Monday news roundup: The new guy

#AngloJewMayor is sworn in while Bell tries, again, to buy Astral, another construction magnate is intimidated and American big-box stores fight to keep their logos English in la belle province.


Photo via Flickr

So this morning, Michael Applebaum, he of the #AngloJewMayor hashtag, was sworn in. This could have happened on Friday, post-narrow margin election, but he postponed his big moment until today so his family could be on hand. Oh, such sadness Mrs. Applebaum would feel if her OWN SON didn’t invite her to his special ceremony. Or so say the Jews of Cult MTL.

Well, now Applebaum is promising big things over the next year. Will he deliver? We will see.

But even in Montreal, life ain’t all new mayors with ambitious agendas and overbearing moms. Over in media-land, Bell is once again trying to buy Astral Media and, accordingly, has submitted a new proposal, with the modest sum of $3.38 billion found somewhere in it, to the venerable Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the body that adjudicates on these matters.

You may remember that, way back in October, the ol’ CRTC put the kibosh on another iteration of said deal, lifting the spirits of our bros over at TSN 690, whose station, under the old version, would have gone French. The latest proposal includes a request for an exception that would allow the station to continue operating in English.

And as our favourite commission, the Charbonneau Commission, continues, Michel Leclerc, another construction magnate is (wait for it) saying he was he was intimidated for fighting the good fight — you know, the one against the collusion that allegedly colours the industry in this province.

In news from another industry, Walmart, the Gap and a few other American retailers are fighting to keep their signage in English. Because were it in French, the UTTER CONFUSION AND FEAR anglo shoppers would feel at the site of their now-unrecognizable logos would force these beloved big-boxers from the province.

Now talk amongst yourselves.

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