This is Montreal

When Montreal’s police chief Fady Dagher announced the firing of seven officers this week for racist, discriminatory and dehumanizing conduct, he emphasized that their actions did not reflect those of “99 per cent” of officers. But some advocates say the focus on “bad apples” distracts from the need for more structural changes in Montreal policing.

It appeared one day in 2019, perched precariously atop a tower, overlooking the decaying silos of the Canada Malting plant along the Lachine canal: A bright pink house, with green shutters. It was the work of a mysterious artist who had scaled the building in secret. For many Montrealers, the pink house is more than a cheeky lick of paint on an old industrial shed. In a few short years, it has reached icon status: captured in photos and paintings, printed on t-shirts and postcards. And when part of the malting plant was recently demolished for safety reasons, some feared for the Pink House's future. Though the house is staying put, with plans for a new housing development on the table, there are questions about how much of the site can and should be preserved. We’ll explore how we decide which parts of the city’s landscape are worth saving and we'll peel back a few layers of the mystery surrounding the Pink House.

Montreal’s mayor says she’s ‘bringing the salt’ back to Montreal roads, this winter. She’ll be increasing the amount that hits our sidewalks and streets, in a bid to make roads safer for pedestrians and drivers. But while salt is really good at getting rid of ice, it also takes a mean bite out of our road infrastructure and has negative impacts on soil and waterways. Producer Rebecca Ugolini joins host Ainslie MacLellan to look at why that is and to explore some of the unusual alternatives municipalities are testing out.

In a few weeks, we’ll be changing our clocks, and leaving Daylight Saving Time behind. But more provinces in Canada are making the decision to abandon the time change. With Manitoba, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories making the jump this November 1st, what about Quebec? Guest host Sudha Krishnan looks at whether it’s a good idea, and what the possible implications could be on the economy–and on your health.

Quebec’s incoming Premier, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, has big plans for the province: from possible changes to healthcare to talks of an eventual referendum. What’s in store for Quebecers as the next crop of politicians waits to be sworn into office? Guest host Sudha Krishnan walks us through the province’s new political landscape and looks ahead with Cathy Senay, CBC’s National Assembly Correspondent.