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In protests outside MPPs’ offices, Franco-Ontarians resist Ford government’s French-language cuts

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On Saturday afternoon, thousands of French-speakers in nearly 40 communities across Ontario decried Premier Doug Ford’s cuts to some French-language services. 

The protests — organized by the Francophone Assembly of Ontario, which represents 740,000 Franco-Ontarians — took place in front of MPPs’ offices of all political stripes and in every corner of the province.

« Franco-Ontarians have the right to have our rights protected, » Quebec actor Lina Blais said outside Ford’s constituency office where 300 people gathered.

« Our population justifies our institutions. »

This « resistance » is a response to Premier Doug Ford’s move to downgrade the province’s independent watchdog on francophone services and repeal funding for a long-awaited French-language university in the Greater Toronto Area. 

The decision has prompted immediate and growing backlash from Ontarians, the federal government and Quebec’s new premier, François Legault, who have all repeatedly asked Ford to reverse the cuts. 

One of Ford’s MPPs, Amanda Simard, broke ranks to criticize the move, saying she was disappointed and frustrated. Earlier this week, the eastern Ontario MPP left the Progressive Conservative’s to sit as an independent. 

Her departure from Ford’s caucus means he has lost the only francophone among the 76 PCs elected in June — widening the schism between him and Ontario’s French community who feel he has undermined their history. 

MPP Amanda Simard, left, poses with three-year-old Glorianne Gaudreau-Cheff at the rally in Hawkesbury. (Submitted by Marilou Gaudreau)

Simard stood among those rallying on the doorstep of her constituency office in Hawkesbury, one of the largest communities in her riding of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell.

« I was the parliamentary assistant, but I did not have a voice, » she said, referring to her former role as parliamentary assistant to the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, a position Ford scrapped, then reinstated after a backlash. 

« I think now I will be able to speak more freely. » 

Organizers estimated 1,500 people condemned Ontario’s proposed cutbacks to French services in Ottawa — the largest demonstration in the province. (Michel Aspirot/Radio-Canada)

She met with three-year-old Glorianne Gaudreau-Cheff, who was dressed in green-and-white, the colours of the Ontario francophone flag, and carrying a sign that read: « I might not be big enough to have a voice, but please don’t take away my rights. »

The Francophone Assembly of Ontario estimated more than 13,500 people attended the day of action — many of whom were in Toronto, Ottawa and areas in northern Ontario, such as Sudbury and North Bay. 

« This is the first time in history that Franco-Ontarians have mobilized like this in every corner of the province, » said Gilles LeVasseur, a business and law professor at the University of Ottawa. 

He chanted French slogans like « strong franco » and « we are, we will » with nearly 1,500 people at the Human Rights Monument in Ottawa, where the French-speakers gathered on Saturday. 

Myriam Theriault, a francophone who moved to Ontario four years ago, says it’s important for her daughter to have access to a French education. (Rozenn Nicolle/Radio-Canada)

Politicians from all three levels of government were present at the Ottawa rally, including federal Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie Mélanie Joly, who called the event a « historic moment » in the province’s history.

« When our governments want to touch our linguistic rights, they should not weaken but strengthen them, » she told the crowd that erupted in resounding cheers of approval. 

Over 600 demonstrators also carried placards scrawled with messages, like « respect franco » and « Franco-Ontarians are not just any minority, » while making their voices heard in Sudbury and North Bay. 

Display of solidarity across Canada

The Ford government’s cuts sent shockwaves through other French-speaking communities across Canada.

In provinces like Manitoba, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, communities raised concerns about what the move signals to francophone minorities. 

Geneviève Latour was among Acadians in Moncton, who responded to the call of Franco-Ontarians on Saturday. (Jean-Philippe Hughes/Radio-Canada)

As a result, joint rallies were also held Saturday in Regina, St. Boniface, Man., and Moncton, N.B.

« When I learned about the cuts in Ontario, it was really devastating, » said Geneviève Latour, who organized the rally of 100 people in Moncton. 

She added: « Seeing the momentum of solidarity here in Moncton and across Acadia, it really gives me hope. »

‘You have to protect the two languages’

Pierre Joanette was one of dozens of people who drove around 100 kilometres west from Montreal to Hawkesbury to stand with Simard in solidarity with Ontario francophones. He pointed out the importance of protecting the province’s French identity as a cornerstone of Canadian history.  

« We believe in Canada you have to protect the two languages, » he said. 

According to the latest census, French is the mother tongue of more than half a million people in Ontario.

A number of Quebec francophones crossed provincial borders to attended the rally in Hawkesbury. Pierre Joanette, right, was among them. (Yasmine Mehdi/Radio-Canada)

Meanwhile, hundreds of other people braved the cold weather and gathered outside Caroline Mulroney’s constituency office in Bradford. The York-Simcoe MPP was named as the minister of francophone affairs on Nov. 22 after the PCs backtracked on some cuts affecting Ontario francophones. 

Mulroney, who is also the province’s attorney general, has vowed to continue to advocate for the standalone French-language university, but noted the province’s fiscal realities prevent the PCs from funding it right now. 

The premier’s spokesperson, Simon Jefferies, defended the government’s decision, saying the PCs recognize the « significant and ongoing contributions » of Franco-Ontarians and are committed to taking steps to preserve the French language in the province.

« Kathleen Wynne and the Liberals left our government with a $15-billion deficit, and we look forward to the day when our province is in a financial position to proceed with projects like the French-language university, » Jefferies said in an email to CBC News. 

Thousands of demonstrators, who are carrying green-and-white flags that represents Ontario francophones, are taking aim at the Ford government cuts. (Francis Bouchard/Radio-Canada)

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Anglais

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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Anglais

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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