Andy Riga
LightNews LightNews
banner
andyriga.bsky.social
Andy Riga
@andyriga.bsky.social
510 followers 250 following 75 posts
Montrealer. Journaliste à la Gazette. Reporter covering Quebec news and issues for the Montreal Gazette. English/Français/Italiano

https://montrealgazette.com/author/andyriga/

ariga@montrealgazette.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
andyriga.bsky.social
Quebec investigates anglo rights activist Andrew Caddell over Facebook comments

Beware: a lot of profanity in this story: www.montrealgazette.com/news/provinc...

#polqc
Man holds up a lawsuit as protesters in the back hold up anti-Bill-96 placards
March 18, 2025 at 4:14 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
120 days of Donald Trump: Tariff tactics and ’51st state’ talk destabilize the politics and economy of Quebec and Canada

Read more at: www.montrealgazette.com/news/provinc...
U.S. President Donald Trump and Quebec Premier Francois Legault shake hands in Paris
March 3, 2025 at 9:23 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
In a new book, the father of Quebec City mosque killer Alexandre Bissonnette describes the bullying his son endured at school and says he isn't a terrorist

Before killing six Muslim men, he had immersed himself in far-right content about Muslims, immigrants

www.montrealgazette.com/news/article...
March 3, 2025 at 9:19 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
‘Bye-bye, sheriff’: Éric Caire quits as CAQ minister amid SAAQclic fiasco engulfing François Legault government

Budgeted at $638M, the auto-insurance board's online plan will cost a minimum of $1.1B. Glitches plagued it from the start.

Read more at: www.montrealgazette.com/news/provinc...

#quebec
Coalition Avenir Québec MNA Éric Caire points toward the opposition benches in the National Assembly
February 27, 2025 at 7:50 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Université de Montréal, McGill and Concordia denounce Quebec’s new cap on international university students

Quebec also removed professors and researchers from the list of those eligible for an expedited immigration process

Read more at: www.montrealgazette.com/news/provinc...

#academia #Montreal
Students walk to a McGill University building on a snowy day.
February 26, 2025 at 9:50 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Cowan: Canadians have reason to be upset with Wayne Gretzky

www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/colu...
February 25, 2025 at 8:20 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
New non-Quebec students at McGill and Concordia universities will not have to pass a French test, higher education department confirms

Read more at: www.montrealgazette.com/news/article...

#academia #montreal
A McGill flag flaps in the wind atop a building at McGill University in Montreal
February 21, 2025 at 5:39 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Professors, CEGEP teachers condemn Quebec Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry for "political interference" in Palestinian course content at Dawson College

Read more at: www.montrealgazette.com/news/article...

#academia
Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry speaks at a microphone as Premier François Legault looks on
February 19, 2025 at 7:36 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Concordia University’s inflatable sports facility collapses under a deluge of snow

Read more: www.montrealgazette.com/news/article...

#montreal #storm
A white inflatable structure is shown flattened in a Concordia University field after collapsing. A white inflatable structure is shown flattened in a Concordia University field after collapsing. A white inflatable structure is shown flattened in a Concordia University field after collapsing. A white inflatable structure is shown flattened in a Concordia University field after collapsing.
February 17, 2025 at 10:21 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
McGill University now says Quebec’s new French rule may be an advantage, not a barrier. It could be a “distinctive feature” for students.

Starting this fall, 80% of new non-Quebec undergrads must achieve intermediate oral French by graduation

Read more: montrealgazette.com/news/article750840.html
Students walk toward a building flying a McGill University flag
February 13, 2025 at 3:27 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Concordia University must add 1,000 students to slash its giant deficit—but winter registrations are down and early signs aren't good for the fall

www.montrealgazette.com/news/article...

This follows my update yesterday on McGill. It's slashing its budget by $45M, cutting up to 500 jobs

#academia
People walk by a giant Concordia University sign
February 11, 2025 at 3:53 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
McGill University to cut budget by $45 million, may eliminate up to 500 jobs

"Some positions will be abolished. It’s unsettling news — we realize that — and it’s not something we take lightly.”

Read more at: www.montrealgazette.com/news/article...

#Montreal #Quebec #academia
Students walk on the snow-covered campus of McGill University in Montreal
February 9, 2025 at 9:16 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Quebec Premier François Legault says he's open to considering oil and gas projects as U.S. tariffs loom.

He also warned Montreal Canadiens fans against booing the American national anthem at the Bell Centre on Saturday

Story here: www.montrealgazette.com/news/article...

#habs
Premier François Legault and another man walk through a factory wearing safety glasses
February 6, 2025 at 10:34 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Live updates: Quebec braces for trade war with U.S. as tariffs loom

- Quebec business leaders 'need financial support'
- Will Montreal boo Star Spangled Banner at Canada-USA game?
- On 51st state: Le Québec dit Non
- Quebec liquor stores pull US products

www.montrealgazette.com/news/article...
U.S., Quebec and Canadian flags
February 3, 2025 at 5:20 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
‘Enshrining discrimination’: New Quebec plan to integrate immigrants will further stigmatize newcomers, critics say

Read more at: www.montrealgazette.com/news/provinc...

Read the proposed law here: www.scribd.com/document/822...
Premier François Legault and French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge sit at a table with Quebec flags behind them
January 31, 2025 at 8:50 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Quebec slams federal government’s appointment of McGill law dean Robert Leckey as Quebec Superior Court judge.

Leckey has been a vocal critic of Bill 21 (secularism) and Bill 96 (language laws).

Read more at: www.montrealgazette.com/news/provinc...
Robert Leckey, former dean of McGill University's law faculty
January 30, 2025 at 9:29 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Follow-up to a story I posted earlier this week

Quebec's language minister and the city of Montreal now say a municipal library erred when it refused space to an English-language book club citing Quebec’s new language law.

Read more at: www.montrealgazette.com/news/provinc...
January 30, 2025 at 5:22 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
The Montreal agglomeration is holding a public meeting about the draft report in February (ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?...)

The full report is here: ville.montreal.qc.ca/pls/portal/d...
January 30, 2025 at 3:37 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Also from the report, this chart shows the home regions of people who visit downtown Montreal at various times of the day.
Colour-coded chart
January 30, 2025 at 3:35 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Areas in the central and eastern parts are more vulnerable to heat waves. Some high-risk flood zones are located away from the rivers
Colour-coded map of Montreal Island Colour-coded map of Montreal Island
January 30, 2025 at 3:35 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
A new risk-management report from Montreal’s fire department features some striking maps.

This one shows household revenue. It’s higher in the central and western parts of the island
Colour-coded map of Montreal Island
January 30, 2025 at 3:35 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
A Quebec court today heard two contrasting views on the future of English school boards.

One side argues they're vital hubs that must be preserved to protect the linguistic minority.

The other says they're out of touch with parents and unworthy of survival.

www.montrealgazette.com/news/provinc...
A child stands near a yellow school bus at a stop sign
January 29, 2025 at 8:36 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Montreal library cites language law for refusing space to anglo book club

www.montrealgazette.com/news/article...
January 29, 2025 at 3:35 AM
andyriga.bsky.social
Quebec says education minister would not control English schools under Bill 40 reform

Over three days this week, the Quebec Court of Appeal is hearing arguments about the future of the province’s English school system

Read more at: www.montrealgazette.com/news/provinc...
Children sit at desks in an elementary school classroom in Quebec
January 27, 2025 at 10:20 PM
andyriga.bsky.social
Boycott Amazon posters have popped up in Montreal after the company said it would shut down operations in Quebec amid a union push
“We’re not cheap labour,” boycott-Amazon poster says
January 27, 2025 at 2:19 PM