Articles by Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press

Jun 29 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — A Quebec coroner who looked into the death last year of a 24-year-old runner in a Montreal half-marathon is raising several issues with communication and organization at the event. Patrick Neely died last Sept. 22 after collapsing just before the finish line at the race, part of the International Oasis Rock 'N' Roll Montreal Marathon. The report Monday noted numerous shortcomings — […]

Jun 29 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Quebec may have to make masks mandatory on public transit to ensure people are ready in the event of a second wave of COVID-19 this fall, the province's public health director suggested Monday. Dr. Horacio Arruda said an announcement could be made in the coming days. "Actually, we are discussing it very intensively, the need to (make) that […]

Jun 29 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Quebec Superior Court has granted the federal government a five-month extension to revise its legislation on medical assistance in dying, giving Ottawa until just before Christmas to conform with a provincial court ruling. In a written decision released Monday, Justice Frederic Bachand wrote that Ottawa will have until Dec. 18, 2020, to make the […]

Jun 28 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — With COVID-19 cases surging in the United States, Canadians living in the country are hunkering down and find themselves thinking a bit more about home these days. Some expats who spoke with The Canadian Press from the hardest-hit areas said they were surprised by the speed at which their respective states reopened, while others said the situation was overblown. […]

Jun 26 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — The widow of legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson says she is heartened by a petition calling for Montreal to rename a metro station in his honour. Kelly Peterson told The Canadian Press that as trustee of the late musician's estate, she's always looking for ways to further his legacy and welcomes the effort by […]

Jun 26 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — The widow of legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson says she is heartened by a petition calling for Montreal to rename a metro station in his honour. Kelly Peterson told The Canadian Press that as trustee of the late musician's estate, she's always looking for ways to further his legacy and welcomes the effort by […]

Jun 24 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Another push is underway to rename a southwestern Montreal metro station in honour of Canadian jazz great Oscar Peterson, but city officials say they aren't ready to go that route. Nearly 12 years after a grassroots attempt to see Lionel-Groulx station renamed fell short, Naveed Hussain — a resident of the Montreal borough where […]

Jun 21 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — An improperly extinguished campfire is the likely cause behind a massive blaze in Quebec's Lac-St-Jean region that remains out of control, Quebec's Forestry Minister told a briefing on Sunday. "This photo is possibly where fire started," Pierre Dufour told reporters in Roberval, Que., holding up a photo of a campfire surrounded by charred land. "In […]

Jun 21 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Quebec's closely watched experiment reopening schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic winds down next week as the summer break begins, and the reviews are largely positive. The province was the first in the country to reopen schools after COVID-19 brought regular life to a standstill, with children outside the Montreal region heading back to class […]

Jun 21 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Quebec's closely watched experiment reopening schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic winds down next week as the summer break begins, and the reviews are largely positive. The province was the first in the country to reopen schools after COVID-19 brought regular life to a standstill, with children outside the Montreal region heading back to class […]

Jun 16 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Quebec plans to have all elementary and high school students back in the classroom this fall with a backup plan should the number of COVID-19 cases spike, the province's education minister said Tuesday. Jean-Francois Roberge said the province has the green light from health officials for elementary and high schools to open at full capacity, […]

Jun 16 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Quebec plans to have all elementary and high school students back in the classroom this fall with a backup plan should the number of COVID-19 cases spike, the province's education minister said Tuesday. Jean-Francois Roberge said the province has the green light from health officials for elementary and high schools to open at full capacity, […]

Jun 9 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Quebec's premier apologized as the province surpassed 5,000 COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, vowing to take lessons from the loss of life. Authorities added 45 new deaths after days of declining numbers, pushing the provincial toll to 5,029, with nearly 90 per cent of those deaths in the province's long-term care homes. "The message […]

Jun 8 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Restaurants in Quebec will be able to open up dining rooms beginning next week after being shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, government and health officials announced Monday. The province also announced that indoor gatherings of up to 10 people from three families will be permitted. Restaurants in most of the province will […]

Jun 8 2020 — Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press — MONTREAL — Restaurants in Quebec will be able to open up dining rooms beginning next week after being shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, government and health officials announced Monday. The province also announced that indoor gatherings of up to 10 people from three families will be permitted. Restaurants in most of the province will […]