They left Paris for Montreal a few years ago. Since then, the Barlagnes have fully integrated the Maple Leaf while contributing to the work force, participating in the school system and being part of the country’s social fabric. Despite having followed all “Immigration Canada” rules and regulations, they are now asked to leave the country [...]

I have restrained from commenting the Skip Gates affair because I find its treatment to be so démesuré. For starters, the cops did act stupidly. There. I said it. I don’t care how many “Yo Mama” jokes Skip Gates may or may not have uttered at the policeman: handcuffing him, while he’s in his own [...]

The problem with Republicans is that they don’t know where to shoot from. Watching them awkwardly try to bash Judge Sonia Sotomayor is simply embarrassing. You may not agree with her on everything, but we must all agree that she knows the law. While her 2001 remark (“I would hope that a wise Latina woman [...]

In these unpeaceful times, not only in Gaza but also in the forgotten Congo and in all the other conflicts you don’t see on your 6’oclock newscasts, little makes sense. One would think it’s the first time we’ve forgone harmony for the sake of bullies. But it really isn’t. The first video is of Oliver [...]

A few days ago, the body of gorgeous model Katoucha was scooped out of La Seine, a month after she was reported missing. Like a Shakespearian scenario, the image is both painfully beautiful and tragic at the same time. Before Tyra and Naomi, there was Katoucha. The African beauty illuminated runways in the 80’s for [...]

It’s Tuesday and apparently, it will be Super. Today, 22 states will create trends and possibly forecast the Presidential outcome. My previous oscillation between Clinton and Obama has dissipated. I’m hypnotized by three words that also happen to be a good mantra to adopt: Yes, We Can. And even if your vote – imaginary or [...]

I finally took the time to watch Spike Lee’s “When the Levees Broke”. The documentary chronicles Hurricane Katrina: before, during and after. After watching almost three hours of gut wrenching footage, I realized the before, the during and the after were equally catastrophic. The way the levees were inadequately built. Condeleeza Reese’ insulting laissez-faire reaction. [...]

Pakistan’s loudest voice for democracy was silenced yesterday. Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a scenario that must have played in her head, a million times. I remember as a young loud mouth, being in awe of her election at the tender age of 35. Simply historic. Madame Bhutto had hundreds of millions of dollars in [...]

A reader has asked me to comment on the Ingrid Bétancourt ordeal. I have limited knowledge of Columbian politics. However, from where I’m standing, Ingrid Bétancourt is a survivor. 5 years in captivity cannot be easy and must be even harder when you have two children at home, pining for your return. Here’s where once [...]

It’s Remembrance Day. A day, to be thankful that soldiers fought, in the name of democracy and freedom. But that was then. It’s difficult to explain why troops are in Afghanistan and not Darfur. Difficult to explain why we’re trying to restore democracy in Iraq and not in Burma. On this day when we must [...]

At midnight yesterday, the Writers’ Guild of America declared war on TV Screens across the world. By striking, writers are protesting their right to a larger piece of the giant pie that has become the American Media Domination. American because it is being produced in the United States but in reality, the pie has crossed [...]

This is one of these days when little makes sense. Former lead singer of French Rock-Band Noir Désir, Bertrand Cantat, is being released today after serving four of the eight-year jail sentence he received for the brutal and deadly beating of his former love, French actress Marie Trintignant. Four years? I’m disgusted. Enough with defending [...]

Despite the roars, the nasty editorials and the fervent demonstrators, Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad landed in New York City where before his scheduled address at the United Nations, he was to speak at Columbia University. And speak, he did. Spitting out a slew of rhetoric that only confirmed his reputation as a crazed man, Mahmoud [...]

In 1990, nestled in a sheltered private catholic school, I was shaken by Spike Lee. The movie “Do the Right Thing” had just be released, and its soundtrack, led by powerful Public Enemy tracks, exposed me to a world I didn’t really knew existed. Under the tartan uniform and behind the awkward braces, I was [...]

A few readers have asked me where I stood on the Jena 6 incident.I refuse to blog about it as it is a deep sociological issue which I am far from being qualified to correctly analyze although it’s clear to see that it is yet another creepy example of what happens when ignorance rules. The [...]

These are the girls giving blondes those stereotyped labels.

A year ago, a misunderstood, misguided, lonely and crazed gun man opened fire at Montreal’s Dawson College, quieting one soul and wounding countless others. And, two days ago, we sadly celebrated the sixth anniversary of September 11th. Some have questioned the yearly commemorative celebrations of these events. It is primordial that we remember. The same [...]

Today, my heart goes to New Yorkers. You are survivors, you are leaders and you are New York. I pray for those who are different and I pray for minorities hoping one day, you don’t feel as such and those epithets will mean nothing.I pray that we all learn tolerance and reject hate. I look [...]

Once again, overzealous TV Execs are being blamed for America’s poor parenting skills. Kid Nation, a TV show set in a New Mexico ghost town, leaves children to their own devices with the objective to create a running municipality. One too many martinis at the CBS production meeting? Perhaps. But the problem doesn’t stem from [...]

The hype has started. The commercials are rolling. The countdown is on. The 2008 Beijing Olympics are a year away. I applaud and marveled at China’s economic progressive domination but the buck stops there. The country is still one of the most oppressive regimes on Planet Earth and holding the Olympic Games there will only [...]

Here we go again. After the start of what its organizers swore would be a clean edition, the Tour de France was splattered by doping allegations. This year’s culprit? Kazakh Alexandre Vinokourov. Singled-out since the Tour’s early stages as a plausible future yellow-jersey wearer, Vinokourov was kicked off the Tournament, leaving this prestigious event with [...]

Since my blogging hiatus of over a week, Canada has celebrated two national holidays: La Fête Nationale in Québec and Canada Day, a week later all over the country. These staples of the Maple Leaf’s calendar should be used to examine one’s identity. I will forever be grateful to my parents for having chosen Canada [...]

In 2005, when he was 17 years-old, Genarlow Wilson attended a New Year’s Party where he befriended a 15 year-old girl and after one thing leading to another, received oral sex from her. In theory, this scene is nothing less than reenactment of what has been going on forever in high school parties all over [...]

After 8 years, Dr. Jack Kevorkian was released from jail where he was cowardly sent for medically assisting in the death of an ALS stricken man who had seek Dr. Kevorkian’s intervention. Jack Kevorkian’s imprisonment was unjust. The man dubbed Dr. Death did nothing but pull the plug on misery, pain and suffering of this [...]

Televangelist & public piranha Jerry Falwell died yesterday.He supported Apartheid. Was an Anti-Semite. Condemned Feminism. Believed God created AIDS to suppress homosexuals. Alleged 9/11 was retaliation for America’ sins. He will not be missed and I hope he was the last of his kind. Now, if only media outlets could stop their docu-reports on him. [...]

Much ado about nothing. The malaise is over a blunt billboard on a roadside in Chicago. Its message: “Life is short. Get a divorce” has wrinkled many and the controversy it has stirred in just a few days has surely proven profitable for the law firm behind it. I find extremely amusing such fuss is [...]

So much hoopla about the exonerated Duke Lacrosse players. A quick briefing: three Duke University Lacrosse players were wrongly (actually, very wrongly) accused of raping a stripper. They were painted guilty way before they had a chance to be proven innocent. With a case that had TV-Movie all over it, racial cards being dealt left [...]