Funded by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, CKUT’s Local Journalism Initiative will publish local news stories from reporter Jules Bugiel. You can also listen to our Local Journalism Initiative roundup every Tuesday at 5:00 pm on Off The Hour.
Friday September 29, 2023
COMMUNITY GROUPS SHOW HOMELESSNESS ‘BEYOND THE NUMBERS’
Earlier this month, the province announced that a head count conducted last fall found 10,000 people who were “visibly” homeless. But the RAPSIM, a coalition of Montreal-based groups fighting homelessness, say a head count every few years isn’t a reliable indicator of what’s happening on the ground. That’s why on Wednesday, they launched a review on homelessness in the city that shows the diversity across the island and across demographic lines.
Thursday September 28, 2023
TRANS ACTIVIST CONDEMNS LEGAULT’S ‘NEUTRAL’ STANCE ON ANTI-SOGI PROTESTS
Protests against gender and sexuality inclusivity in schools took place in cities across Canada on Sept. 20. Counter-protest organizer Celeste Trianon joins us live in studio to get at the root causes of anti-trans fears and discuss the response in Quebec media and politics.
Wednesday September 27, 2023
UNMASKING A MONTREAL NEO-NAZI, NOW SENTENCED TO 15 MONTHS’ JAIL TIME
A Montreal neo-Nazi was sentenced to 15 months in jail and three years of probation for inciting hatred against Jewish people last Friday. Jon Milton, one of the journalists behind the exposé that unmasked Gabriel Sohier-Chaput, talks to CKUT about his sentencing and the rise of far-right extremism in Canada.
Tuesday September 26, 2023
COLLECTIVE RAGE GUIDES QUEBECERS STRIKING FOR CLIMATE ACTION
Across the province, tens of thousands of students have put down their pens and closed their laptops for a week of climate strikes. “The week of climate rage” invites Quebecers to envision alternatives to a system of fossil capitalism through teach-ins, marches, and more.
Friday September 22, 2023
MORE THAN JUST LEASE TRANSFERS UP FOR DEBATE AT BILL 31 CONSULTATIONS
It’s a wrap on the legislative consultations on Bill 31, which finished with the submission of the committee report to the National Assembly this Thursday.
Thursday September 21, 2023
ANTI-‘SOGI’ PROTESTORS FACE OFF WITH HUNDREDS OF SUPPORTERS OF QUEER COMMUNITY
Hundreds of protestors and counter-protestors gathered outside McGill’s Roddick Gates over inclusive education Wednesday morning. Wednesday’s protest was one of many taking place across the country under the banner of the “1 Million March 4 Children,” a campaign seeking to remove discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) from school curricula.
Wednesday September 20, 2023
COMMUNITY GROUP HOSTING TOWN HALL ON QUEBEC’S ENERGY FUTURE
This Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., ACEF du Nord is hosting a public assembly on Quebec’s energy transition and energy affordability in the province. ACEF du Nord’s Isabelle Mailloux-Béïque says the province must do more to keep energy affordable for citizens throughout the transition from fossil fuels.
Tuesday September 19, 2023
CALLS TO ‘SEARCH THE LANDFILLS’ ECHOED AT DOWNTOWN VIGIL
Around 100 people gathered in downtown Place du Canada Monday night to demand the search of Winnipeg’s Prairie Green landfill for the bodies of two Indigenous women, Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran.
Thursday September 14, 2023
HOUSING CRISIS SEES STUDENTS IN DIRE STRAITS
CKUT speaks to HOJO manager Leanne Ashworth and other Montrealers to learn how the housing crisis is affecting students at the start of the fall term.
Wednesday September 13, 2023
POLITICIANS, UNIONS CALL ON PROVINCE TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON PAID INTERNSHIPS
Opposition parties and student unions renewed calls for paid internships in Quebec at a press conference on Wednesday. They reminded the CAQ government of their commitment to pay public sector interns, but said they support paid internships in the private sector as well.
Tuesday September 12, 2023
MOHAWK MOTHERS REQUEST EMERGENCY INJUNCTION ON WORK AT ROYAL VIC SITE
The Kanien’kehá:ka Kahnistensera (Mohawk Mothers) have filed an emergency motion to halt drilling and excavation at the Royal Victoria Hospital site. CKUT was on hand at Tuesday’s press conference to hear comments from Kwetiio and to interview Kahentinetha of the Mohawk Mothers.
Monday September 11, 2023
VERDUN RALLIES AGAINST RENOVICTIONS AT COMMUNITY BARBECUE
Housing advocates and community members shared their stories about how the housing crisis is hitting Verdun at an anti-renoviction barbecue hosted by the CACV, or Comité d’action des citoyen.ne.s de Verdun, last Friday night.
Thursday September 7, 2023
BOROUGH MAYOR ANNOUNCES PUBLIC MEETING ON BALDWIN POOL
A public meeting on the proposed move of the Baldwin Park pool will take place September 25 at 7:00 pm at the Maison de la culture du Plateau-Mont-Royal. Plateau-Mont-Royal mayor Luc Rabouin announced the information session in Tuesday’s borough council meeting, which was dominated by questions about the pool until Rabouin closed discussion on the topic.
Wednesday September 6, 2023
FEELING ‘IMPRISONED’ BY TRAVEL LIMITS, MONTREALERS ON SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SPEAK OUT
Welfare recipients and their supporters gathered on August 31 in protest of a 2015 law that prevents Quebecers on social assistance from leaving the province for more than a week at a time, with a cap of 15 days per month. Campaign members say the Quebec rules are among the strictest in Canada – and they’re taking a toll on welfare recipients in the province.
Thursday August 31, 2023
QUEBEC TEACHER SHORTAGE A LONG TIME COMING, SAYS UNION HEAD
The start of the school year is often a time of new beginnings. But this year, it’s also crunch time for school boards and service centres trying desperately to fill almost 2,000 teaching positions. Sebastien Joly, executive director of the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers, tells CKUT the shortage is a result of prolonged underinvestment in the sector, made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic and the addition of new pre-kindergarten classes.
Tuesday August 29, 2023
MONTREALERS TAKE TO THE STREETS TO SAVE LEASE TRANSFERS
Hundreds of Montrealers took to the streets last Friday in protest of the proposed Bill 31. If passed, the bill would allow landlords the right to refuse a tenant’s lease transfer without cause. CKUT was on hand to speak to protestors about what the legislation would mean for renters in the province.
Monday August 28, 2023
POINTE-SAINT-CHARLES: A CASE STUDY IN SOCIAL HOUSING AND NOW GENTRIFICATION
Pointe-Saint-Charles has the most social housing per capita in Canada, but it’s not immune to the housing crisis hitting Montreal. CKUT attended a community walk led by the Regroupement Information Logement to learn about the Point’s history of organizing around housing and the gentrification happening in the borough.
Wednesday August 23, 2023
BACK TO SCHOOL WITH A FRESH CUT IN COTE-DES-NEIGES
This Friday is the second edition of 4 the Hood. The back-to-school event offers free haircuts and braiding, as well as school supplies, to young people at Côte-des-Neiges’ Chalet Kent. CKUT speaks to organizer and barbershop owner Geoffrey “Gonz” Gonzales.
Tuesday August 22, 2023
INDIGENOUS FRIDAYS CLOSES SUMMER WITH A CONCERT
Last week CKUT was on hand for the final edition of Indigenous Fridays at Cabot Square. For the past two months, the Native Women’s Shelter has organized a series of workshops on Indigenous art on Friday afternoons, as part of the Cabot Square project. We spoke to coordinator Morgan Geyer and Cabot Square mediator Irkar Beljaars at the closing concert about what events like this mean to the community in the square.
Monday August 21, 2023
MONTREAL TENANTS’ UNION CALLS FOR STRIKE AGAINST BILL 31
Montrealers gathered at Parc Lafontaine with members of the Montreal Autonomous Tenants’ Union last Saturday. The union works to help organize Montreal tenants against illegal rent hikes, renovictions, and mistreatment from landlords. Now they’re trying to get 5,000 Montrealers to join a rent strike in protest of rising rents and the proposed Bill 31. CKUT speaks to Sarah Toews and Kleri Sanchez about the campaign.
Tuesday August 17, 2023
JOURNALIST BREAKS DOWN MONTREAL’s SHORT-TERM RENTAL SCHEME
To understand the impact short-term rentals are having on the housing crisis, we hear from Zachary Kamel, a freelance journalist who’s been reporting on Montreal’s Airbnb network for Ricochet. Kamel tells CKUT about his latest investigation on a practice they’re calling “the Montreal Shuffle” – a move where landlords evict tenants, jack up rents, and contract out their units to short-term rental operators.
Tuesday August 8, 2023
SUPPORTERS OF COUPLE FACING DEPORTATION RALLY OUTSIDE MARC MILLER’S OFFICE
On Monday, community members gathered outside the office of the Honourable Marc Miller, Canada’s new Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, asking him to stay the deportation of Rajvinder Kaur and Randhir Singh. Singh’s torture at the hands of the Indian secret police led them to seek asylum in 2015, but the claim was rejected by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. We speak to lawyer Stewart Istvanffy and other attendees of Monday’s rally to learn more.
Friday July 28, 2023
RENT SUBSIDIES GOING UNUSED AMID QUEBEC’S HOUSING CRISIS
New reporting from Isabelle Ducas of La Presse finds that 20% of provincially funded rent subsidies are going unused. The PSL, or Programme de supplément au loyer, allows eligible renters in Quebec to access housing without paying more than 25% of their income on rent. But organizations that work with at-risk communities say it’s harder than ever to find landlords who will take their clients. Georges Ohana, Director of Homeless Prevention & Research for the Old Brewery Mission, and Laetitia Grenier, the Housing Sector Coordinator at Dans La Rue, tell us more.
Wednesday July 26, 2023
PARC EX RALLY CONDEMNS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN MANIPUR, INDIA
On Monday, members of the South Asian community in Montreal gathered outside of Parc metro to protest an incident of sexual violence in Manipur, India. Members of the South Asian Diaspora Action Collective (SADAC), and the Centre sur l’Asie du sud (CERAS) condemned a viral video of the incident that had surfaced the week before. Protestors also condemned the BJP government’s handling of the situation in Manipur, which was sparked by a disagreement over rights to land and jobs between the Hindu Meitei and the Christian Kuki communities.
Friday July 21, 2023
QUEBEC CASINO WORKERS’ STRIKE HITS ONE-MONTH MARK
1700 workers from four Quebec casinos and online gaming have been on strike going on a month. They say that Loto-Québec’s proposal to cut starting wages and keep salary increases below the rate of inflation will make life less affordable for workers. CKUT speaks to union representative Riccardo Scopelleti and casino workers Ricardo Nucci, Constantinos Alexiou, and Erika Nucci about what’s been happening and what’s at stake.
