A CJAD 800 listener alerted us to a funny phone system faux-pas. In fairness to CFO Impot in St. Jean sur Richelieu, I'm sure this is just a technical glitch, but nonetheless funny.

When you call their office, there is that standard "dial 9 for English" message, except when you press 9, it abruptly hangs up on you. Listen to the clip by clicking play to the right.

Join Supriya and I on Delmar & Dwivedi Sunday at 1pm on CJAD 800: Find out who earns the title of "pansy!"

Though it is commendable that the editor of Quebec’s most important newspaper reached out to Anglophones in the Rest of Canada by analyzing the province’s latest “reasonable accommodation” controversy,  André Pratte’s position in The National Post (Why Quebecers don’t want turbans on the pitch) and many similar columns from his peers suffer from an abundance of nuance. 

Thankfully, La Presse editor Pratte “strongly condemned,” as many Francophone commentators have, the Quebec Soccer Federation’s decision to ban turbans worn by Sikh children during games, a policy that earned them a suspension from the Canadian Soccer Association. 

But like many in Quebec’s commentariat, Pratte shies away from using more forceful and appropriate language that is almost universally considered to be applicable in this case. It would have been productive for the godfather of Quebec commentators to explore the undeniable intolerance and ignorance behind the QSF’s (and the Parti Québécois’) position. But instead, ...

I generally do not delve into conspiracy theories, but...

I can't help but wonder - and I'm just asking the question here, not accusing - if the PQ is behind Quebec's controversy of the day; a decision by the Quebec Soccer Federation to ban turbans on the pitch, including those worn by children. That earned them a suspension from the Canadian league and embarrassing coverage internationally. Here. And here and here and here (thanks Angelica Montgomery).

There's no evidence that the PQ is behind the controversy, but I wouldn't be surprised. The timing is just too perfect.

Let's remember that we already know the PQ has been starting a few reasonable accommodation controversies lately, as I wrote last week in The National Post. Minister Bernard Drainville is fairly open about it. He's raised issues with the Jewish community twice in one month (Shavuot parking accommodations and a fixed election date on Rosh Hashanah). ...

This is just so incredibly bizarre.

I've learned that on June 1, just before this week's Grand Prix festivities, the Quebec government seized nearly 2,400 bottles of alcohol at the posh Globe restaurant on St. Laurent. According to Globe owners, they were cleaned out of booze by Montreal police because they were caught serving alcohol to - wait for it - people who weren't eating! Oh, what menaces to society! 

I can't believe this law is still on the books. And worse yet, I can't believe it's being enforced by agents of the state! What an absurd waste of resources and/or a futile exercise in social engineering. 

On a related note: You know that popular pub in NDG? The plate of pasta is purely cosmetic. No one eats it. So there, Nanny State!

UPDATE: Some have been sending countless comments to this blog, spamming essentially, and creating more work for ...

It's still a bit early, but there a couple of emerging storylines that could see an Anglophone actually become the elected mayor of Montreal in November.

At least two players are sparking interest among the business community, who are still not collectively falling behind any particular candidate, and not overwhelmed with joy at the prospect of Denis Coderre as mayor.

Michael Applebaum had previously said he would return to CDN-NDG to once again run for borough mayor. However, there is speculation that he could change his mind if faced with significant support for a mayoral run. According to a recent CROP-La Presse poll, he's only three percentage points behind Coderre, which is impressive considering he said he was only interested in the job on an interim basis. He'd have to spin it very carefully. Like, "I looked at the current slate of candidates and couldn't in good conscience leave the ...