Unusual object in night sky baffles Montrealers

*Exact same thing Patrick and I saw three years ago, in the same city. It was reported to MUFON.*

A mysterious object in the sky over Montreal this week is getting a lot of attention, including from a respected Montreal doctor who believes he saw something “out of this world.”

Several people in the Cote St. Luc neighbourhood called authorities early Wednesday morning about a strange blinking light hovering high in the sky.

Dr. Cleve Ziegler, an obstetrician-gynecologist, spotted the object when he was driving home from work around 12:30 a.m. He couldn’t believe his eyes.

“There were many little sparkly red and blue lights. It had a changing shape, morphing from something that looked triangular to something that looked like a trapezoid. It was not a stable shape,” Ziegler told CBC News.

“It was coming closer and [then moved] farther, it was turning and rotating.”

He then saw other people looking up at the same thing, including a man who told him his wife was so spooked that she scurried home.

“I’m a guy who spends a lot of time in the country in the summer. I have seen satellites. I’ve seen falling stars. I know what a plane looks like. None of those things had the trajectory or motion that this did,” said Ziegler.

Ziegler called police, who had already received several other calls about the mysterious object in the sky. He forwarded a dark, poor-quality video he took on his cellphone to authorities.

He admits the video doesn’t do justice to what he saw.

“What I saw was compelling, unusual and you had this visceral sense looking at it that this is a once-in-a lifetime thing,” he said. “At a risk of sounding Hollywood and shlocky, it was kinda not of this world.”

Object likely man-made: astronomer

Theories about what was in the sky Wednesday night have already started circulating among astronomy buffs and experts.

Andrew Fazekas, a director at the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, said the object was likely of this world.

“From the description, definitely I would say it is not something astronomical. It’s not a satellite. And it’s not a star or anything like that,” said Fazekas.

“It could have been some sort of balloon.… Strobe lights on a private? A powerful laser?”

Fazekas said the sightings are getting a lot of attention.

“It is starting to make the rounds and getting viral because people are naturally interested in unidentified things in the sky. People are drawn to it,” said Fazekas.

Police close brief investigation

Montreal police received several calls about a mysterious object in the sky after midnight Wednesday morning.

Const. Daniel Lacoursière said Trudeau Airport reported nothing on the radar in that area at the time.

He posed another theory. Around the same time, helicopters were buzzing around the site of a fuel spill at the Port of Montreal in the other end of town.

Ziegler said he doesn’t believe in extraterrestrial life, but thinks he did see something otherworldly.

“It’s not like I want to believe this,” he said.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2010/09/30/mystery-ufo-sighting-montreal.html?ref=rss#ixzz111xKKmTH

Military choppers conduct exercises over Montreal

MONTREAL – Don’t be alarmed if you see military helicopters flying over downtown Montreal.

Two Canadian Forces CH-146 Griffon helicopters from the 427th Special Operations Aviation Squadron have begun three evenings of training manoeuvres, from Wednesday to Friday night.

Flying from the St. Hubert airport, the choppers will approach Complexe Desjardins (at Ste. Catherine and Bleury Sts.) from various directions and hover over the building for brief periods between 6 p.m. and midnight to practise night approaches to high-rise buildings.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Military%2Bchoppers%2Bdowntown%2Bexercise/1977208/story.html

A few more UFO reports from over the weekend

Three in Quebec, one in BC.

June 12, 2009, 10:14 pm, Mascouche, Quebec
Flash of light in sky went to left. Second flash moved to right, then a third to the left again, like a zig-zag. Total length of observation, 5-7 secs. Gave witness “shivers.”

June 13, 2009, 8:30 pm, Ste-Anne-de-Sabrevois, Quebec
As many as 50 small points of light moving high in sky over Montreal, going left to right (west to east?). Seen by two witnesses with a spotting scope. Only a handful were visible without the spotting scope. Speed was described as “faster than a jet.”

June 14, 2009, 12:28 am, Shawinigan, Quebec
Starlike light moving W-E at high speed, in north. Ten minutes later, 4 lights moving in and around one another flew quickly W-E, similar trajectory.

June 14, 2009, midnight(?), Vancouver, BC
Very bright “shooting star” lit up sky like lightning. Looked like “pizza without a slice.” Went to SW at high speed, vanished.

These came through Francois Bourbeau and MUFON.

http://dundurn.com/ufos/2009/06/15/a-few-more-ufo-reports-from-over-the-weekend/

Bill Surkis accusé

Bill Surkis, un leader de la communauté juive, est accusé de possession de matériel de pornographie juvénile. Il a comparu au palais de justice de Montréal, vendredi après-midi.

Une vingtaine de vidéos de pornographie infantile auraient été retrouvés dans l’ordinateur que M. Surkis a envoyé dans un magasin de réparation.

Informé jeudi soir des accusations, celui qui fut directeur de la section québécoise du B’nai Brith s’est rendu lui-même au poste de police, où il a été mis en état d’arrestation. Il est accusé d’accès et de possession de matériel de pornographie juvénile.

Pour chacun des chefs d’accusation, Surkis est passible d’un minimum de 45 jours en prison. La peine maximale est de 10 ans, selon son avocat, Steven Slimovitch.

Bill Surkis, 69 ans, a été remis en liberté sous plusieurs conditions. Il lui est interdit de se trouver seul en présence de mineurs, et son utilisation d’un ordinateur est limitée à des fins professionnelles. Il doit aussi informer, chaque mois, la police à propos de sa navigation sur le net, et ne pourra pas quitter le Québec.

L’accusé, marié et grand-père, reviendra en cour le 24 septembre prochain pour connaître la suite des procédures.

« Ils seront déçus. Ils me connaissent comme un individu dévoué », a déclaré M. Surkis quant à l’impact qu’aura son arrestation au sein de la communauté juive.

http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/Montreal/2009/05/29/006-Sukis-pornographie-juvenile.shtml

Computer maintenance uncovers child porn-B’nai Brith

MONTREAL – It was only when Bill Surkis sent his computer to a repair shop to check for a virus that police were notified of suspicious videos on his hard drive.

Based on that evidence, the former regional director of B’nai Brith in Quebec was charged Friday with two counts relating to the possession and accessing of child pornography between July and November, 2008.

Surkis, 69, who was also the academic dean of John Abbott College for 22 years, and the executive director of the Holocaust Memorial Centre, spent the night in jail before being released with a long list of conditions Friday afternoon.

He is forbidden from being in the presence of minors or in any park or playground where minors congregate. It was not clear whether this condition also applies to his own grandchildren.

He is forbidden from using his computer or any other equipment to access the Internet except for work purposes, and he is barred from going to Internet cafés.

Surkis has been working recently as a political consultant.

And he was ordered to give up his passport and remain in Quebec unless given written permission by the prosecutor.

Surkis’s lawyer, Steven Slimovitch, said his client was very upset by the charges.

“He understands how serious the accusation is,” Slimovitch said. “We will not make light of this.”

If found guilty, Surkis will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 days and a maximum sentence of five years in jail.

That said, Slimovitch pointed out that Surkis has no prior accusations or history of using child pornography. And althoug the videos were found on his computer, Slimovitch said, his client is not accused of making, selling or trafficking the videos.

Slimovitch, who is also National Legal Counsel for B’nai Brith Canada, said the news will likely come as a shock to the Jewish community.

“He’s a community leader,” he said. “I assume everyone will take a step back and look at this seriously.”

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Former+director+Brith+Quebec+faces+child+porn+charges/1644215/story.html

Le Canadien de Montréal et le Centre Bell officiellement à vendre: plusieurs intéressés

C’est confirmé: le Canadien de Montréal ainsi que le Centre Bell sont officiellement à vendre.

Selon ce que rapporte en exclusivité la télévision de Radio-Canada, plusieurs entreprises sont intéressées à acheter le bâtiment de la rue de la Gauchetière et le club de hockey qui fête actuellement son centenaire.

Mandaté pour évaluer la situation des actifs que représentent le Canadien et le Centre Bell, BMO Marché des capitaux a identifié une cinquantaine d’acheteurs potentiels. Ceux-ci ont jusqu’à jeudi prochain, 17h, pour déposer une offre à l’actuel propriétaire George Gillett.

Les entreprises ou individus intéressés ont dû signer un accord de confidentialité pour étudier le tout. Parmi les principaux intéressés, il y a la Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, la famille Molson, Guy Laliberté, qui est propriétaire du Cirque du Soleil, René Angélil, Quebecor et la famille Saputo.

L’Américain George Gillett étudie la possibilité de la vente du Tricolore depuis quelques semaines, lui qui en est propriétaire depuis 2001. Hier, un regroupement de Québécois provenant de différents horizons professionnels affirmait vouloir demander à George Gillett de vendre 30% de l’équipe aux Québécois, par le biais d’émissions de parts. Puis ce mardi matin, il a été révélé que l’ancien directeur général du Canadien de Montréal Serge Savard, dont le chandail a été retiré par l’organisation, a dit être prêt à acheter le club de hockey.

Cette saison marque le centième anniversaire du club de hockey Canadien, fondé le 4 décembre 1909. Le Tricolore est le club le plus décoré du hockey professionnel, avec 24 conquêtes de la Coupe Stanley. La dernière fois que le Canadien a remporté le précieux trophée, c’était en 1993. Actuellement, le club lutte pour une place en séries éliminatoires.

Avec trois matchs à jouer, le CH est au septième rang de l’Association Est avec 92 points, trois points devant les Rangers de New York qui occupent le 8e rang, soit la dernière place pour les séries. Ces deux clubs s’affrontent ce mardi soir à New York.

http://biz.branchez-vous.com/actuaffaires/2009/04/le_canadien_de_montreal_et_le.html

Montreal activists serve eviction notice to Israeli Consulate

*You wonder why I love Montreal?*

Thursday, January 8th : In protest against the ongoing Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip activists in Montreal have taken action at the Israeli Consulate in Montreal.

Serving a detailed an eviction notice to the Israeli Consulate in Montreal demonstrators demanded “the eviction of the Consulate of Israel, the expulsion of the Consular General and an immediate end to the Israeli assault on Gaza.”

Effectively shutting down daily operations at the Israeli Consulate this morning activists severed an eviction notice and successfully shut-down the daily operations at the Consulate.

In solidarity with the 1.5 million people in Gaza demonstrators in Montreal are demanding an end to Israel’s military assault, the 18-month siege on the Gaza Strip and to allow humanitarian aid into the territory.

“Canada’s lack of response to recent war crimes in Gaza speaks volumes about their support for Israeli apartheid,” said Sophie Schoen, a spokesperson for the action.

Protesters are outraged at Israel’s latest assault on the Palestinian people and by the Canadian government’s refusal to condemn these massacres that have left 700 dead and over 3000 wounded since December 27, 2008.

In the past 24 hours Israeli has bombarded three U.N. schools in Gaza killing dozens of internally displaced refugees inside Gaza.

“We demand the Canadian government cut all ties with the apartheid regime of Israel,” said Mostafa Henaway of Tadamon! Montreal.

The action in Montreal comes on the heels of countless protests worldwide against Israeli war crimes, including an occupation of the Israeli Consulate in Toronto by Jewish women yesterday.

EVICTION NOTICE

DEFENDANT: Consulate of Israel in Montreal

WHEREBY the tenant of this premise is responsible for war crimes under the fourth Geneva Convention, including ;

* The bombing of the Islamic University in Gaza City, and other civilian infrastructure such as ambulances and mosques;

* The shelling of a U.N. school in the Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza, killing over 40 people, including many children;

* The suffocation of the people of Gaza, through an imposed 18 month siege, effectively cutting-off access to fuel, cooking gas, flour, and other basic necessities;

* The killing of over 700 people, a significant portion who are civilians, during their offensive entitled “Operation Cast Lead” which began on December 27th, 2008.

THEREFORE, we as concerned resident of Montreal demand:

* The eviction of the Consulate of Israel, the expulsion of the Consular General, and an immediate end to the Israeli assault on Gaza.

http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20090108140410995

Being in Montreal…

Reminds me of how totally bland Mississauga is, or even the GTA. Today, we ate at a wonderful place on Laurier called Bella Pizza. OMG, wonderful pizza, fries, vegetarian food. The food is so damn bland in Miserysauga, I wonder how people can handle it. Chains as far as the eye can see…Port Credit is all right, but the rest…ugh.

I love Quebec. Once you have lived here, you don’t really want to be anywhere else. Nice to be with my friends again :)

Had a nice conversation with my favorite philosopher type, talking of lower vibrations and gnosticism and such…it was so wonderful to see him again!!!!!

Sarkozy to shorten Quebec visit

The already short visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Canada this week has been trimmed back further so Sarkozy can meet with U.S. President George Bush on Saturday.

The two leaders are to meet at Camp David in Maryland.

Sarkozy had been slated to visit Montreal , then head for Quebec City for the Francophonie summit. He was to have met Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Montreal, but that leg of the trip has been shifted to Quebec City tomorrow.

Harper is to pitch the idea of a Canada-Europe economic accord. Sarkozy currently holds the presidency of the European Union, an alternating post.

On Friday, Sarkozy is to participate in the Francophone summit and speak at a special sitting of the Quebec legislature.

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=07f702d8-b5d9-4ba5-a59d-a0a768a06e9a