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Lawyer says 20-year-old ‘innocent’ of killing teen at Michael Wekerle’s estate

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Accused killer Jonathan Weir was a resident of the luxury compound of his uncle, Michael Wekerle, a former Dragons’ Den TV personality, when he was charged with murdering his former high school classmate there last week.

Weir’s address is listed as Wekerle’s sprawling 80-hectare gated estate, just outside the historic community of Cheltenham, according to a court document that outlines the first-degree murder charge against him.

He was arrested after Caledon OPP were called to Wekerle’s estate around 7:25 p.m. on Dec. 27 and found the lifeless body of Tyler Swartz, 18, of Thornhill.

Weir’s lawyer Calvin Barry told the Star he wasn’t sure exactly how long his 20-year-old client had been living with his uncle at the property.

“He was there for some time, at that location,” Barry said.

Police originally charged Weir with second-degree murder but quickly bumped that up to the more serious charge of first-degree murder, which involves premeditation, Barry said.

Read more: Teen killed at home owned by Michael Wekerle remembered as ‘angel of a kid’

Barry said he will be fighting for bail for Weir later this month. His hearing is scheduled for Jan. 21 in Orangeville court.

“We’re going to mount a vigorous defence,” Barry said. “He’s innocent.”

It’s not clear what the relationship of the two young men was. Both attended the Thornhill campus of Blyth Academy, a private Grades 5-12 school, until the spring of 2017, a spokesperson for the school confirmed.

“Given the ongoing police investigation, we will not comment further about this tragic incident,” Alicia Della Maestra wrote in an email.

Barry said his client is “obviously upset” and it’s the first time he’s ever been in custody.

The lawyer added that Weir’s parents, who are divorced, both have suitable homes for him to live in as he awaits his trial.

“It may be that he lives at the mother’s place or the father’s place,” Barry said. “It’s a very close family.”

Police have said that a court-ordered publication ban means they can’t update the media on whether Wekerle was on site at the time of the death, the cause of death or any other details.

Messages on an intercom from the outside gate of the secluded tree filled Caledon property were not returned this week. Neither was an email or requests to Wekerle’s social media accounts.

Wekerle’s website calls him “a rock star in the world of Canadian finance,” known for his shrewd instincts in the fields of tech, biotech and media, and the founder and chairman of the merchant bank Difference Capital Financial Inc.

The Caledon estate, which he purchased in 2010 for $3 million, is known for its yearly charity concert event, Wekfest, which has featured acts such as Snoop Dogg and Sloan.

In 2010, Wekerle went on a “drunken escapade” in a luxury hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas, according to allegations in a lawsuit filed by a doorman who said he attempted to flip him over his shoulder during the incident.

The lawsuit was dismissed by a United States District Judge in 2015. It also contains allegations that the investor blew an airhorn in the lobby before dropping his pants, licking a woman’s foot, and yelling profanity.

In a statement emailed to the Star by his lawyer at the time, Wekerle said the incident occurred during a difficult period of his life.

“I had just lost my wife and I still have difficult moments. While I dispute certain parts of the allegations, I acknowledge that on that night three years ago I behaved in a way that I’m not particularly proud of. For that, I apologize. There is a legal process currently unfolding and I am going to let it run its course,” he wrote.

Wekerle’s website also describes him as “a doting father to six children” who “donates millions of dollars to a wide variety of philanthropic interests,” including CAMH and Sick Kids.

His site says his other properties include the historic Toronto entertainment venue the El Mocambo on Spadina Ave. and that he’s a partner in the Canadian franchise of Wahlburgers — the Boston-based restaurant chain run by the actor/rapper Mark Wahlberg and his family.

Swartz was described as “an angel of a kid” by Esther Grossbaum, co-ordinator of the Friendship Circle, an organization for children with special needs that he volunteered with.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he was going to Sheridan College to become a plumber. Sheridan College confirmed a student with the same name was enrolled with the school in the fall of 2017 but withdrew without completing the semester.

He was honoured in 2017 with the City of Thornhill’s longest standing volunteer award for his community service.

With files from Karen Martin-Robbins, Caledon Enterprise

Peter Edwards is a Toronto-based reporter primarily covering crime. Reach him by email at pedwards@thestar.ca

May Warren is a breaking news reporter based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @maywarren11

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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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