Anglais

Did judge cross line through involvement with Federation of Black Canadians?

Published

5 années ago

décembre 1, 2018

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Did a Brampton judge cross the line through his involvement with an advocacy group for Black Canadians while still presiding over cases?

And is that line for judges even clear?

The questions are at the heart of a discipline hearing that began Friday in the case of Ontario Court Justice Donald McLeod, a founder of the Federation of Black Canadians and former chair of its steering committee.

“This case is about whether a sitting judge can engage with politicians on behalf of a non-partisan organization, such as the Federation of Black Canadians, in pursuit of political objectives, putting aside how laudable those objectives may be,” said presenting counsel Linda Rothstein, the outside lawyer tasked with presenting the case against McLeod to the four-person discipline panel.

“This case is about where one draws the line between political participation and education as opposed to advocacy, and, indeed, lobbying.”

The Ontario Judicial Council, the independent body that investigates and disciplines provincially appointed judges, has alleged that McLeod’s role with the federation could negatively affect the public’s perception of his independence and impartiality as a judge.

McLeod had agreed, in 2016, to be the chair of the federation’s interim steering committee, until the organization was fully up and running. In this capacity, he chaired meetings in 2017 between the federation, politicians, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and other community members and experts, according to an agreed statement of facts filed at the hearing Friday.

Some of the topics discussed included mental health resources, educational challenges facing Black Canadians and the over-representation of Black people in the justice system.

McLeod, who testified at his discipline hearing, was adamant that they were trying to “educate” at those meetings, and not try to actively change government policy. In other words, he said he was not lobbying, although he agreed that it could be perceived that way.

“This was an education process. We were not there to say, ‘If you don’t do this, we’re not going to vote for you,’ ” McLeod said on the stand in front of a packed hearing room.

“When this complaint (to the judicial council) came, it was the first time that I realized people actually thought I was trying to be partisan,” McLeod said.

“I’m just trying to make sure that this community doesn’t keep dying.”

The complaint to the council was from Associate Chief Justice Faith Finnestad, who had been expressing concerns for several months to McLeod that she believed it was inappropriate that he was meeting with political figures, according to the agreed statement of facts.

McLeod had sought advice from the Ontario Court of Justice’s judicial ethics committee, who, at first, had no concerns with his involvement with the federation, as long as he distanced himself from fundraising activities.

However, following media coverage in February 2018 raising questions about McLeod’s role, including a piece by activist Desmond Cole in the Toronto Star, the ethics committee said McLeod should leave the federation as its work appeared to include lobbying.

The four-person discipline panel, chaired by Court of Appeal Justice Robert Sharpe, was told that McLeod had been involved for years with Black youth, even before his appointment to the bench in 2013.

An expert on Black communities in North America called by the defence, Wendell Adjetey, who also worked for several years as a case worker with Black youth in Toronto, testified how critical it is for young Black persons to have role models such as McLeod and how even the optics of the discipline proceedings could have a negative impact on them.

McLeod’s lawyer, Mark Sandler, urged the panel not to make a finding of judicial misconduct, and to see that there is “greyness” when it comes to judicial extra-curricular activities.

“I suggest there is now acceptance, and it was not always thus, but now there is acceptance that judges need not sit in ivory towers. They are selected, in part, because of the life experiences they bring to their work, and, I submit, that continuing community involvement is, not only consistent with their roles as judges, but important,” Sandler said.

“Justice McLeod and I will not be suggesting that the rules themselves are different for racialized judges than for other judges, but, and this is a very important ‘but,’ we will submit that racialized judges — in this instance, a Black judge with Justice McLeod’s lived experiences — is precisely the type of role model whose continuing involvement in the community enhances respect for the administration of justice, rather than the contrary.”

Both sides will make their final submissions to the panel Tuesday.

Jacques Gallant is a Toronto-based reporter covering legal affairs. Follow him on Twitter: @JacquesGallant

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

Published

3 années ago

août 10, 2021

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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

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

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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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Anglais

MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

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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.