WTF: the rest of the week in news

Wondering WTF happened this week? We’ve got your Wednesday-through-Friday roundup here.

photo via flickr

Journal de Montréal blogger Jean Barbe got sacked for railing against the PQ government and its budget — one Barbe describes as “business as usual” — in his Wednesday column, which has since been yanked off the newspaper’s website. From the original post: “Bravo le PQ. Vous avez réussi votre coup, encore une fois. Grands parleurs, petits faiseurs… Ça fait plus de vingt ans que vous me décevez.” So, in short, “GFY, PQ.” Luckily, it got screen-capped before it went missing. Read it in all its glory right here. (TL)

Despite Jean Barbe’s disappointment with the PQ budget, party leader Pauline Marois was “welcomed as one of the gang” this morning by the Council of the Federation, or so says the Gazette. Because the meeting was closed to media, we can only assume the premiers all held hands and played pipeline hopscotch, then took a nap in the provincial leaders’ treehouse. (TL)

Why look at the forced resignation of mayors as a bad thing? Quebec is simply trend-setting again! Now that Montreal’s Gérald Tremblay and Laval’s Gilles Vaillancourt are gone, we can turn our attention to Toronto mayor Rob Ford, who is both being sued for libel and tried over conflict of interest. Monday morning at 10 a.m. will be his time of reckoning in the conflict of interest case, which means that the much-hated mayor may end up on the chopping block in less than 72 hours’ time. Then there’s London, ON mayor Joe Fontana, who has been charged with fraud, breach of trust and uttering forged documents. They’re all innocent, of course. We’re sure it’s just a big mistake. (PW)

Back on home turf, Sûreté du Québec police will be erecting 1,500 roadblocks next month as part of its holiday time breathalyzer fest, otherwise known as Vérification Accrue Capacité de Conduite – Intervention Nationale, or VACCIN. So, if you’re stopped, remember that when the cop asks about your driving capacity, “about a litre” is the wrong answer. (PW)

Federally speaking, it’s not so surprising to learn that a bunch of people listed as contributing to the federal Conservative party in the last election deny they gave a cent.  What is shocking, however, is that several said they actually gave hundreds more than official party records indicate. What, are they keeping three sets of books now? (PW)

And finally, it’s Black Friday in Canada’s pants! Our friends to the south have been lining up since last night (that is, American Thanksgiving) to get the best deals at Walmart et al. In the words of our esteemed co-city editor Lucas Wisenthal, who is currently stationed in New York and who went to Walmart last night, “It was fucked.” Let us have a moment of silence for the death of humanity. (TL) 

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