National
Businessman Pierre Karl Peladeau purchases Montreal Alouettes from CFL
Pierre Karl Peladeau speaks during a news conference in Montreal, Friday, March 10, 2023, announcing him as the new owner of the Montreal Alouettes CFL football team. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Montreal (CP) – Pierre Karl Peladeau is the new owner of the Montreal Alouettes.
The Montreal businessman was unveiled as the franchise owner by the CFL at a news conference at Olympic Stadium on Friday. Peladeau, the president/chief executive officer of Quebecor Inc., has a reported net worth of US$1.9 billion.
Peladeau, a former leader of the Parti Québécois, will represent the Alouettes as their lead governor on the CFL’s board of governors.
“I am delighted to be the new owner of the Montreal Alouettes, a team with a long history that has a significant impact on our community because it brings us together,” Peladeau said in a statement. “This team that I saw rise to the top of the CFL and win the Grey Cup is our team; it’s the fans’ team.
“I want to bring stability and a long-term vision, which will allow us to put Montreal back at the top of Canadian football. I want to thank our fans for their continued loyalty.”
The move comes just over a week after the CFL entered into an exclusive negotiation with Peladeau regarding ownership of the franchise.
“Our goal in this process was to put the Alouettes on a path to long-term success, ideally under strong, local ownership,” said CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie.
“This is a special day for this incredible franchise, its fans across Quebec, and the city of Montreal. Pierre Karl and his passion for sports, entertainment and his community are remarkable. I know he will do a tremendous job in stewarding the Alouettes.”
The CFL took over operation of the Alouettes last month, appointing former president Mario Cecchini as interim president. Cecchini and Park Lane, the CFL’s investment banking partner, helped facilitate the search for a franchise owner.
But Cecchini won’t remain with the Alouettes under Peladeau’s ownership. Earlier this week, he was appointed commissioner of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
The CFL also assumed control of the Alouettes on May 31, 2019 from Robert and Andrew Wetenhall. The league sold the franchise to Ontario businessmen Sid Spiegel and Gary Stern, Spiegel’s son-in-law, in January 2020.
But Spiegel died in July 2021 having never seen the club play as the CFL didn’t operate in 2020 due to the global pandemic.
Spiegel’s estate had maintained a 75 per cent ownership stake in the franchise, with Stern assuming the other 25 per cent. Last August, Stern announced he was stepping away from day-to-day operations with the team and leaving his position on the CFL board of governors.
However, Stern did not give up his ownership stake in the franchise.
Cecchini was originally hired as Alouettes president in 2020, signing a three-year contract. But last December, Cecchini was informed by Spiegel’s estate that his deal wouldn’t be renewed.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 10, 2023.
Firefighters attend the scene of a house explosion that injured several people, destroyed one home and damaged others in Calgary, Monday, March 27, 2023.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
By Colette Derworiz in Calgary
CALGARY — At least 10 people were seriously injured Monday after an explosion destroyed a home and damaged surrounding properties.
The fire department said the force of the explosion in northeast Calgary created “a large debris field” and several fires. A tangle of what appeared to be charred beams, pink insulation and splintered wood could be seen where the house once stood. The side of a home next door was charred, a window looking onto the street shattered.
Many of the injured were believed to have been inside the single-family home when it blew up and were sent to various hospitals in the city, the department said.
“Fire crews have been unable to access the source home at this time to search for any more patients due to structural instability,” it said in a news release.
Adam Loria, a spokesman for Calgary Emergency Medical Services, said the injured people sent to hospital are all adults.
He said six were in life-threatening condition and four received serious injuries.
“It was quite the group effort, not only with EMS, to ensure all patients were cared for and transported in a timely fashion, but as well with our first responder partners Calgary police and Calgary fire,” Loria said.
Bobbie Puttick, who lives eight houses down from the explosion, said it happened after he left for work, but his children were home at the time.
“They felt the house rock and they came out and took a video right away,” he said.
“It’s nuts to see the house gone. And to see the roof on the other across the street in the neighbour’s yard.”
Lorna Lammers said she heard the explosion from three blocks away.
“I was sitting at my kitchen table and I heard ‘kaboom’ and I thought something like a vehicle or something had run into my house or my garage,” she said.
Lammers said she and her neighbours headed outside to see what had happened and she saw black smoke billowing into the sky. She said there was a lot of debris, including a mattress on the roof of a house and wood in some trees.
Lammers said she had previously spoken to some men who lived in the home while walking her dog.
Power to the area was shut down and workers were trying to clamp the natural gas line. Fire and police were also on scene trying to determine the cause of the blast.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 27, 2023.
— With files from Bill Graveland in Calgary and Emily Blake in Yellowknife
OTTAWA — The federal auditor general says two-thirds of people with disabilities encountered barriers on federally regulated planes and trains in 2019 and 2020, and is highlighting a lack of consultation and enforcement by agencies involved.
More coming.
The Canadian Press
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