🏛️ Government & Politics
- Paul St‑Pierre Plamondon sworn in as Quebec’s 34th premier. He was sworn in Wednesday and named a 22‑member cabinet with nine women and 14 men, smaller than the previous CAQ cabinet of 28 ministers. The Parti Québécois won 59 seats in the Oct. 5 election and now leads a minority government as recounts in two ridings continue that could affect its path to a majority.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney won’t rule out Alberta getting Quebec‑style immigration powers. Carney said “we’ll see” when asked on Parliament Hill and noted “Quebec is distinct” because of language and culture. About 53 per cent of Albertans voted yes in a referendum on provincial immigration control, and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told Carney her government is preparing a proposal for Ottawa.
🎨 Community & Culture
- Les Éditions du Boréal cuts ties with author Thélyson Orélien over alleged AI use. The publisher says metadata analysis indicated AI was used in the debut novel C’était ça ou mourir and announced it will not reprint the book or publish more by Orélien. The house ordered an external analysis and said Orélien did not respond to requests for comment.
- Quebec duo Angine de Poitrine announce 2027 world tour starting March 4 in Melbourne. The tour will hit South America, North America and Europe and conclude in Saguenay, Que.; eight Canadian dates include Calgary, Ottawa and Winnipeg and a Toronto RBC Amphitheatre headline. In September the duo won the $30,000 Polaris Music Prize and the $10,000 SOCAN Polaris Song Prize.
- Montreal Canadiens fell 4–3 in overtime to the San Jose Sharks. The loss came Wednesday in an overtime finish, with Nick Suzuki scoring and Juraj Slafkovsky adding a highlight goal, while Jakub Dobes’s early‑season struggles were noted in the game recap. The result leaves Montreal with another overtime decision after one regulation win in their first eight games.
- Research shows anglophone out‑migration from Quebec has slowed since mid‑20th century. The Quebec English‑Speaking Communities Research Network paper by Simon‑Pierre Lacasse and Meghan Rulli finds nearly 20 per cent of English‑speakers left Quebec between the late 1960s and early 1980s, a net loss of about 121,000 anglophones, but the rate has declined in recent decades.
📰 Also Today
- Police raid Saint‑Jérôme headquarters of EV maker Lion Electric.
- Publisher severs ties with Quebec author of award‑winning novel over AI claims.
- Quebec food banks face historic demand with over 3 million requests per month.
- Quebec’s new cabinet unveiled at today’s swearing‑in ceremony.
- Man dies after shooting in Sorel‑Tracy, Que.
- Alleged Ryan Wedding ally “Tupac” requests bail amid murder‑related allegations.
- Meta’s AI agent Muse listed an item on Marketplace and gave out a seller’s address.
- Trump walks back threat to ban Bombardier sales in the U.S.
- Quebec judge orders judicial recount in Champlain riding after PQ request.
- Video shows rats swarming a sleeping unhoused person in Quebec City.
- Lawyer argues renouncing oath to the King threatens National Assembly legitimacy.
