Oliphant Inquiry Bordering on the Absurd

More proof yesterday, that the Oliphant Inquiry is going nowhere, slowly.

The testimony by Fred Doucet, a key Mulroney fart-catcher was comical if not sad.

Doing his best impression of Sgt. Shultz, Mr Doucet couldn't remember a thing and even failed to recall the name of his secretary, leaving the commission's lead lawyer seething.

So far the commission has uncovered nothing new and should probably fast forward to Mulroney's testimony, if only for the entertainment value. The public has long ago made up it's mind on Mulroney's honesty and whether he took the under the table payments in regard to Airbus, planes, tanks, pasta or the proverbial player to be named later, is strictly academic.

Mr. Doucet's testimony, or lack thereof, serves only to cement the public opinion that Mulroney, Schreiber et al are one nasty gang of crooks.

"Two Years Less a Day" - Vol. 1

'Two years less a day' is perhaps the most prescribed prison sentence in the country.
A sentence of two years or more means that the criminal must serve the time in a federal prison.
Sentences smaller than two years less a day are administered by the provinces and are subject to much more flexible and lenient dispositions.
Judges adjudicate with this 2 year threshold clearly in mind and it sometimes leads to some pretty disturbing sentences.
Generally speaking, those who are sentenced to 2y-1D should consider themselves somewhat lucky, they usually deserve a lot more time.

Vicious assaults Nets Man Zero Jail Time
Peter Niedzielski says he has no idea what possessed him to attack three women in the Snowdon métro station in Montreal. One of the victims spent two weeks in coma and suffered permanent brain damage and facial disfigurement. Speaking in his own defence, the 31-year-old defendant told the court- "that people should let bygones be bygones"- because as he claimed, he's turned his life around since his drug-fueled rampage.
In pleading for no jail time, his lawyer,Vincent Montminy told Quebec Court that "Going to jail can't erase the pain of the victim."Montreal Gazette
Although the prosecution asked for a five year sentence, the judge gave him the proverbial '2 years less a day' and then ordered him to serve his sentence outside of prison. Link(in French)

4 Million dollar Fraud Nets Thief Zero Jail Time
I guess stealing from a bank is not regarded as much of a crime in Quebec.
Josie Cioffi, a manger at a downtown Royal Bank branch in Montreal engineered a clever fraud whereby she lent money to phony companies that she had set up herself. She managed to defraud the bank out of 4 million dollars before being found out. She was found guilty in Quebec court and the crown prosecutor recommended a five year prison term.
The Judge saw it differently and gave her a sentence of 2 years, less a day.
But the kicker is that the Judge Jean-Pierre Boyer, allowed her to serve her sentence under house arrest. She is however, allowed to leave her home for work or to go to medical appointments.
Oh yes, she also got 180 hours of community service. Link (in French)

Memories of Ben's Deli - R.I.P

Ben's deli, a Montreal landmark, finally succumbed to the wrecking ball, to make way for an office tower. The Montreal institution on Metcalfe and Maisonneuve was opened by Ben Kravitz, over a 100 years ago, when he immigrated to Montreal from Latvia. It was a Montreal landmark up until the seventies, when it started to falter.

The classically styled deli was a late night hangout for musicians, singers, actors, comedians and various other bohemians in the great era of Montreal nightclubs, back in the forties and fifties. The walls are adorned with signed pictures of those visiting artists.

There were some who wanted to preserve the building, but it was not to be. It is sad that nobody saved the corner entrance (pictured on the left) with the famous BENS sign over the door. That would have been swell and a very doable project.

I ate there as a child, but like so many others, drifted away from the restaurant as it failed to modernize.
The last time I was there, was about twenty ago when I brought my young son along, to introduce him to a bit of Montreal history.

The decor was still there, kitschy and familiar. We sat at an ancient formica and chrome table and took in the wonderful atmosphere.

It was too bad that the food sucked badly.

Our smoked meat 'special', served on traditional Melmac plates, consisted of a smoked meat sandwich that was tough and rubbery, accompanied by coleslaw, fries and a pickle, that tasted as if prepared an assembly line. Like so many childhood memories that turn out differently than we remember, it was sadly disappointing.

As we left the restaurant, I said goodbye to an elderly and frail, Irving Kravitz, who had adopted the habit of sitting by the front door, biding adieu to clients, as they left. I knew I'd never be back.
The family blames a strike by employees for the demise of the restaurant, but the truth is, the restaurant had been going downhill for years and had long ago been eclipsed by a newer Montreal institution, the Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen (or 'Schwartz's', as it is more familiarly known), on St. Lawrence Boulevard, which had taken on the role that it still maintains, Montreal's premier smoked meat joint.
Just the same, it's a bit sad to see the end of Bens deli.

Here is a fond photo retrospective of Bens.




Picture credit to Julep69. See more here

Spring Arrives in Quebec

Hard to believe that it's was 27 degrees on Saturday in Montreal.

Here's proof that Spring has finally arrived in southern Quebec...


The Old Port comes alive... the terraces are full!



Shorts prevail on Ste. Catherine Street.



The convertibles....



and the caleches emerge......




The Habs are eliminated.... again



But the surest sign that Spring has arrived......



Wait for it....



Keep going..........

motorcycle cops are back....ouch!

Montreal Airport Green Project Insult to the Enviornment

Headline:
Airports in Montreal and Vancouver will take part in a $14-million pilot project involving hydrogen-powered vehicles that will be used to ferry passengers and move luggage and equipment.LINK

I don't think that officials see the irony in the choice of the airport for a environmental test project.

Running a 'green' project at the airport is akin to a slaughterhouse converting it's cafeteria to a vegetarian menu.

When it comes to the environment, airplanes are that grandaddy of polluters. Per passenger mile, air travel is 3 times more polluting than cars and 7 times more polluting than buses.
The airport project that will convert vehicles over to hydrogen, will save less greenhouse gas in a year than is emitted by just one round trip trans-Atlantic flight by a 747.

Wouldn't it be infinitely easier to just cancel just 1 of the over 100,000 annual flights that go in an out of the airport and save the 14 million dollar cost?

This project is another example of our obsession with nonsensical and empty-gesture environmental projects that have zero lasting impact.