News

Read by Sarah Deshaies

Produced by Nikita Smith

Stories written by Sarah Deshaies, Dominique Daoust, AJ Cordeiro

The city’s transit authority rejected a proposal on Tuesday. Instead it will proceed with its original shuttle-bus arrangement regarding the Villa Maria metro station. The orange line metro cars won’t be stopping at the station for three months due to renovations. This decision is due to costs and limited availability of extra buses in its fleet.

A mayor of one of the towns hardest hit by flooding called the federal government’s response in the Richelieu Valley "lame". He also called out Prime Minister Stephen Harper, accusing him of not giving enough attention to Quebec.

Water levels have risen to record highs in the valley for weeks, tarnishing homes and stranding residents.

Leader of the Official Opposition Jack Layton agrees that more needs to be done to help flood victims.  He will plea their case to the Prime Minister when parliament resumes on June 2.

The union representing Canada Post workers has given the Crown corporation an ultimatum: either accept their final offer or they go on strike. The strike will begin Thursday night is the offer is rejected.

The union says the strike notice puts pressure on Canada Post to negotiate. It says it is willing to talk up until the deadline.

The new offer includes changes to positions as well as lessened wage increases. Negotiations to reach a new collective agreement have been in the works since last fall.

 SlutWalk made its way to Montreal on Sunday. Around 300  people started marching from Peace Park on St. Laurent  Street.

 Their goal was to take back the word slut, and allow women  to look and feel sexy without being sexualized.

 Organizers believe that women should never be blamed for  rape committed against them, regardless of how they dress  or act. 

SlutWalk originated in Toronto in January, when an officer told a group of students that they can avoid being raped if they did not dress like sluts. SlutWalk marches have already been held in the United States and England. 

NDP Leader Jack Layton avoided the heated topic of separation when questioned yesterday. Pressed for details Layton said, “What constitutes a majority is 50 per cent plus one.”

Since the NDP nearly swept the province of Quebec in the last election, Layton knew the issue would come up.

Yesterday at a news conference held to announce the members of Layton’s shadow cabinet, it did. His ambiguity towards the topic has irked some politicians. PQ Leader Pauline Marois accused Layton of turning back on promises. Specifically, the Sherbrooke declaration that states 50 per cent plus one is enough to secede.

The Cree people of Northern Quebec are signing a deal with the province Friday. The Native American group is regaining control over certain parts of the province.

The deal indicates the creation of a regional Cree governement on their ancestral land of Eeyou Istchee. This will give them control of over 65,000 square kms of land.

Premier Jean Charest is making the announcement Friday, along with Matthew Coon Come, the grand chief of the Crees of Quebec. Negotations began over two years ago, when an independent study revealed Quebec’s failure in honoring its obligations towards the Cree nation.