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Sting’s concert in Oshawa was a grenade tossed at GM

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The man born Gordon Sumner used a day off from his musical, The Last Ship, on stage at the Princess of Wales Theatre, to pledge solidarity with GM workers in Oshawa, some 2,500 who will lose their jobs when the plant closes by the end of the year.

Unless GM has a serious rethink, reverses its pitiless decision to shuffle production to Mexico and repairs a shredded relationship with workers who’ve never been anything other than loyal to the manufacturer.

Sting, who comes by his social conscience honestly — decades of activism and philanthropy from Live Aid to Live 8 to disaster relief and Amnesty International concerts to the rainforest foundation he co-founded — took his act on the road Thursday, schlepping the large cast with him for a free concert in tandem with Unifor, the union representing workers staring unemployment in the face.

He opened with “Message in a Bottle,” playing acoustic guitar, and closed with “Every Breath You Take.”

But this was not merely an in-and-out symbolic gratis mini concert. It was a stirring covenant and a public relations grenade hurled at General Motors.

“We live in a time where people with influence rarely poke out their head,” said union head Jerry Dias.

“Today is about elevating the profile of the issue. Today is about saying to GM in the strongest terms that we’re not accepting your decision to close down the facility.”

Sting, who grew up in an industrial town in Northumberland, knows all about the ruin of cities that have been devastated by the disappearance of heavy industry. In his hometown of Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, a coal mine once thrived and the shipyard turned out the largest vessels ever to sail to seas.

There is no coal mining anymore and the shipyard was shuttered in 2007.

“I lived within spitting distance of the shipyard,” Sting told a media conference — after wryly introducing himself as Lionel Richie — hardly a trace of his Geordie accent left. “When I was a young kid, I thought that would be my destiny. Everyone worked in the shipyard. It was the last thing I wanted, actually. I did my level best to escape my town and I did. I got a scholarship to a school. Then I became a singer and made extravagant amounts of money and travelled the world, won Grammy Awards, all of that.”

Seventeen Grammys, but who’s counting? And Kennedy Center honours. And a CBE from the Queen, so not technically Sir Sting, a rung below knighthood.

Worth upwards of $400 million (U.S.), actually, from multiple endeavours, starting with new wave pop band the Police, through a solo career and diverse creative projects. A fortune which, Sting has insisted, he won’t be leaving behind in lazy-making trust funds for his six kids.

It was honouring hard work that led Sting to write the music and lyrics for The Last Ship. “The work was incredibly hard and dangerous but those men and women were incredibly proud of the work they did and the ships that were built there.”

GM workers, losing their jobs as production shifts to low-salaried employees in Mexico, can certainly relate. Just as The Last Ship, said Sting, uncannily parallels the harsh reality that Oshawa’s car workers will be facing.

“It’s basically financial jiggery-pokery,” Sting sneered. “They just want to pay workers less in another place. That’s not right.”

Average wage for workers at GM’s Mexico plant is $2 an hour; roughly $30 (Canadian) an hour in Oshawa. An economic impact study done for Unifor estimates closing the plant will have disastrous impacts on the city, cutting the economy by $5 billion next year, with radiating job losses of 14,000.

All this while the carmaker’s pre-tax earnings shot up 25 per cent — $3.2 billion (U.S.) — in the third quarter alone of 2018 (company figures).

“GM made a commitment to us in September of 2015,” said Dias, “verbally and in writing that they were not going to move the plant. So after announcing $8.1 billion (in earnings for 2018), my guess is it would not be difficult for them to live up their commitment.”

With the lights never dimmed in the Tributes Communities Centre for the noon-hour performance, Sting said he could see the anxiety in those in the audience, many of them second- and third-generation GM employees. “It’s very evident to us, performing on stage. We could see everyone’s face. I can see the worry on their faces, genuine concern about the future. It was very moving for us to see that close up. It’s not a game, this is real.”

Adding: “The story we’re telling on the stage every night at the Princess of Wales is this story. It’s a very human story. It’s a very common story.

“I hope you feel the resonance in this town. You’ve done the same thing. You have the dignity of your work, the pride of your work, who you are. You are what you do.” It’s a line spoken by one of the play’s characters, you are what you do. “You take that away, what are you?”

Before he became famous as a musician, Sting worked as school teacher, as a labourer digging ditches, as a bus conductor and milk deliveryman. There was very much a working man before to the rock star after. And so, he could offer support, participating in the shaming of GM, link arms with the union, but he can’t counsel those who will now have to reinvent themselves on the job market.

“I can’t advise. My life has had a pretty rarefied trajectory. I was very lucky to escape … But you can’t copy my life.

“That was my choice,” he explained about fleeing Wallsend, turning himself into an “exile,” albeit with homes in Wiltshire, Malibu, the Lake District, Tuscany, London and New York City.

His message to GM: “You have a duty to support the community that’s worked for you. It should be a mutual support system. It’s about loyalty. These workers have loyally given their lives to the company. It’s a two-way street.”

Dias claimed the union’s information campaign, its pushback, is proving effective, as GM sales in Canada dropped by 30 per cent in December and 15 per cent in January. “Canadians are punishing them. That’s the only thing they understand. Ultimately, GM can fix this. They can change their mind.”

It’s an uplifting thought. But GM appears immune to public shaming. Greed will likely prevail, a power greater than Sting’s celebrity.

“I’m just a rock singer.”

Rosie DiManno is a columnist based in Toronto covering sports and current affairs. Follow her on Twitter: @rdimanno

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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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