Articles by Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press

Apr 24 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — An American family has filed a $3.9-million lawsuit against the Marriott hotel chain after a father and his toddler drowned at one of the company's Montreal properties three years ago. The family's Superior Court filing, made public Tuesday, says the hotel is responsible for the deaths because its pool area was allegedly unsafe, improperly supervised and […]

Apr 18 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Quebec communities were bracing for major flooding in various parts of the province Thursday as rainy weather was expected to settle in for the beginning of the weekend. The province's public security minister urged citizens in regions at risk of flooding not to take any chances and to follow the advice of civil security officials. Genevieve Guilbault […]

Apr 18 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Quebec communities were bracing for major flooding in various parts of the province Thursday as rainy weather was expected to settle in for the beginning of the weekend. The province's public security minister urged citizens in regions at risk of flooding not to take any chances and to follow the advice of civil security officials. Genevieve Guilbault […]

Apr 18 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante spoke out Thursday about threats directed against her over her stance on the province's secularism bill. Plante told reporters Thursday the online attacks have intensified, and she is taking them seriously. "I'm always open for debate, but I will not accept that," Plante said. "This is not the kind of society we […]

Apr 18 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante spoke out Thursday about threats directed against her over her stance on the province's secularism bill. Plante told reporters Thursday the online attacks have intensified, and she is taking them seriously. "I'm always open for debate, but I will not accept that," Plante said. "This is not the kind of society we […]

Apr 16 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — The fire that swept through Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday should serve as a reminder that having proper plans and documentation of valued Canadian buildings is crucial, heritage advocates say. The blaze, which destroyed the cathedral's roof and spire, has triggered an outpouring of unity and financial support as well as a promise from French President […]

Apr 15 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — In a rare display of unity, Montreal city council unanimously passed a motion against Quebec's proposed secularism bill on Monday. Mayor Valerie Plante and opposition leader Lionel Perez presented the bipartisan declaration stating that Montreal practises "open secularism" and its bylaws are neutral, regardless of the religious convictions of those who make them. "It our […]

Apr 15 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — In a rare display of unity, Montreal city council unanimously passed a motion against Quebec's proposed secularism bill on Monday. Mayor Valerie Plante and opposition leader Lionel Perez presented the bipartisan declaration stating that Montreal practises "open secularism" and its bylaws are neutral, regardless of the religious convictions of those who make them. "It our […]

Apr 13 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — A Canadian woman and her Italian companion who have been missing in West Africa since last December are alive but no longer in the country, a senior minister with Burkina Faso's government says. Communications Minister Remis Fulgance Dandjinou told Italian public broadcaster Rai that Edith Blais of Sherbrooke, Que., and her travel companion, Luca Tacchetto of […]

Apr 13 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — A Canadian woman and her Italian companion who have been missing in West Africa since last December are alive but no longer in the country, a senior minister with Burkina Faso's government says. Communications Minister Remis Fulgance Dandjinou told Italian public broadcaster Rai that Edith Blais of Sherbrooke, Que., and her travel companion, Luca Tacchetto of […]

Apr 12 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — McGill University is dropping the Redmen name for its men's varsity sports teams, effective immediately, the university announced Friday. Principal Suzanne Fortier said in a statement that the Redmen name has caused pain and alienation for Indigenous students at the university. Even though the name was not initially adopted as a reference to Indigenous peoples, that association was made […]

Apr 12 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Metalheads rejoice! A Montreal councillor will table a motion on Monday that recognizes the city as a headbangers' paradise. Coun. Craig Sauve says it's time that Montreal is officially hailed as a "city of excellence" in heavy metal music. Sauve, a self-described metal fan, published his motion on social media to great fanfare Thursday. It notes that […]

Apr 9 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — More than 200,000 customers remained without power in Quebec Tuesday afternoon, and the province's public security minister said most should prepare for a second night in the dark. Genevieve Guilbault told reporters Tuesday in Quebec City that winds and snow were creating problems for the 425 Hydro-Quebec crews dispatched to hard hit regions. […]

Apr 9 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — More than 200,000 customers remained without power in Quebec Tuesday afternoon, and the province's public security minister said most should prepare for a second night in the dark. Genevieve Guilbault told reporters Tuesday in Quebec City that winds and snow were creating problems for the 425 Hydro-Quebec crews dispatched to hard hit regions. […]

Apr 8 2019 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — LONGUEUIL, Que. — Astronaut David Saint-Jacques became the fourth Canadian to complete a spacewalk Monday, accomplishing several tasks alongside NASA astronaut Anne McClain in about six-and-a-half hours before returning inside the International Space Station. After re-entering the space station, he hailed the mission as "a glimpse of the future as we venture further into space." He […]