. He will make his way to the big club in no time.

Montreal Gazette staffers to vote on new contract

It has been nearly three years since the Montreal Newspaper Guild, the union representing Gazette newspaper employees, have been without a contract. Union members in the editorial and reader sales and services departments voted overwhelmingly against a management offer in January 2009. At the time the paper was owned by CanWest Global.

There was a strike mandate in the books, but Gazette staffers were wise not to go that route. All they had to do was look at what happened with Le Journal de Montréal. Journalists voted to strike and Quebecor Media CEO Pierre-Karl Péladeau called their bluff and locked them all out. He proceeded to operate the paper by having editors do the writing along with writers from the QMI Agency he created just a few months before the lockout. When the dust finally settled two years later, 61 people got to keep their jobs, out of 253 who had been locked out. The rest got severance packages.

I do not know what deal is on the table, but The Gazette's new owners, Postmedia, headed by Paul Godfrey (pictured), will make them an offer this Sunday, which will be voted upon. I bet it is accepted. For the editorial team at The Gazette has no taste to collect strike pay.

Despite media storm, Larry Smith remains a top-notch star candidate

I have known Larry Smith for a number of years and could not help being impressed with his charisma and great oratory skills. As commissioner of the Canadian Football League, president of the Montreal Alouettes and publisher of the Montreal Gazette, he always seemed to have the right words to say. It was therefore no surprise to see him handpicked by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to become one of his star candidates in this election, entering the political field a few months ago as an appointed Senator.

At first glance, Smith looked like a viable threat to incumbent Lac St. Louis Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia in this election. However, he has been under fire for some comments he made on the campaign trail. First he said French does not need protection in Quebec. More recently, he commented that it is "normal" that more of Ottawa's money should go to Conservative ridings, as opposed to those held by opposition MPs.

I believe the media have been unfairly critical of him. Was he really wrong with either of his comments? I suppose it depends upon whom you speak with. Should he have actually said these things on the record? Perhaps not. In any case, none of this should scare away voters in Lac St. Louis. If he is elected, he will be far more high profile than Scarpaleggia and as a certain high profile cabinet minister the riding will indeed be the beneficiary.

Blogging for The Suburban

While I have been blogging for a number of years now via my own personal site, I am ecstatic that The Suburban has introduced this as a special feature on our revamped website. This will give me an opportunity to reach readers directly 24/7. We all know that the internet plays a huge role in the future of journalism. In the case of The Suburban, I know that most people still prefer to read their hard copy each Wednesday. However, the introduction of The Suburban website a few years ago opened the door to an entirely new group of readers from outside of our traditional circulation area on and near the island of Montreal, across Canada and truly around the world. They read us on the web and on their ipads or iphones. Now we are able to expand this format.

I hope to use my Suburban blog to expand upon items in my two Wednesday columns while delivering breaking news whenever that might occur. Thanks to this new feature, you do not have to wait for Wednesdays anymore to get the latest scoop.

I welcome your feedback at mcohen@thesuburban.com.

In this week's column, for instance, I tell you about a documentary produced by Montrealer Ari Cohen (no relation). Here is an expanded look.

The Uluit: Champions of the North provides a rare view into the victory as well as the struggle faced by a culture and community steeped in tradition yet living among the demands and changes of a modern world. Each episode weaves together intimate portraits of these diverse Inuit women embraced by the beauty of the land that surrounds them.

It was originally aired in March, but its now being rebroadcast on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network beginning April 12 and playing numerous times over five weeks.

Arnait Video Productions has produced feature documentaries such as Anaana (Mother),Unakuluk (Dear Little One), and the short fiction film Ningiura (Grandmother). Before Tomorrow, the company’s first feature-length fiction film, won Best Canadian First Feature at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2008 and was selected for the International Competition at the Sundance Film Festival.


Cohen is the founder of Rotating Planet. He has created films about artists, social issues, identity politics and unique individuals from around the world including the Gemini-nominated documentary Too Colourful for the League, Being Osama, TV series Women Warriors, The Instrument Bank, Falafelism and now The Uluit, a project that celebrates Inuit women.

For additional airdates, please visit: www.theuluit.com.

A