Laval QC โ La causerie matinale
Good morning and happy Friday! The world is mourning martialโarts icon Chuck Norris, who has died at 86. Spring officially begins todayโฆ with a snowstorm and slippery roads, and Montrรฉal is investing millions to tackle potholes. Grab a hot coffee โ itโs going to be a busy weekend.
๐ Main Story
Chuck Norris, martialโarts icon and action star, dies at 86
Chuck Norris, the martial artist, actor, author, and popโculture figure whose name became a global symbol of toughness, has died. His family confirmed in a statement that he passed away Thursday. Norris was 86.
In a message shared publicly, the Norris family said his death was sudden and that he was โsurrounded by his family and at peace.โ
โFor the world, he was a martial artist, an actor, and a symbol of strength. For us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family,โ the statement reads.
The family did not disclose the cause of death and asked for privacy as they grieve. Norris had been hospitalized in Hawaii earlier this week, according to multiple media reports. His family thanked the public for their support, saying they were โtruly grateful for the prayers and kindnessโ during this time.
โThank you for loving him with us,โ they wrote. โTo him, you werenโt just fans… you were his friends.โ
Born in 1940, Norris went from serving as an Air Force military policeman to becoming one of the most recognizable martialโarts figures in the world. After dominating competitive karate in the 1960s and 70s, he transitioned to film, starring in hit action movies such as Way of the Dragon, where he famously fought Bruce Lee, Missing in Action, Delta Force, and Walker, Texas Ranger, the longโrunning series that cemented his status as a major star.
Norrisโs signature roundhouse kick and his cleanโcut hero persona also made him a global icon. In the 2000s, he became an internet phenomenon thanks to โChuck Norris Facts,โ a meme celebrating his exaggerated invincibility that spread worldwide.
โHe lived his life with faith, determination, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved,โ the family wrote. โThrough his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives.โ
Norris also authored several books, including memoirs, martialโarts guides, and works on philosophy and personal discipline. He founded Kickstart Kids, a nonprofit that uses martial arts to teach character development to youth.
He is survived by his five children and his wife, Gena OโKelley, whom he married in 1998.
โก Noteworthy
Spring arrivesโฆ with a snowstorm
The first day of spring is looking more like midโwinter in Montrรฉal, with a burst of snow expected to create difficult travel conditions today.
Clouds will thicken through the morning before snow begins around noon, with about 5 cm expected in the city and up to 10 cm in surrounding areas. At times, snowfall rates could reach 2 cm per hour, reducing visibility and quickly covering roads.
The system will sweep from west to east during the afternoon. Winds will shift to the northeast at around 20 km/h, with a high of โ2ยฐC and a wind chill near โ9ยฐC. Snow tapers off this evening.
A brief taste of spring returns Saturday with sunshine and a high of +4ยฐC, but it wonโt last long โ snow redevelops Saturday night, followed by showers Sunday and steady snow Monday.
Major road closures in Montrรฉal this weekend
Drivers in the Montrรฉal area should prepare for significant disruptions this weekend.
PapineauโLeblanc Bridge (Aโ19): Full closure in both directions from Friday 11 p.m. to Monday 5 a.m., between Laval and Montrรฉal (AhuntsicโCartierville).
LouisโHippolyteโLa Fontaine Tunnel (Aโ25): โข Southbound: Full closure from Friday 11 p.m. to Saturday 8 a.m., between Exit 5 (Sherbrooke St.) in Montrรฉal and Highway 132 in Longueuil. โข Northbound: Full closure between Exit 90 (Rโ132) on Highway 20 West in Longueuil and the Sherbrooke St. access ramp on Aโ25 North in Montrรฉal.
St. Patrickโs Parade (Sunday, March 22, 2026): In Montrรฉal (VilleโMarie), De Maisonneuve Blvd. will be fully closed between SaintโMarc and JeanneโMance from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Montrรฉal invests $6M to fight potholes
Montrรฉal is ramping up its fight against potholes as spring begins, announcing new funding and longโterm measures to improve road conditions across the city.
At a Friday morning press conference, Executive Committee president Claude Pinard and mobility and infrastructure committee member Alan DeSousa unveiled a $6โmillion investment to strengthen roadโrepair operations. The funding comes in addition to the $2.5 million transferred to boroughs last month.
Officials say the new money will go toward staffing and equipment, including two automated roadโrepair machines expected to enter service in 2027. The city will also hire 24 additional blueโcollar workers dedicated to road maintenance.
Montrรฉal plans to resurface 67 kilometres of major roads in 2026.
๐๏ธ Beyond Our Region
Canadiansโ health has been declining for a decade
The share of Canadian adults reporting very good to excellent health has dropped by 13 percentage points between 2015 and 2024, according to a Statistics Canada report released Monday.
Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey shows that 69% of adults rated their health as very good to excellent in 2015, compared with just 56% in 2024.
Emotional wellโbeing also saw a sharp decline, falling by 17 percentage points.
The largest drop came from young adults aged 18 to 24.
MaisonneuveโRosemont modernization project delayed again
The plans and specifications for the hospitalโs modernization project are not ready, the government says.
Health Minister Sonia Bรฉlanger said Thursday that the โoptimizationโ process will affect the administrative side of the project but not the โclinical plan.โ
Built in 1954, MaisonneuveโRosemont is widely seen as the โsymbol of decayโ in Quรฉbecโs hospital network.
Nurse practitioners: new agreement allows them to register patients
Santรฉ Quรฉbec must sign agreements with each family medicine group (GMF) to allow nurse practitioners (NPs) to register patients under their own name โ a responsibility previously limited to physicians.
An agreement reached on March 16 between the FIQ and the Health Ministry clarifies and regulates the role of NPs within GMFs.
The agreement states that Santรฉ Quรฉbec has the authority to intervene if a GMF refuses to allow NPs to register patients.
Families of teens sue Longueuil for $1.9M
The families of five teenagers who were with 15โyearโold Nooran Rezayi when he was fatally shot by Longueuil police are suing the city and the police force for $1.9 million.
Rezayi was killed on September 21, 2025, after police responded to a 911 call about a group of masked youths in a residential neighbourhood.
The lawsuit filed in Quรฉbec Superior Court criticizes the officersโ actions, alleging that racial profiling played a key role in Rezayiโs preventable death.
Border officer charged after allowing opium, cannabis and tobacco into Canada
A Canada Border Services Agency officer working at the QueenstonโLewiston crossing in NiagaraโonโtheโLake has been charged after a transport truck carrying millions of dollarsโ worth of opium, cannabis products and tobacco was allegedly allowed into Canada.
Daniel Notarianni was arrested after investigators determined he had not followed CBSA policy and had permitted a truck and trailer carrying contraband to enter the country.
The truck driver, Abhishek Abhishek, was also arrested.
Canadian mother and daughter detained in Texas
Edward Warner says every day has been a nightmare since his Canadian wife and their sevenโyearโold daughter were detained at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in Texas last week.
Tania Warner, originally from Penticton, B.C., met her husband on TikTok about five years ago. She moved to Texas and the couple married.
The mother and daughter were transferred Friday to the family immigration detention centre in Dilley, Texas. They were given the option to selfโdeport.
Iran threatens parks and tourist destinations
Iran has threatened to target recreational and tourist sites around the world and insists it is continuing to build missiles.
A military spokesperson warned Friday that โparks, recreational areas and tourist destinationsโ worldwide will not be safe for Tehranโs enemies.
Two waves of Iranian drones struck a Kuwaiti oil refinery early Friday, sparking a fire. Loud explosions shook Dubai as air defences intercepted incoming fire over the city.
Brent crude traded around $107 Friday morning, up more than 47% since the start of the war.
Markets fall as oil climbs
Markets in Canada and the United States continued to trade lower Friday morning as oil prices rose.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 378.73 points to 31,476.25.
The May crude oil contract was up US$1.01 to US$96.56 a barrel.
๐๏ธ Quick Hits
๐ More than half of Montrรฉal metro stations in poor condition Without additional funding, the metroโs maintenance deficit could rise from $7B to $9B by 2030.
๐๏ธ Poilievre speaks for more than two hours on Joe Roganโs podcast The episode featuring the Conservative leader, running over two hours, was released Thursday.
โ๏ธ Man pleads guilty to harassing MNA Haroun Bouazzi Normand Auclair pleaded guilty to one count of harassment against the Quรฉbec solidaire MNA.
๐ Former hockey player Noah Corson granted a new trial The Court of Appeal has overturned the guilty verdict against Drummondville Voltigeurs player Noah Corson.
๐ถ Faubourg staircase: $1.4M for reconstruction The staircase will undergo major rehabilitation starting in 2027.
๐๏ธ Archives open the door to Canadian citizenship FrancoโAmericans are flocking to the National Archives in TroisโRiviรจres to obtain Canadian citizenship.
๐ Recycling system: material prices fall Despite a difficult year, รco Entreprises Quรฉbec estimates the modernized systemโs performance at 87%.
๐๏ธ Quรฉbec City tramway: โwonโt be a walk in the parkโ Mayor Bruno Marchand acknowledges that construction of the tramway โwonโt be a walk in the park.โ
โ๏ธ Doctor reprimanded for quick testosterone prescription The Collรจge des mรฉdecins has reprimanded a family doctor who met with the teen for only a few minutes before prescribing testosterone.
๐ฐ CRA to close its drop boxes after tax season The Canada Revenue Agency will permanently close its 45 dropโbox locations across the country.
๐บ TV networks ask CRTC to make Meta pay Some news content has remained available on Facebook and Instagram since 2023.
๐ต Moodyโs downgrades B.C.โs credit rating The agency maintains a negative outlook for British Columbia as its debt continues to grow.
๐ญ Improv used to help preserve French in Manitoba With three Frenchโlanguage improv leagues, enthusiasm for the art form remains strong in Manitoba.
๐ต BTS releases first album since 2020 The 14โtrack album Arirang takes its name from a Korean folk song ahead of the groupโs major return to the stage.
๐๏ธ Tehranto: Canadaโs Little Iran A growing number of Iranians have settled in Toronto โ enough for the city to earn the nickname โTehranto.โ
๐ซ Ontario aims to ban inflated ticket resales Premier Doug Ford wants to prohibit reselling tickets above face value. He previously criticized Ticketmasterโs practices last fall.
๐บ๐ฆ Orban blocks โฌ90โbillion loan to Ukraine Viktor Orban is the only EU leader to veto the measure, stalling the transaction.
๐ธ Princess MetteโMarit says she was โmanipulated and deceivedโ by Epstein โI obviously wish I had never met him,โ said Norwayโs Crown Princess MetteโMarit.
๐ Gulf states: stability under strain Gulf monarchies, longโtime U.S. allies, say they are being drawn into the conflict with Iran against their will.
๐ฑ๐ง Avoiding chaos in Saida, gateway to South Lebanon Lebanonโs thirdโlargest city is struggling with an influx of displaced people and growing security concerns.
๐ซ Spotlight
Kudos to Montrรฉal for its $6โmillion investment in pothole repairs, including the hiring of 24 dedicated workers and two automated repair machines… a proactive approach that shows problems can be anticipated, not just patched.
๐จ๏ธ Practical Corner
Weather: Spring arrives todayโฆ with 5 to 10 cm of snow between noon and 5 p.m. Slippery roads, reduced visibility. High of โ2ยฐC, wind chill โ9ยฐC.
Traffic: Major closures this weekend: โข PapineauโLeblanc Bridge (Aโ19) closed both directions Friday 11 p.m. โ Monday 5 a.m. โข La Fontaine Tunnel (Aโ25) closed in both directions at various times between Friday night and Saturday. โข St. Patrickโs Parade Sunday: De Maisonneuve Blvd. closed 8 a.m. โ 5 p.m.
๐ Before You Go
The world mourns Chuck Norris, spring begins with snow (welcome to Quรฉbec), and Montrรฉal is taking potholes seriously.
Plan extra travel time this weekend with all the road closures.
Stay warm, drive safely, and weโll see you tomorrow. Enjoy the weekend! โโ๏ธ