Weekly Anglo Quebec News July 18-25

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Every Saturday read a short, subjective weekly review of Quebec news with a Anglophone perspective.

The Family of Earl Jones published a public apology of sorts and asked to be left alone. Mr. Jones had just pulled off the third largest investment fraud in Quebec history, wherein he defrauded his customers (mostly friends and relatives) of between $50 and $100 million dollars.

The statement, read it here, crafted by a professional damage control consultant, did little to assuage the pain of the victims. The consultant admitted that he was hired by the lawyers retained by the family, which enraged the victims even more. When asked the name of the law firm representing the Jones family, he declined to respond, nor would he say where the family or Earl were hiding.
Judging by the comments at the bottom of the article the people aren't buying the claim that the wife didn't know what was going on and there isn't much sympathy for them at all.
Later in the week a lawyer hired by the fraudster himself, claimed that Earl wasn't on the lam, just cooling his heels in an undisclosed location in Quebec, depressed and afraid for his life. Boohoo!

Montreal Hospital apologizes for unattended stillborn birth The Royal Victoria Hospital apologized for leaving a couple alone in a room to deliver her stillborn baby. The husband was obliged to clean up the mess and the considerable amount of blood produced. Nobody came to check up on them during the entire ordeal. Long live medicare!
The hospital was unconcerned until the couple went to the media. After the story was published another women came forward and said that the same happened to her, twenty-one years ago. When she complained to the hospital, she was told that two nurses were reprimanded ... and that "this would never happen again" She recalled telling the ombudsman at the time that if it came to light that someone else had to go through such a "horrific experience, I will come forward."
Later in the week, another woman confirmed a similar experience.

Hydro-Quebec, Quebec 's electricity monopoly, under billed about 120,000 clients, who are bracing themselves for a significant increase in monthly bills. The utility who made the mistake, will not consider letting customers off the hook. Some will have to pay back up to $500. Ouch!

Best run Cities in Canada, According to Macleans magazine Montreal ranks 21th out of the 30 cities surveyed. Yikes!
Quebec City came in 9th. What's Quebec's best run city?- Longueuil , (across the river from Montreal) which was rated as the fifth best run city in all of Canada! Congrats!

Funerals of Note-Famous Quebec boxing champion, Aturo Gatto's funeral in the Little Italy district was attended by over a thousand people. Gatto was murdered last week in Brazil. His wife remains a suspect and behind bars. Read about their turbulent relationship.

Léa Guilbeault's funeral was held at Ste. Therese de l'enfant Jesus church in Montreal, on Tuesday. Guilbeault was crushed to death in a horrificaly bizarre accident when a piece of concrete fell from a building on Peel Street, while she and her husband where eating sushi in a restaraunt atrium below. Creepily, she chose the table and the seat where she died.

Bizzare of the Week. Montreal police say a man who had been drinking, decided to sleep it off, choosing a random driveway, apparently failing to notice the car parked there. Next morning, the car's owner got in, started up the car and ran over the man's abdomen. He suffered serious, but not life-threatening injuries. The driver suffered from shock.

CRIME & PUNISHEMENT

(Weekly review of interesting crime stories and court room antics)

Police solve Rideau canal drowning mystery. Four Afghani women were drowned in a bizarre incident in Kingston, when their bodies were found in a car at the bottom of the Rideau canal.
It was a murder! More specifically a Muslim honour killing. The mother, father and brother of the girls were arrested and charged with first degree murder. The 50 year old 'aunt' who was also drowned was revealed to be the husband's first wife! The story is on of the most sensational of the year and has generated front page news across the country.

Mother wins Bail in alleged GHB poisoning. A somewhat bizarre story out of Gatineau tells the story of a mother who is accused of posioning her baby with GHB (the date rape drug). Did she or didn't she? Is there even proof that the baby was poisioned?
This incredibly well-written article describes the situation. Read it, it's interesting.

A Wrongfully convicted man loses $2.5 million lawsuit against the government claiming wrongdoing by prosecutors and for the fact that he was abused while serving 3 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. The judge disagreed on all counts and awarded him bupkis.

A Prisoner escaped detention from the Centre de détention de Québec. It wasn't exactly the 'great escape' as he was outside the prison walls cutting grass as part of a work gang. The prison's policy of having prisoners outside the walls of the prison unsupervised and without any type of surveillance is being called into question. Doh!! LINK (fr)

Fraudster gets parole. Vincent Lacroix, Quebec's very own version of Bernie Madoff was released to a halfway house, having served just a year and a half of his eight and a half year sentence. He was met by protesters and his portrait was posted around the neighborhood. His father told newspapers that he fears for his son's safety. Given the 9,000 victims and the level of hate, he have a point!