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Montreal Gazette
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Letters: Balancing academic freedom with safety on campus
The open letter by CEGEP teachers demanding the resignation of Minister Pascale Déry puts a spotlight on the challenges of maintaining both safety and freedom of speech on campuses and the difficult tightrope the government must walk to navigate this balance. The conflict in the Middle East evokes strong emotions that have exploded into educational spaces. Allegations of harassment and inappropriate use of classroom time has given rise to the investigation by the ministry of higher education. This comes amid another investigation by various groups into dozens of antisemitic, racist and misogynistic slurs by Quebec medical school applicants on the popular social media platform Discord. Schools must remain places where academic freedom and open dialogue are cherished, but there is a limit to this freedom when students do not feel safe on campus and teachers cannot be trusted to maintain neutrality in their course content. The investigation by the ministry aims to ensure a respectful and peaceful climate in our schools. Our government not only has a right to deal with racism and antisemitism head-on, it has an obligation to do so. Marcy Bruck, The Foundation for Genocide Education, Montreal Anglos helped build Quebec, too Re: ' 'Go Habs Go' fiasco wasn't a one-off ' (Allison Hanes, May 2) Allison Hanes has hit the nail on the head. While we mock and criticize the 'language police,' they are doing their job according to the laws and policies of the Quebec government. With its approach and attitude of disrespect — and all-out campaign against the use of English in Quebec — it seems clear the CAQ government refuses to acknowledge the important role the anglophone community has played in the growth and development of our province. Gerry Raven, Hampstead Respect must be a two-way street In his first comments after being sworn in, Prime Minister Mark Carney described Canada as 'a country built on the bedrock of three peoples: Indigenous, French and British,' and called the Crown a link to 'Canada's proud British heritage.' We are used to being hit over the head with notions of Quebec's unique French heritage, but let us not forget that English Canada has a heritage and identity as well. The history of the Crown is intimately tied to all three of our founding peoples. It is the reason the Loyalists fled the American Revolution. It is the source of security for our treaties with Indigenous Peoples. And it offered the continuation of the French language, civil law and Catholic religion at a time when these were under severe pressure from American expansionism. Canada is careful to tiptoe around matters of identity, as Quebec rightly demands respect for its distinct society. But to get respect, you must give respect. Jordan Black, Rosemont Submitting a letter to the editor Letters should be sent by email to letters@ We prioritize letters that respond to, or are inspired by, articles published by The Gazette. If you are responding to a specific article, let us know which one. Letters should be sent uniquely to us. The shorter they are — ideally, fewer than 200 words — the greater the chance of publication. Timing, clarity, factual accuracy and tone are all important, as is whether the writer has something new to add to the conversation. We reserve the right to edit and condense all letters. Care is taken to preserve the core of the writer's argument. Our policy is not to publish anonymous letters, those with pseudonyms or 'open letters' addressed to third parties. Letters are published with the author's full name and city or neighbourhood/borough of residence. Include a phone number and address to help verify identity; these will not be published. We will not indicate to you whether your letter will be published. If it has not been published within 10 days or so, it is not likely to be.
Montreal Gazette
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
Cowan: Canadiens' David Savard sets sights on family time, new role with team
Montreal Canadiens By David Savard was too emotional to speak with the media in Washington after the Canadiens were eliminated by the Capitals in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. The 34-year-old defenceman had announced before the playoffs started that he would be retiring at the end of this season, his 14th in the NHL. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound bear of a man teared up during the handshake line with the Capitals after Game 5. The Canadiens stayed over in Washington that night before flying back home the next day. 'I was just kind of enjoying the last time in a great plane with good food,' Savard said about his final charter flight as an NHL player when the Canadiens met with the Montreal media last Friday for the final time this season. 'It's definitely a good way to travel. They did a little something special at the end that I didn't expect.' When the Canadiens' flight landed at the Montreal Metropolitan Airport in St. Hubert, it was greeted with a water canon salute from firefighters in honour of Savard. It's something that is normally reserved for pilots making the final flight of their career. 'It's a tradition and I had the chance to experience it,' Savard said. 'So I think it's just another example of how much support there is from the city, from how they embraced the fact that I played for the Canadiens.' Savy a été accueilli par le salut des canons à eau des pompiers de l'aéroport de Montréal après son dernier match dans la LNH Savy was welcomed home with a water canon salute from the Montreal airport firefighters following his final NHL game #GoHabsGo | @DesjardinsCoop |… — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 8, 2025 Playing in 870 career regular-season games and blocking 1,624 shots — including a team-high 180 this season, which ranked eighth in the NHL — took a toll on Savard's body. It showed that the game was starting to get too fast for Savard and he realized it was time to hang up his skates — especially with the number of young defencemen the Canadiens have. 'You feel it every day,' Savard said about the beating his body took. 'There's a lot of injuries that keep coming back.' Savard hopes to stay with the Canadiens in some sort of coaching or player-development role and it would definitely make sense to keep him around. Head coach Martin St. Louis said Savard had already become an extension of the coaching staff while working and playing with the team's young defenceman during a rebuilding phase that started after Marc Bergevin was fired as general manager and Jeff Gorton was hired as the executive vice-president (hockey operations) on Nov. 28, 2021, less than two months into Savard's first season with the Canadiens. Savard signed a four-year, US$14-million contract as a free agent after helping the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Canadiens in the 2021 Stanley Cup final. The St-Hyacinthe native was excited about returning home with his wife and three children after spending 10 seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets before being dealt to the Lightning ahead of the 2021 NHL trade deadline. 'Coming back to Montreal and playing at home in front of friends and family was special,' Savard said. 'Just to be able to finish here is something really special for me. I asked (GM) Kent (Hughes) around the (trade) deadline if there was a possibility to stick around. I don't know if he got anything on the table but, obviously, I was able to stay here and I was really pleased with that. To be able to finish here and make the playoffs, it just makes it so special. 'I loved every second of coming back home,' Savard added. '(The fans) showed nothing but support. I know we had some tough years and I think they stuck behind us. It's a passionate fan base and the future is really bright here.' Josh Anderson had Savard as a teammate for six seasons with the Blue Jackets and for the last four seasons with the Canadiens. 'He brought me in as a young guy coming into Columbus and he's been nothing but a good friend, a good leader, and to see what he's been through ... obviously, he's been through it all, but he lays his body on the line each and every night,' Anderson said. 'Does whatever it takes to win hockey games. I think he's been so important for our young guys, especially on the back end. 'Incredible guy to look up to,' Anderson added. 'They don't make many guys like that anymore. I'm glad to see him go out on his own terms. Just to see how he brought it each and every night. He's such a good person away from the rink and it will be good to see him have time with his family now.' Savard said it was a bittersweet feeling when he arrived at home after the Canadiens' charter flight had landed. His three children are age 9, 8 and 5. 'They were crushed that we lost … the kids were pretty sad,' he said. 'But, obviously, happy that I'm going to be there every night and be there around them all the time. It's just a weird mix of emotions in a way.' Félicitations, David, on a tremendous career for a player selected in the fourth round (94th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft.
Ottawa Citizen
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Cowan: Canadiens' David Savard sets sights on family time, new role with team
Article content was too emotional to speak with the media in Washington after the Canadiens were eliminated by the Capitals in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. Article content Article content The 34-year-old defenceman had announced before the playoffs started that he would be retiring at the end of this season, his 14th in the NHL. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound bear of a man teared up during the handshake line with the Capitals after Game 5. Article content The Canadiens stayed over in Washington that night before flying back home the next day. Article content 'I was just kind of enjoying the last time in a great plane with good food,' Savard said about his final charter flight as an NHL player when the Canadiens met with the Montreal media last Friday for the final time this season. 'It's definitely a good way to travel. They did a little something special at the end that I didn't expect.' Article content When the Canadiens' flight landed at the Montreal Metropolitan Airport in St. Hubert, it was greeted with a water canon salute from firefighters in honour of Savard. It's something that is normally reserved for pilots making the final flight of their career. Article content 'It's a tradition and I had the chance to experience it,' Savard said. 'So I think it's just another example of how much support there is from the city, from how they embraced the fact that I played for the Canadiens.' Article content Savy a été accueilli par le salut des canons à eau des pompiers de l'aéroport de Montréal après son dernier match dans la LNH 🤝 Savy was welcomed home with a water canon salute from the Montreal airport firefighters following his final NHL game #GoHabsGo | @DesjardinsCoop |… — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 8, 2025 Article content Playing in 870 career regular-season games and blocking 1,624 shots — including a team-high 180 this season, which ranked eighth in the NHL — took a toll on Savard's body. It showed that the game was starting to get too fast for Savard and he realized it was time to hang up his skates — especially with the number of young defencemen the Canadiens have. Article content Article content 'You feel it every day,' Savard said about the beating his body took. 'There's a lot of injuries that keep coming back.' Article content Savard hopes to stay with the Canadiens in some sort of coaching or player-development role and it would definitely make sense to keep him around. Article content Head coach Martin St. Louis said Savard had already become an extension of the coaching staff while working and playing with the team's young defenceman during a rebuilding phase that started after Marc Bergevin was fired as general manager and Jeff Gorton was hired as the executive vice-president (hockey operations) on Nov. 28, 2021, less than two months into Savard's first season with the Canadiens. Article content Article content Savard signed a four-year, US$14-million contract as a free agent after helping the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Canadiens in the 2021 Stanley Cup final. The St-Hyacinthe native was excited about returning home with his wife and three children after spending 10 seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets before being dealt to the Lightning ahead of the 2021 NHL trade deadline. Article content 'Coming back to Montreal and playing at home in front of friends and family was special,' Savard said. 'Just to be able to finish here is something really special for me. I asked (GM) Kent (Hughes) around the (trade) deadline if there was a possibility to stick around. I don't know if he got anything on the table but, obviously, I was able to stay here and I was really pleased with that. To be able to finish here and make the playoffs, it just makes it so special.
Vancouver Sun
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Cowan: Canadiens' David Savard sets sights on family time, new role with team
David Savard was too emotional to speak with the media in Washington after the Canadiens were eliminated by the Capitals in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. The 34-year-old defenceman had announced before the playoffs started that he would be retiring at the end of this season, his 14th in the NHL. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound bear of a man teared up during the handshake line with the Capitals after Game 5. The Canadiens stayed over in Washington that night before flying back home the next day. 'I was just kind of enjoying the last time in a great plane with good food,' Savard said about his final charter flight as an NHL player when the Canadiens met with the Montreal media last Friday for the final time this season. 'It's definitely a good way to travel. They did a little something special at the end that I didn't expect.' When the Canadiens' flight landed at the Montreal Metropolitan Airport in St. Hubert, it was greeted with a water canon salute from firefighters in honour of Savard. It's something that is normally reserved for pilots making the final flight of their career. 'It's a tradition and I had the chance to experience it,' Savard said. 'So I think it's just another example of how much support there is from the city, from how they embraced the fact that I played for the Canadiens.' Savy a été accueilli par le salut des canons à eau des pompiers de l'aéroport de Montréal après son dernier match dans la LNH 🤝 Savy was welcomed home with a water canon salute from the Montreal airport firefighters following his final NHL game #GoHabsGo | @DesjardinsCoop |… Playing in 870 career regular-season games and blocking 1,624 shots — including a team-high 180 this season, which ranked eighth in the NHL — took a toll on Savard's body. It showed that the game was starting to get too fast for Savard and he realized it was time to hang up his skates — especially with the number of young defencemen the Canadiens have. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'You feel it every day,' Savard said about the beating his body took. 'There's a lot of injuries that keep coming back.' Savard hopes to stay with the Canadiens in some sort of coaching or player-development role and it would definitely make sense to keep him around. Head coach Martin St. Louis said Savard had already become an extension of the coaching staff while working and playing with the team's young defenceman during a rebuilding phase that started after Marc Bergevin was fired as general manager and Jeff Gorton was hired as the executive vice-president (hockey operations) on Nov. 28, 2021, less than two months into Savard's first season with the Canadiens. Savard signed a four-year, US$14-million contract as a free agent after helping the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Canadiens in the 2021 Stanley Cup final. The St-Hyacinthe native was excited about returning home with his wife and three children after spending 10 seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets before being dealt to the Lightning ahead of the 2021 NHL trade deadline. 'Coming back to Montreal and playing at home in front of friends and family was special,' Savard said. 'Just to be able to finish here is something really special for me. I asked (GM) Kent (Hughes) around the (trade) deadline if there was a possibility to stick around. I don't know if he got anything on the table but, obviously, I was able to stay here and I was really pleased with that. To be able to finish here and make the playoffs, it just makes it so special. 'I loved every second of coming back home,' Savard added. '(The fans) showed nothing but support. I know we had some tough years and I think they stuck behind us. It's a passionate fan base and the future is really bright here.' Josh Anderson had Savard as a teammate for six seasons with the Blue Jackets and for the last four seasons with the Canadiens. 'He brought me in as a young guy coming into Columbus and he's been nothing but a good friend, a good leader, and to see what he's been through … obviously, he's been through it all, but he lays his body on the line each and every night,' Anderson said. 'Does whatever it takes to win hockey games. I think he's been so important for our young guys, especially on the back end. 'Incredible guy to look up to,' Anderson added. 'They don't make many guys like that anymore. I'm glad to see him go out on his own terms. Just to see how he brought it each and every night. He's such a good person away from the rink and it will be good to see him have time with his family now.' Savard said it was a bittersweet feeling when he arrived at home after the Canadiens' charter flight had landed. His three children are age 9, 8 and 5. 'They were crushed that we lost … the kids were pretty sad,' he said. 'But, obviously, happy that I'm going to be there every night and be there around them all the time. It's just a weird mix of emotions in a way.' Félicitations, David, on a tremendous career for a player selected in the fourth round (94th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft.
Montreal Gazette
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
Cowan: Cole Caufield predicts bright future for tight-knit Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens By The big question when Cole Caufield signed an eight-year, US$62.8-million contract with the Canadiens two summers ago was could he stay healthy? The 5-foot-8, 175-pound winger signed the contract four months after surgery on his right shoulder put an end to his 2022-23 season with 26-10-36 totals in 46 games. Caufield could have become a restricted free agent on July 1, 2023. At the time of the surgery, Caufield wasn't concerned about the impact it might have on contract talks. 'They know the type of player I am,' Caufield said. 'We've had talks, for sure, about where my game is at. For them, me, and my agent, it's all about my health long-term, and down the road it'll all work out.' Caufield's contract has an annual salary-cap hit of US$7.85 million — slightly less than the US$7.875 million for captain and linemate Nick Suzuki. The third member of the No. 1 line, Juraj Slafkovsky, has a new contract that kicks in next season with a cap hit of US$7.6 million. Suzuki is signed through 2029-30, Caufield through 2030-31 and Slafkovsky through 2032-33. Those three contracts could end up being fantastic bargains, with the NHL salary cap — currently at US$88 million — jumping to US$95.5 million next season, US$104 million for 2026-27 and US$113.5 million for 2027-28. Show me a sweeter goal scorer's goal this season than @colecaufield 's OT winner for the @CanadiensMTL last night. I won't wait because you can't. — Ted Bird (@manofbird) February 28, 2025 Caufield has not missed a game since signing his contract — playing in all 82 games in each of the last two seasons — and the 24-year-old posted career highs this season in goals and points with 37-33-70 totals to go along with a plus-9 differential. He tied for 13th in the NHL in goals and added three more in five playoff games against the Washington Capitals. 'It's something you want to do every year,' Caufield said about playing all 82 games. 'You just want to be in the lineup every night to try and win those games. I think it says a lot about taking care of your body in the summer and all that stuff. I think it's pretty cool doing it back-to-back years.' Suzuki hasn't missed a game during his six seasons in the NHL. The 25-year-old ranks third among current NHL players in consecutive games played with 455, trailing Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Brent Burns (925) and St. Louis Blues defenceman Ryan Suter (535). Slafkovsky, 21, has missed only three games during the last two seasons after his rookie season lasted only 39 games because of a knee injury. Canadiens are 10-2-1 this season when Cole Caufield & Nick Suzuki score in the same game #GoHabsGo — Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) April 22, 2025 Washington head coach Spencer Carbery had high praise for the Canadiens' No. 1 line after the Capitals won the first-round playoff series in five games. 'That top line and what (rookie defenceman) Lane Hutson has become this year, that's big-time stuff in this league and what they're able to do five-on-five,' Carbery said. Carbery compared game-planning for the Canadiens' No. 1 line in the playoffs with what he used to do as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs when they were up against the Tampa Bay Lightning and their top line that included Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and a mix of different players. Spencer Carbery louange le CH et ses jeunes joueurs pendant plus de 3 minutes! — RDS (@RDSca) May 1, 2025 'Those guys have gotten to that level five-on-five where you have to be ready for them. And you have to pre-scout against them and you got to match up against them or else they're going to make you pay,' Carbery said. 'And they're so young, so now you're just imagining — I don't want to even go to that place — with the next 10 years of having to deal with that.' When Caufield met with the media for the final time this season last Friday, he said he hadn't heard Carbery's comments. 'That means a lot,' Caufield said. 'A lot of work's gone into this. A lot of video. It's not easy to do that consistently and that's what we're striving to be great at. I think it's only going to get better. We just want to stay hungry and stay on it. 'I think I grew a lot as a player this year,' Caufield added. 'I think I can always take a bigger step but, for sure, every year you just want to improve and you want to make a bigger impact out there, and I think I did that consistently this year.' While Caufield agrees making the playoffs was an accomplishment during Year 3 of a rebuild, he said the team isn't satisfied with the way the season ended, adding, 'there's still a long way to go.' 'Regardless of what happens, there's only one team that ends the season on a good note,' he said. 'Did we expect to be in this situation as a group? Yeah. But nothing really came from it. We learned a lot, but there's a lot more to look forward to.' Caufield is very happy he signed that long-term contract to stay with the Canadiens. 'It's fun coming to the rink every day,' he said. 'Seeing the guys, hanging around. It's a group you want to be with all the time. A lot of these guys go out to dinner every night, hang out throughout the day. It's a group that you don't want to leave.'
