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Jody Wilson-Raybould maintains silence on SNC-Lavalin allegations

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OTTAWA—Jody Wilson-Raybould is sticking by her refusal to speak about allegations that she was pressured by prime minister’s top aides to seek mediation instead of pursuing criminal charges against Quebec construction giant SNC-Lavalin.

As opposition Conservatives and New Democrats called for emergency parliamentary committee hearings into the allegations, Wilson-Raybould issued a statement Friday which offered no comment on — nor denial of — the allegations, for the second day in a row.

Jody Wilson-Raybould, shown in 2018, is sticking by her refusal to comment on allegations that she was pressured by prime minister’s top aides to seek mediation instead of pursuing criminal charges against Quebec construction giant SNC-Lavalin when she served as justice minister.
Jody Wilson-Raybould, shown in 2018, is sticking by her refusal to comment on allegations that she was pressured by prime minister’s top aides to seek mediation instead of pursuing criminal charges against Quebec construction giant SNC-Lavalin when she served as justice minister.  (Justin Tang / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILE PHOTO)

“As the former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, I am bound by solicitor-client privilege in this matter,” she said in the statement released by her office.

Wilson-Raybould’s decision to remain silent came after Conservatives and New Democrats announced they will try to summon Justin Trudeau’s top officials and cabinet ministers — including the former justice minister, who for now remains in cabinet — before an emergency meeting of a parliamentary committee.

They say they want to get answers into allegations the PMO tried to politically interfere in a case in order to lift the threat of a criminal conviction facing the Quebec engineering and construction giant, one that could hobble its ability to bid on future contracts.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer announced the move Friday morning, saying the allegation “calls into serious question the ethics and conduct of those at the highest levels.”

“Today we’re taking the next step in pressing for answers,” he said.

The opposition parties want to call nine people as witnesses, including Katie Telford, Trudeau’s chief of staff; Gerald Butts, his principal secretary; Justice Minister David Lametti; Clerk of the Privy Council Michael Wernick; and Wilson-Raybould.

The next moves now lie with the prime minister. The government can block the opposition request for a parliamentary study because it holds a majority. It can also free Wilson-Raybould to speak.

Although Wilson-Raybould has turned aside all interview requests and claims to be bound by confidentiality around her role as past minister, several legal experts say the privilege belongs to the client, in this case the government, and it is within the government’s power or choice to waive it, in order to allow the air to be cleared on damning allegations.

Writing on Twitter, lawyer Paul Champ said the government can waive the privilege, “and if this was a court of law, I would say that they already did waive by Trudeau commenting on it.”

On Thursday, the Globe and Mail reported that senior PMO officials pressed the former justice minister to seek mediation instead of pursuing criminal charges against SNC-Lavalin.

Trudeau adamantly denied the story that Wilson-Raybould was shuffled out of the justice portfolio after she refused pressure from his office to recommend the public prosecutor pursue a remediation agreement, instead of criminal charges, against SNC-Lavalin.

Trudeau said the allegations anyone in his office “directed” her to take a particular decision on SNC-Lavalin’s criminal case were “false.” However, the newspaper report, citing unnamed sources, did not claim she was directed or instructed, but that she faced pressure from unidentified senior aides in Trudeau’s office.

The attorney-general can direct the independent prosecutor’s office in such cases, under a new law that allows so-called “deferred prosecution agreements,” but must supply reasons in writing which must be published in the Canada Gazette, the government’s official record of decisions.

However an overriding principle in Canada’s justice system is that nobody — not the prime minister, his delegates, nor anyone else — should influence, pressure or direct the justice minister to do anything when it comes to prosecutorial decisions.

Opposition MPs continued Friday to attack the prime minister’s response as tightly scripted legalese. Scheer said that Trudeau fell short of “full transparency,” prompting the call for a committee investigation.

“If the prime minister has nothing to hide, as he has suggested, then should have no reason to fear these individuals appearing before the justice committee,” Scheer said.

But it’s not clear the committee will get off the ground. That’s because Liberals hold the majority of seats and can bar the opposition motions for next week’s hearings.

If the Liberals block the move, then “Canadians could only conclude that reports of political interference are true,” Scheer said.

“We are convinced that there is more to see here,” Scheer said, adding that the party is looking at other legal options if oppositions efforts to gets answers in Parliament are frustrated.

Bruce Campion-Smith is an Ottawa-based reporter covering national politics. Follow him on Twitter: @yowflier

Tonda MacCharles is an Ottawa-based reporter covering federal politics. Follow her on Twitter: @tondamacc

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Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline. 

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors. 

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity. 

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement. 

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level. 

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet. 

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.

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