MARK & PAUL

MARK & PAUL... 
By Bernard Bujold -
Columnist and former politician Jean-François Lisée has written an interesting political analysis of Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon’s new government. He urges the new PQ members of the National Assembly, as well as their leader, to show humility if they want to succeed! I fully agree with his analysis, and I cited the example of Mark Carney to him. Mark Carney is always humble and never pretentious. His competence and his “impassive” banker’s demeanor shield him from any arrogance he might otherwise display. Few politicians can resist the temptation of arrogance. Justin Trudeau was deeply pretentious, just like most other heads of state around the world… 
Humility is the essential quality for success in politics, as indeed in all fields… 
READ JEAN-FRANÇOIS LISÉE’S ARTICLE 
https://jflisee.org/mes-avertissements-aux-nouveaux-elus/? fbclid=IwY2xjawVNmZtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABwZG9mBWJyaWQRMUpGSVBwQzJJSThqdXNIVDZzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeIUeRCe98pFfc2Xq 5 6iSUtZC0TtjzbIyA_t83dy2WRNy0_HTcfPZ8WMXPEXk_aem_rUz-_XsCXtyMe4cdBSh1hw

PAUL SAINT-PIERRE PLAMONDON'S CABINET

 

PAUL SAINT-PIERRE PLAMONDON’S CABINET - 

By Bernard Bujold - 

Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and his 22 ministers were sworn in on Wednesday afternoon, October 21, 2026, at the National Assembly in Quebec City. The cabinet has been downsized, which means greater and more numerous responsibilities for each minister. It remains to be seen whether the ministers will be able to carry out their initiatives and, in a sense, this will serve as a test to determine whether it is possible to lead a government with a smaller cabinet and less bureaucracy. The risk of fatigue amongst the political staff will be very high, which generally leads to the failure of government initiatives. 

To be continued 

SEE THE LIST OF MINISTERS

https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2026/10/21/voici-la-liste-des-ministres-du-gouvernement-st-pierre-plamondon

THE BRINKS IS IN TOWN

BRINKS IS IN TOWN -
By Bernard Bujold— 
Ever since the city condo was sold at the end of August, I’ve been getting constant calls from financial brokers who want to invest the proceeds from the sale... 
I really wonder how the brokers found out about the condo sale, since I’m usually so discreet! I hate indiscretions and never accept indiscreet people as friends… 
There’s probably an app online for tracking real estate sales. In any case, I no longer answer solicitation calls from financial brokers, and the proceeds from the sale were moved out of town immediately after the transaction… 
The treasure is safe, far away from predators, and my three faithful companions are keeping the curious, especially the brokers, at bay… 
Have a great fall 2026! 
WATCH THE VIDEO AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PBaokq9UXE1Cy9R7c8rTQ8cCrf2lsD-u/view?usp=sharing

MARK CARNEY IS A HAPPY MAN

MARK CARNEY IS A HAPPY MAN... 
By Bernard Bujold - 
My friend Mark Carney has once again won his bet, and the residents of Alberta voted against holding a referendum to secede from Canada. The result is unequivocal: 75,8% against the referendum and 24,2% in favor… When the wind is at your back, life is good, and Mark is currently riding a tailwind that’s propelling him full speed toward success in his projects. In the space of a few months, he has become the most popular leader not only in Canada but on the entire planet! 
Mark Carney officially became Prime Minister of Canada on March 14, 2025. 
To be continued. 
www.lestudio1.com

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND LOVE

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND LOVE -

By Bernard Bujold - 

I took advantage of the weekend (while Paris was burning…) to read Guillermo Da Empoli’s latest book: LES FONDATEURS. I had first discovered this author through his book on Putin: THE MAGICIAN OF THE KREMLIN. I identified myself with the mage, a public relations expert. In 2022, 

Da Empoli wrote THE HOUR OF THE PREDATORS, a novel about the growing alliance between modern-day politicians and artificial intelligence leaders, as well as the dominance of certain world political leaders through AI. In the new book LES FONDATEURS, the leaders of artificial intelligence have surpassed politicians, and it is now they who dominate both the politicians and their respective countries. Wars are merely tools used by AI leaders to better dominate the world’s politicians. Following the novel’s line of reasoning, one might conclude that the events of the weekend in France were orchestrated by the leaders of artificial intelligence to better dominate politicians... 

But the author, Da Empoli, adds an element of surprise to his new novel: the importance of human emotions in AI—love, in particular—which will prevent artificial intelligence from completely dominating the planet and destroying it. 

The novel’s conclusion is entirely logical, yet it remains unpredictable until the very last page of the book…. A must-read for AI enthusiasts as well as anyone passionate about love! 

See the publisher’s summary (French) 

https://www.gallimard.fr/catalogue/le-fondateur/9782073170651

THE NEWS MAGAZINE L'ACTUALITÉ CELEBRATES ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

L'ACTUALITÉ MAGAZINE CELEBRATES ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY. 
By Bernard Bujold - 
The news magazine L'Actualité has just published a special issue marking the magazine’s 50th anniversary. Although available online, the print edition is a keepsake worth adding to your bookshelf. The co-founder, editor-in-chief, and publisher of L’Actualité from 1976 to 2000 is a friend of mine who also lives in the same condo building as I do… He says he’s very proud of the 50th-anniversary special issue! Personally, I loved the interview he gave to his former magazine, in which we learn a great deal about the evolution of journalism in Quebec. It is clear that in 2026, with the Internet, "L'Actualité" no longer has the influence the magazine enjoyed during Jean Paré’s heyday, but the publication has kept pace with the times and has held its own very well at the top as a major media outlet in Quebec. The commemorative print issue is definitely a collector’s item. 
Best wishes to L’Actualité for continued success, and happy reading to everyone!
See interview with Jean Paré in l'Actualité 
https://lactualite.com/societe/lactualite-a-50-ans/

THE TALENT OF JEAN-LUC MONGRAIN (1951-2026)

THE TALENT OF JEAN-LUC MONGRAIN

By Bernard Bujold -

Jean-Luc Mongrain and I were friends, but Jean-Luc had many friends. I was just one among many!

However, there were three direct connections between our lives: he had been my condo neighbor when he lived in Old Montreal; we had shared the same religious influences during our youth—he had studied to become a priest, and I had grown up in my village’s rectory, where my aunt was the priest’s housekeeper; and I was the one who called him to ask if he’d be willing to have lunch with Pierre Péladeau to join, as an executive, the TQS television network that Quebecor had purchased in August 1997. Pierre Péladeau had met Jean-Luc through his two weekly newspapers in Sherbrooke. The two became friends from that time on, even though Jean-Luc had sold the weeklies to Paul Desmarais…  The group of founders, including Jean-Luc Mongrain, sold the weekly La Nouvelle de Sherbrooke in 1986. The buyer was Groupe Trans-Canada, a subsidiary of Power Corporation (owned by the Desmarais family). The newspaper had been co-founded in 1982. Four years later, its sale to Power Corporation allowed it to be integrated into the same group as Sherbrooke’s major daily, *La Tribune*, while Jean-Luc Mongrain stepped away from editorial management to make the definitive leap into his prolific television career.

Jean-Luc and I also shared a passion for horses. He loved spending time in his barn with his horses.

Jean-Luc was particularly skilled at that “preacher’s touch” when it came to communicating… He loved putting on a show!

In fact, his hosting style clearly reflected that convincing and impassioned “preacher” quality…

Jean-Luc Mongrain was a larger-than-life figure, an artist who left his mark on Quebec.

His passing leaves a huge void, especially for those who knew him or spent time with him, but as he himself would say: “Life goes on…” In the end, it’s just a tree that fell in the forest…

See comment

https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/chroniques/2026-10-14/jean-luc-mongrain-1951-2026/les-lecons-de-monsieur-mongrain.php

THANKSGIVING DAY 2026

THANKSGIVING DAY 2026 -
By Bernard Bujold- 
Thanksgiving Day in Quebec is an official holiday celebrated annually on the second Monday in October (OCTOBER 12, 2026), but it has a more low-key significance and is less commercial in nature there than elsewhere in North America because of the holiday’s English origins… 
In Canada, the holiday originated in Nova Scotia in 1578 to give thanks to God for the success of the expeditions led by the English explorer Martin Frobisher. 
In the United States, the holiday is celebrated later, on the fourth Thursday of November, while American Thanksgiving commemorates the survival of the Pilgrim Fathers of the Mayflower in 1621 in Plymouth. Founded by the Mayflower settlers (the “Pilgrims”), Plymouth, situated 60 km south of Boston, is one of the oldest municipalities in the United States. 
Happy Thanksgiving 2026!
www.lestudio1.com

ELON MUSK AND QUEBEC

ELON MUSK AND QUEBEC... 
By Bernard Bujold - 
“Elon Musk supports Quebec's secession!” The statement caught the attention of all of Canada. We can conclude that it will become more difficult to get friends Mark and Elon together at the same cottage for a weekend, unless they’re hosted in two separate rooms… Elon Musk has a talent—and the means—to attract attention. 
Personally, I think Elon’s nod to Quebec is nice, but I don’t think Mark Carney needs to worry, because the Parti Québécois is in the minority, making it virtually impossible to hold a referendum during this current term. 
Incidentally, it’s interesting to note that Elon is a Canadian citizen—his mother was born in Saskatchewan—and he lived in Canada from the ages of 17 to 21. When Elon Musk, then 17 years old, arrived in Canada from South Africa in June 1989 (in part to avoid compulsory military service under the apartheid regime), he landed in Montreal (Dorval) intending to stay with a great-uncle. However, when he went to a payphone to try to reach him, he discovered that his uncle had already moved to Minnesota. He therefore ended up at a youth hostel as a temporary fallback and spent a few days exploring Montreal. He then bought a trans-Canadian bus ticket heading west toward Saskatchewan, as he had found other distant relatives (second cousins) living there. That cross-Canada bus trip took him to a farm in Waldeck, Saskatchewan, where he spent his first few months in Canada doing grueling manual labor—emptying grain silos, tending vegetable gardens, and chopping firewood—before enrolling at Queen’s University in Ontario. He moved to Ontario in 1990 to begin his university studies at Queen’s University (in Kingston), and he studied at Queen’s University for about two years. He left Canada in 1992 for the United States after receiving a scholarship to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where he continued his studies in physics and economics. In 1995, his brother Kimbal joined him, and together they launched their first company, Zip2 (originally founded as Global Link Information Network). A precursor to Google Maps. It was this very first entrepreneurial venture that paid off big when the company was acquired by Compaq in 1999 for nearly $300 million, which provided Elon with the seed capital to launch his subsequent projects (such as X.com, which became PayPal) and, later, Tesla and SpaceX. A true “garage startup” story! 
All in all, as far as I’m concerned, I have one thing in common with Elon Musk, and I’m very proud of it. We were both born on June 28… 
Have a great Thanksgiving long weekend. 
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/2026-10-07/victoire-du-parti-quebecois/le-quebec-devrait-se-separer-declare-elon-musk.php

A PASSION FOR TELEVISION

A PASSION FOR TELEVISION - 
By Bernard Bujold - 
One of my greatest passions is American TV series, and my absolute favorite is NCIS: Origins. 
The series is now in its third season, which premiered Tuesday, October 6, on CBS. Fans were treated to Gibbs’ return in a leading role. Mark Harmon is returning full-time as Old Leroy Jethro Gibbs in NCIS: Origins season 3. 

The series is on every Tuesday at 10 pm on CBS and Global in Canada. This is by far the best TV series of the new fall season 2026. 
Enjoy! 
SEE FULL RECAP 
https://www.tvinsider.com/1295349/ncis-origins-gibbs-one-to-go-lala-romance-explained-season-3-premiere/?shem=aimgspe,