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If helping China hunt fugitives is the price of stemming deadly fentanyl flow, should Canada pay? – National

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China is a major source of the fentanyl killing thousands of Canadians every year.

But getting officials there to help staunch the flow will require Canadian leaders to offer something many may find unpalatable in return: help with hunting their targeted list of fugitives accused of corruption.

READ MORE: An introduction to the Global News series on fentanyl

“It’s a two-way street and it means also that we have to be more forthcoming probably with their own investigations related to fugitives,” said Guy Saint-Jacques, who served as Canadian ambassador to China from 2012 until 2016.

“The trump card there is really fugitives.”

WATCH BELOW: Trudeau says China is working with Canada on Fentanyl problem






For the past week, the Global News investigative series Fentanyl: Making a Killing has untangled the web of how fentanyl is flooding into Canada from China through the use of money laundering by Chinese gangs like the Big Circle Boys, a notorious Chinese crime group who are the kingpins of the fentanyl trade in Canada.

Fentanyl and its chemical precursors are largely produced in factories in southern China.

It then gets imported illegally into Canada via shipping containers and in the mail.

READ MORE: China won’t stop flood of fentanyl into Canada, sources say

While Canadian officials say publicly that China is cooperating with efforts to crack down on the deadly flood, sources privately say the country is largely inactive and causing growing frustration among law enforcement agencies in Canada.

“It’s a huge fight with China right now, and if you anger the Chinese they won’t work with you,” said a source, who could not be identified. “The fentanyl coming into Canada is going to get worse. Nothing will happen because we have to satisfy what they (the Chinese government) want.”

READ MORE: Chinese corruption fugitives may have fled to Canada or U.S.

Global News asked Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale on Monday whether he is satisfied with the level of cooperation being offered by China on the issue of fentanyl trafficking and whether more resources need to be put in place to crack down.

“It’s got to be a constant, constant diplomatic effort and we’ve started that,” said Goodale, but didn’t say whether there had been discussion about offering further help to Chinese officials who want to hunt fugitives in Canada.

“We have to keep — with all of our allies, including the United States and Mexico — raising it and raising it and raising it again,” Goodale added.

WATCH BELOW: Goodale said the government expects international cooperation on fentanyl crisis






Goodale said that what has been seen so far from Chinese authorities is “a beginning and a small beginning.”

He added that more needs to be done but did not indicate what specific actions Canada is taking to push the issue with the Chinese.

“There is a lot more that needs to be done to demonstrate that this is a deadly problem and we expect international cooperation and we will push very hard to get that cooperation from all the sources where the supply is coming from,” he said.

But Goodale stopped short of promising more funding for RCMP investigations in Canada and especially B.C., the epi-centre of the opioid crisis.

WATCH BELOW: Goodale comments on need for RCMP resources on money laundering






As the Global News investigation series revealed, fentanyl trafficking gangs with links to Mainland China are believed to be laundering billions of dollars in B.C. real estate, and also sending drug-trafficking proceeds back to China, in order to increase opioid imports.

Meanwhile, the death toll from opioid overdoses is spreading from B.C. eastward and mounting, with about 4,000 deaths per year across Canada.

READ MORE: Secret police study finds crime networks could have laundered over $1B through Vancouver homes in 2016

Sources told Global News that the RCMP doesn’t have the training, resources, or strategic focus to tackle the drug money laundering that they have found is prevalent in Metro Vancouver in particular.

The complaints of law enforcement sources were underlined last week, when Global News learned a major B.C. casino money laundering and underground banking investigation with links to China, had abruptly collapsed.

According to police, targets of the so-called E-Pirate investigation in B.C. are top echelon fentanyl traffickers, and they use B.C. casinos and real estate to wash multiply their drug profits.

WATCH BELOW: The B.C. compound police believe may be connected to “transnational drug trafficking” and the fentanyl trade






It is not known why federal prosecutors stayed charges against suspects in the case.

Goodale did not commit to increasing funding to the RCMP, when asked about the collapse of E-Pirate.

“This is an extremely important part of what we call on the RCMP to do, in dealing with money laundering and organized crime,” he said. “We’ve been working with the RCMP now for the last two years to find the appropriate ways to fill in the gaps in their funding.”

READ MORE: Fentanyl kings in Canada allegedly linked to powerful Chinese gang, the Big Circle Boys

Goodale was also asked if he would support a public inquiry in B.C. looking into the fentanyl crisis and organized crime money laundering in B.C.

B.C.’s government has so far not committed to such an inquiry, but pressure is mounting.

Goodale said he has talked with B.C. Attorney General David Eby about the issue, but he did not commit to an inquiry.

WATCH BELOW: Growing calls for public inquiry into deadly fentanyl






So far, Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West is the only B.C. politician strongly advocating for a public inquiry.

“We’ve had this situation where fentanyl is pouring into our country, pouring into British Columbia from China, killing thousands of our people,” West said.

“There is organized crime from China that’s making millions and millions — maybe billions — of dollars in profit from off of that drug trade… and then they’re washing that money clean in our casinos and in our real estate, which also has devastating consequences for our community.

“What we need to do is take our province back. We need a government that is going to stand up for our own people and say, ‘This is going to stop.’”

B.C. Premier John Horgan acknowledged that Global News’ series has uncovered serious concerns, but maintained a public inquiry would be too costly.


READ MORE:
David Eby won’t rule out public inquiry after collapse of casino money-laundering case

However, after the collapse of the E-Pirate investigation, Horgan appeared to soften his stance.

“I have to say one of the major reasons for not taking that step (mounting a public inquiry) disappeared today,” Horgan said last week.

“And I don’t think that B.C.’s interests in getting to the bottom  of this has disappeared in any way. In fact if anything, it’s been amplified.”

But driving home the critical nature of the matter to the Chinese may be another matter entirely.

Saint-Jacques said there’s really only been a “lukewarm effort” from Chinese police to deal with the trafficking, and added the matter “was not seen really as a top priority.”

He added that the National Security and Rule of Law Dialogue, a forum set up between Canada and China to discuss security concerns annually, is supposed to be coming up shortly and would be an ideal venue to discuss how to get urgent action on the fentanyl crisis.

No date has yet been set for that forum.

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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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