By Murray Sherriffs
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The Autorité des Marchés Publics, which tracks public contracts, says that the SAAQ undermined the principles of fair competition in its handling of the SAAQclic project, concluding that it failed to ensure a fair bidding process and maintain transparency over public spending, leading to a failure to responsibly manage our money. The agency gave SAP Canada an unfair advantage in allowing the firm to help define the project’s needs before the bidding process began, giving them inside information unavailable to competitors, splitting parts of the project into multiple contracts to avoid stricter oversight. At one point the SAAQ needed more money for the project but because any request for funds above 10 per cent would attract unwanted attention, executives sought an increase of 9.97 per cent.
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The trial has begun of two men charged with murdering 15-year-old Meriem Boundaouia by mistake in St. Leonard, with 27-year-olds, Salim Touaibi and Aymane Bouadi charged with first-degree murder and four counts of attempted murder.
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Mario Roy has entered the Quebec Liberal leadership race, despite an impressive debt ($18,000) that he accumulated from his last run which saw Pablo Rodriguez win. He has appealed to Quebecers to “…visit my website to sign my nomination papers and go to the Elections Quebec website to contribute and help repayment of my debt” and raise $15,000 and collect 750 signatures from Liberal members by February 13, to be eligible to run.
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Quebec is expected to see 600+ overdose deaths in the coming year, a repeat of last year, and demands are being made of the Legault government, to do something.
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More than 4,500 nurses in Quebec’s public health network were sidelined by illness or injury in November and their unions warn that the strain is pushing the system and nurses to a breaking point.
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Hundreds of people have protested at CBC Montreal on René Lévesque, demanding “more objective” media coverage of the political crisis developing in Iran.
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CAA-Québec receives about 2,200 calls every day, complaining about potholes but says that the numbers are no different from past years.
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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has recalled ‘no name’ brand beef burgers, citing possible E. coli contamination: The 1.36 kg pack of the no=name brand beef burgers (UPC: 0 60383 37333 7/BEST BEFORE 2026 MA 05 B13 BMP EST 112)
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Older adults can dramatically reduce the amount of ultra-processed foods that they consume and at the same time embrace a balanced diet. The journal Clinical Nutrition says that the foods use industrial techniques and ingredients not found in home cooking, containing emulsifiers, flavourings, colours and preservatives. Not good. A typical American diet has more than 50% of total calories coming from ultra-processed foods. The best diet? Mediterranean.
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Canadiens 2 Capitols 3
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Showers / 5º today
Flurries / -5º tomorrow