Audio

AudioPodcast

This is the premier edition of the FTB Podcast, a bi-weekly panel discussion with reports, interviews and more. Over the next few months, topics will range from news items, politics, social issues, music, arts and more from Montreal, Quebec, Canada and the world.

In our first episode, we discuss the anti-police brutality march, Bill C-51 and a proposed name change for the McGill Redmen.

Host: Jason C. McLean
Producer: Hannah Besseau

    Panelists

Irkar Beljaars: Producer of Native Solidarity News on CKUT, Mohawk journalist and writer.

Arturo Vasquez: NGO consultant working with human rights and indigenous communities in Mexico, Political Science major at Concordia. To inquire about his consultation services, please send him an email: arturovasques (at) outlook (dot) com.

Drew Wolfson Bell: Sports Editor at the McGill Daily, third-year Education student

Anti-Police Brutality March Report by Cem Ertekin

Microphone image: Ernest Duffoo / Flickr Creative Commons

News

Lindsay Rockbrand got a $76 ticket from two SPVM officers for being in a public park between 11pm and 7am. Problem is, according to her, she wouldn’t have been there at 11:09, when the citation was issued, had the police not kept her there for over 20 minutes.

Rockbrand says the officers first approached her at around 10:50 as she was lying down on a bench on a traffic island, technically considered (and badly identified as) a park in Hampstead, a few blocks from her home in Cote-St-Luc. They proceeded to ask her what she was doing and when she wasn’t forthcoming and wanted to know what business was it of theirs, they wouldn’t let her leave, citing a number of reasons that didn’t end up on the subsequent ticket, keeping her in place for roughly 20 minutes.

She feels they were determined to fine her for something, anything, and effectively created the situation they eventually ticketed her for being in.

You can listen to her tell the story:

We didn’t contact the SPVM as their side of the story is pretty much spelled out on the ticket. However, if they or the officer in question would like to comment, they’re welcome to, either via social media or by contacting forgetthebox@forgetthebox.net and we’ll update the story.

Has something like this ever happened to you? Do you think it’s right for police to charge people for things that are only technically true because of officer’s actions?

 

 

News

[soundcloud params=”auto_play=false&show_comments=true&color=0ac4ff”]https://soundcloud.com/forget-the-box/manif-solidarity-with-gaza[/soundcloud]

Once again, casseroles rang through the streets of Montreal this Wednesday as hundreds of protesters gathered in solidarity with Palestine. Organized by Tadamon, a collective that works in solidarity with “struggles for equality and justice in the ‘Middle East’”, the manif converged in front of the Mont-Royal metro station at 5:30pm, and began with speeches from some of Montreal’s powerhouse activists.

The protest aimed to continue the global resistance against Israel’s siege on Gaza, but also put forth Canada’s and the Harper government’s implication in the issue.

Wednesday’s manif is the second in the past week in solidarity with Gaza. Another protest in support will take place this Saturday at 2:00pm at Parc Jarry.

CityNews

This morning I woke up a little earlier than usual, had my coffee and took a walk through the already sweltering heat, arriving at the CKUT studios in the heart of the McGill Ghetto around 8am. I was there to talk about FTB on the Friday Morning After.

Not to be confused with our very own sex column of the same name, CKUT’s Morning After is a local arts, news and culture radio show running Monday to Friday from 7-9am. The hosts change depending on the day as does the language they speak on air. The Friday edition is hosted by Ken McMurray and Craig Sauvé and has a particular focus on municipal politics and the local arts scene.

Today the weather played a big part in the discussion, from the freak storm over Montreal last night to how the city and the boroughs were dealing with the heat. Meanwhile, in anticipation of Heavy MTL happening this weekend, local heavy metal dominated the musical selection. Mmm, metal at 8am, kind of like coffee for the ear. After headlines from Democracy Now and a very interesting interview with Sterling about the Under Pressure graffiti festival, it was my turn on the mic.

We talked about just what FTB is, where we came from and where we may be going. If you’re new to the site and want to know more, or a regular visitor interested in hearing my take on what the site means, it’s an interesting listen.

Thanks again to Ken and Craig for this opportunity and enjoy:

FTB’s Jason C. McLean interviewed on CKUT’s Friday Morning After