Montreal, Canada — The 3-year, $1 million fundraising campaign was announced on June 14 at the 18th annual McGill Head & Neck Fundraising gala, honoring the Founder and Chairman of MEGA Brands, Victor J. Bertrand Sr.

“MEGA Brands is committed to giving back to the Montreal community,” said Vic Bertrand, Chief Innovation Officer, “We are proud to partner with the McGill Cancer Head & Neck Fund to contribute in building a better future for our children, one block at a time.”

The funds will be directed to support Dr. Sam Daniel, Director Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, and his world-class research lab which focuses on hearing loss in children caused by cancer treatment.

“Unfortunately, chemotherapy can cause severe irreversible hearing loss in 50% to 90% of all pediatric cancer patients. This has a tremendous impact on the quality of life of pediatric cancer survivors, as hearing loss can worsen over time and impede speech and language development,” said Dr. Saul Frenkiel, Chair of the McGill Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. “This campaign is an exciting opportunity to support the important research to find cures for a devastating side-effect of cancer treatment.”

The campaign was unveiled with the presentation of the Mega Bloks Wellness Wall For Kids. The wall will be built out of Mega Bloks blocks, each one representing a donation by supporters from the Montreal community, and will be installed at the new Montreal’s Children Hospital on the Glen site. More information on the Mega Bloks Wellness Wall for Kids, as well as directions on how to make a donation, will become available in mid-September 2012.

“We are very grateful for this collaboration, which will have a major impact on the lives of children with cancer,” said Marie-Josée Gariépy, president of the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

The Montreal Children’s Hospital is the pediatric teaching hospital of the McGill University Health Centre. The Children’s is a leader in providing a broad spectrum of highly specialized care to newborns, children, and adolescents from all across Quebec.

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What started as a gruesome mystery involving the severed limbs of a man being mailed to the headquarters of Canadian political parties, has taken a turn for the bizarre as investigators announce that their sole suspect in the homicide is a porn actor. Luka Rocco Magnotta, 29, a former stripper and adult film star, is wanted by the Montreal police for the death of the still unidentified victim.  Reports indicate that the limbs all came from the same man.

The case began like something out of a particularly grisly episode of  ’Criminal Minds‘, a bloody package with a poorly drawn heart on it arriving at the headquarters of the Conservative Party of Canada on Tuesday, with staff members hesitantly opening it to find a foul odor and a decaying foot lying inside. The next discovery was by an apartment complex’s janitor, who had noticed a similar odor coming from a suitcase that had been abandoned nearby since Friday.

A man’s torso was revealed upon his unzipping the piece of luggage. Finally, on Tuesday evening, a postal sorting station was searched extensively by the police in Ottawa, where they were able to prevent the delivery of a second package containing a limb – this one holding a severed hand with the recipient listed as the Liberal Party of Canada.

While no other body parts have since been reported as appearing anywhere unexpected, when police searched Magnotta’s Montreal apartment they were only able to recover the other hand and foot. The implication is that the rest of the victim’s body may still be somewhere in the postal system.

Though the targets of the macabre mailings were, thus far, Canadian political parties, there has yet to be any clues as to a motive for the murder or a rationale for why the limbs were addressed to the parties.

On Magnotta’s personal website, which has been taken down as of Wednesday, police found nothing pertaining specifically to politics – though it did indicate what sort of disturbed individual Magnotta is, with nonsensical rants detailing his rage against news organizations and evidence that Magnotta has previously been accused of posting morbid videos and murdering cats.

His penchant for indulging in filming himself may have been his downfall; local police reports that their main piece of evidence against Magnotta is a video that details his killing the victim.

As of now, Magnotta has not been seen in several days – presumably since the murder – and the police are using all available resources in a nationwide manhunt for the suspect.

Until Magnotta is apprehended and able to fully disclose the location of the remaining body parts, both Canadian postal workers and political staffers are treating each package they come across with the utmost caution.

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CTV and The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced today that Canadian icon William Shatner will host CTV’s broadcast of THE 2012 Juno Awards on Sunday, April 1 from Scotiabank Place in Ottawa. Tickets for the 2012 Juno Awards go on sale on Friday Feb.10, beginning at 10 a.m. ET through the Scotiabank Place Box Office, The Sens Store locations at Carlingwood Mall and Place D’Orleans,

“I’m so pleased to be a part of The Juno Awards,” said William Shatner. “To be part of Canada’s entertainment industry is a point of pride.”

“A true Canadian icon, we are thrilled to welcome the man and the legend, William Shatner, as host of THE 2012 JUNO AWARDS broadcast,” said Phil King, President CTV Programming and Sports. “A recording artist himself, Mr. Shatner will bring his irreverent sense of humour and love for his home country to his role as host of Canada’s Music Awards.”

“We’re delighted to welcome one of our nation’s shining stars to Canada’s biggest night in music,” said Melanie Berry, President & CEO, CARAS/The Juno Awards. “William Shatner is a Canadian hero, and with his love for music, the stage, and entertaining as a whole, it’s sure to be an incredible show!”

Best known for roles as Captain James T. Kirk on Star Trek and the Emmy Award- winning role of Denny Crane on Boston Legal, Shatner is one of entertainment’s most recognizable stars. Born and raised in Montreal, Québec, Shatner has a career spanning over 50 years as an award-winning, actor, director, producer, recording artist and author.

His television and film credits span about 200 titles, including Shit My Dad Says, T.J. Hooker, Tekwar, The Practice and Miss Congeniality. And Shatner is no stranger to the music industry. Known for being a quirky and dramatic spoken word artist, Shatner has released three albums over the span of his career, titled The Transformed Man, Has Beenand the recently released Seeking Major Tom .

His renditions of “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” have become cult hits. In February, Shatner opens on Broadway with Shatner’s World at the Music Box Theatre in New York City.

Following announcements made by CTV and CARAS today, the current performance lineup for The 2012 Juno Awards broadcast is Blue Rodeo, City and Colour, deadmau5, Feist, Hedley and Nickelback.

Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

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American and Canadian union members who work for forest industry giant Resolute Forest Products (formerly AbitibiBowater) have joined forces to “speak with one voice” to the company.

About 100 union delegates from 10 Canadian Resolute mills in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia and 4 U.S. mills in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama met recently in Montreal. They adopted a solidarity pledge to coordinate activities and work together, leading to the 2014 pattern and master agreement negotiations with the company in both countries.

“Resolute is on notice that American and Canadian workers will not compete against each other,” said United Steelworkers International Vice President Jon Geenen. “We have decided instead to make sure that we are informed and coordinated across the border and Local to Local about how this company is treating workers and communities.”

“We believe that it was the sacrifices of our members in both countries that made it possible for AbitibiBowater to restructure and become Resolute. We have every right now to insist on consultation and discussion of alternatives before more corporate decisions are taken that affect our members and their communities,” said Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) National President Dave Coles.

At the two-day joint meeting in Montreal, Local delegates reported to each other on cost reduction and job cut demands by the company at every location, often on the basis of comparisons to other mills in each country.

A statement adopted December 18 called for an end to “job blackmail.” “USW and CEP members at Resolute Forest Products today demand respect and fairness,” said the joint statement. “We reject absolutely any form of contrived intimidation between workers and mills. We insist that the company respect our bargaining caucuses, our pattern agreements and end any form of job blackmail between the Local unions.”

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Located in the heart of Quebec, Montreal is one of Canada’s most cherished cities. With a strong presence of French culture and joie de vivre, Montreal is a world class destination. The cosmopolitan city is rich in modernity but also has a distinctively old world charm reminiscent of France.

Standing as the second largest city in Canada, as well as the biggest city in the provence of Quebec, Montreal is sure to offer plenty of fun filled excitement for visitors. One of the most unique aspects of Montreal is its famous underground city. Stretching over 20 miles underneath the hustle and bustle of the city is a maze of connected shopping complexes.

It is the largest underground complex in the world. Restaurants, stores, hotels, apartment buildings, movie theaters, museums and even universities are part of the amenities available in the underground city. Metro stations are also connected with the underground complexes, making is possible to spend a whole day traveling from one side of the complex to the other without ever leaving indoors.

With frigid temperatures in the winter, residents of Montreal are able to stay warm and still enjoy the ongoing excitement of city living without staying outside. A trip to Montreal would not be complete without experiencing the massive underground city, which has dubbed Montreal as “two cities in one.”

The spring and summer seasons are the optimal times to travel to Montreal. Although it is widely known for its extensive indoor city, there is also many beautiful outdoor spots in Montreal to explore. Mont Royal Park stands atop the city and allows for magnificent views of Montreal.

This park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed world renown Central Park. Mont Royal Park is one of the most famous parks in all of Montreal and is one of the largest as well. Not far from Mont Royal Park is St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, a magnificent church perched high atop Montreal.

Climbing the steps up to the entrance of St. Joseph’s Oratory gives way to panoramic views of the city down below. Both of these spots are wonderful ways to enjoy Montreal from above. Down below on the streets of Montreal is the charming neighborhood of Old Town. Considered as a historic site in the city, Old Town is the oldest area of Montreal.

The antiquity of the neighborhood can be seen through the cobblestone streets and old world design of the buildings, some originating in the 17^th century. A stroll through Old Town can seem a bit of a tourist trap, but getting lost in its history and architectural characteristics comes as a pleasant surprise. The highlight of Old Town is Notre-Dame Basilica.

This church has Gothic style influences and is ornately decorated on the inside and out. A stop inside the Notre-Dame Basilica to marvel in its colorful interior and grandeur is sure to take your breath away. When it comes to cuisine, Montreal offers an array of international food that can please anyone’s taste buds.

Taking from its French roots, there are plenty of local spots to enjoy traditional French cuisine and small restaurants specifically for crepes. One of the most famous French Canadian dishes is poutine and it is surely a taste into the lifestyle of Montreal. Often reviewed as having the best poutine in the city, La Banquise is a restaurant that serves over 20 variations of the french fries and gravy dish.

Whether sinking your teeth into savory plates of poutine or walking around the indoor and outdoor wonders of the city, Montreal is a wonderful place to visit for a taste of both French and Canadian cultures.

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46 year-old Bernard Hopkins made history Saturday night at the Bell Center in Montreal, Canada, defeating 28 year-old Canadian fighter Jean Pascal for the WBC light-heavyweight title. With his victory, Hopkins became the oldest champion to win a legitimate title in professional boxing history.

The first fight between the two on December 18, 2010 ended in a draw, but this time Hopkins was determined to prove that he still has plenty left in the tank.

Pascal came out firing in the first few rounds as was to be expected from the young former-champion. After catching countless significant blows to the face, Hopkins seemed to be hurt after the fourth round, but refused to back down.

At the start of the fifth round fans roared as Hopkins began to dance around his opponent, taunting him mercilessly in attempts to get into the champions head and get him off of his game-plan.

Once Hopkins saw that his antics were having an impact on Pascal, they became more and more obvious. After doing push-ups in the middle of the ring as he waited for the young Canadian to meet him at the center before the start of the sixth round, Pascal’s frustration became increasingly visible.

The real turning point came when Pascal caught Hopkins left thumb in his eye from a hard jab, which seemed to effect him for every subsequent round. As the fight continued and drew closer and closer to the final round, Hopkins proved that he was in complete control.

Two straight rounds ended with Pascal stumbling back to his corner after near knockdowns from the veteran fighter, and Hopkins seemed to have his second reign as light-heavyweight champion in his sights.

Unfortunately for the promising young fighter, he was completely outmatched this time, and it seemed as though he really just was not good enough to deal with Hopkins.

After the fight, the Philadelphia native told reporters he had no plans of retiring, and his performance Saturday night surely backed up his words.

Congratulations to Bernard Hopkins for making history and further solidifying his status as a boxing legend.

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