Quebec's famed groundhog Fred la Marmotte has died; child stands in for Groundhog Day
The Quebec rodent whose job it was to predict whether spring would arrive early, Fred la Marmotte, died the day before Groundhog Day.
"This year, it's true. It's sadly true," said la Jour de Marmotte committee organizer Roberto Blondin on the event's livestream. "I'm announcing the death of Fred."
Blondin said that the nine-year-old groundhog did not wake up when organizers went to check on him last night.
The event continued in Val d'Espoir, Que., near Perce in the Gaspe peninsula, however, with a child chosen to stand in for Fred and give the annual prediction.
Blondin pulled a stuffed marmot from Fred's log cabin and handed it to a child who decided whether spring would be coming early.
"Spring is delayed," the child announced.
Blondin said next year Fred Junior would return.
CONFLICTING GROUNDHOG FORECASTS
Other weather-predicting groundhogs made the same prediction as the child holding the stuffy in Quebec, but not all of them.
In Nova Scotia, Shubenacadie Sam saw his shadow in Halifax and called for a late spring.
In Oak Hammock March, Manitoba Merv said the province's cold snap will continue.
Iconic Pennsylvania celebrity and one-time Bill Murray co-star Punxsutawney Phil also saw his shadow.
In Ontario, however, Wiarton Willie called for an early spring after emerging from his Plexiglas box. South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Garry Michi made the announcement.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Freeland to present 2024 federal budget, promising billions in new spending
Canadians will learn Tuesday the entirety of the federal Liberal government's new spending plans, and how they intend to pay for them, when Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tables the 2024 federal budget.
Ontario woman charged almost $7,000 for 20-minute taxi ride abroad
An Ontario woman was shocked to find she’d been charged nearly $7,000 after unknowingly using an unauthorized taxi company while on vacation in January.
Worker seriously injured after fall at Montreal Olympic Stadium
A man is fighting for his life after falling about 30 feet in an air duct at Montreal's Olympic Stadium on Monday, authorities say.
Tim Hortons launches pizza nationally to 'stretch the brand' to afternoon, night
Tim Hortons is launching flatbread pizzas nationally in a bid to pick up more afternoon and evening customers.
A look inside the gutted 24 Sussex Drive
The National Capital Commission is providing a glimpse inside the gutted 24 Sussex Drive, more than a year after the heritage building along the Ottawa River was closed.
NASA confirms mystery object that crashed through roof of Florida home came from space station
NASA confirmed Monday that a mystery object that crashed through the roof of a Florida home last month was a chunk of space junk from equipment discarded at the International Space Station.
Budget 2024 'likely to be the worst' in decades, former BoC governor says
Without having seen it, former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge believes that Tuesday's 2024 federal budget from Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is 'likely to be the worst budget' in decades.
Your morning coffee may be hundreds of thousands of years old
Using genes from coffee plants around the world, researchers built a family tree for the world's most popular type of coffee, known to scientists as Coffea arabica and to coffee lovers simply as 'arabica.'
Torch and sandals: What to know about the flame-lighting ceremony in Greece for the Paris Olympics
Here's a look at the workings and meaning of the elaborate flame-lighting ceremony held among the ruins of Ancient Olympia ahead of each modern Olympiad.