Expedia Tops Travel App Provider Ranking Ahead of Busy SeasonMONTREAL — Second Cup Canada is cutting ties with a franchisee operating at Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital who was allegedly filmed making hateful and antisemitic comments during a protest in the city last week. Second Cup Canada announced Saturday it was cutting ties with a franchisee for “making hateful remarks and gestures,” and adding in a statement the actions breach the franchise agreement as well as inclusion and community values held by the chain. Peter Mammas, CEO of Montreal-based Foodtastic, which owns Second Cup Canada, said in an interview on Sunday that he was at the movies when his phone started pinging non-stop. He saw the videos and the company’s operations staff spoke to employees that knew the woman, and they confirmed it was indeed the franchisee. Video shot during a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside of Concordia University’s downtown Montreal campus Thursday shows a woman walking around, masked, saying the “final solution is coming your way” — wording used to describe a Nazi plan to eliminate Jews in Europe during the Second World War. Another video also shows what appears to be the same woman, unmasked, making a Nazi salute while walking away. “We’re all for free speech and respectful conversations, but this wasn’t that,” Mammas said. “This was hate speech, and it was something that we thought could incite violence and we’re completely against that, so we sat down with our team and decided to revoke the franchise agreement.” Attempts to reach the franchisee were unsuccessful on Sunday. “Second Cup has zero tolerance for hate speech,” the coffee chain said in a statement on X. “In co-ordination with the hospital, we’ve shut down the franchisee’s café and are terminating their franchise agreement.” Mammas said lawyers for the franchisee and Second Cup were expected to meet on Monday. The regional health agency serving West-Central Montreal, which includes the Jewish General Hospital, said it was made aware of the video “containing antisemitic and hateful messaging.” The video is related to a franchisee of Second Cup, one of the private tenants operating within the (Jewish General), Carl Thériault, a spokesman, said in a statement on Sunday. “We fully support Second Cup’s decision to take swift and decisive action in this matter by shutting down the franchisee’s cafés and terminating their lease agreement.” The hospital has two locations operated by the same franchisee and both were shuttered on Saturday by the owners of the chain. The health agency “is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and stands firmly against antisemitism and any other form of discrimination or hate speech,” Thériault said. “We have franchisees who are Muslim, we have franchisees who are Jewish, we have franchisees that are Greek, French, we have employees from all different nations,” Mammas said. “So we definitely have no issue with that and we don’t take any political side, but ... hate speech ... you know we can’t accept that.”
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How far would you go to get the house of your dreams? That’s one of the many looming questions posed by Netflix’s new dark comedy series . All eight episodes hit the streaming platform on December 12 and chronicles the long and grueling process that comes with both buying and selling a house to a hilariously exaggerated degree. Each person involved has a different motive and everyone, much like Gretchen Wieners’ hair, is full of secrets. It’s an intriguing concept, made all the more appealing due to the A-list cast of characters that can be found throughout the series, many of whom are sure to look very familiar. So who has what it takes to win this escrow war? Here are the cast and characters you’ll meet in Netflix’s . When it comes to stress, Paul is feeling all the things. His job as a contractor is not going well, he’s in debt, and wants him and his wife to leave their LA lifestyle and start anew. So, to him, everything hinges on selling this house. He thinks that money is the key to solving all of his problems. Little does he know that his problems are only just beginning. Romano is a stand-up comedian and actor, best known for his starring role on the popular CBS sitcom . He also served as the voice of Manny the mammoth in the franchise. Instagram: N/A Lydia is married to Paul, but unlike her husband, she is less than thrilled at the idea of saying goodbye to their family home. So, for her, it’s less about the money and more about finding the right fit in a new, prospective buyer. But with so many secrets running amok, it’s hard to know who or what to trust. Kudrow is most famously known for her flawless portrayal of Phoebe Buffay in the NBC hit comedy series, . In addition, she starred in the 1997 film as well as the satirical comedy series . Instagram: Margo is fabulous, fashionable, and a truly badass bitch. She is an icon of the highest order and isn’t afraid to go after anything and everything that she wants and what she wants most of all is Paul and Lydia’s house. But how far will she go to get it? You’ll just have to watch and find out. Cardellini starred alongside Christina Applegate in the Netflix series . Her other notable TV credits include roles in , , , and . She also portrayed Velma Dinkley in both movies. Instagram: JD is a down-on-his-luck, out of work soap opera actor who is looking to downsize from his now unaffordable mansion that he currently resides in. Though with so many other interested parties putting their hats in the ring, he runs the risk of not getting the outcome that he wants. Wilson has been tied to many notable movies, including , , , and , just to name a few. Instagram: N/A As a longtime admirer of Paul and Lydia’s house, Leslie is thrilled to hear that the place is now on the market. After all, it isn’t often someone gets the chance at buying their dream home, but one could argue that her emotional investment in the property only proves that she has more to lose if things don’t go her way. Jacobson co-created and starred in the Comedy Central series . She also served as star and co-creator of the one-and-done Amazon Prime series . Instagram: and is described by Tudum as being “soulful and grounded” as well as the “moral compass” to her partner. And when you’re playing in the real estate game, those are definitely some helpful attributes to bring to the table. But will it be enough to seal the deal? Liu has appeared in , , and the miniseries . Instagram: As a successful career woman and soon-to-be mom, Carla and her husband are eager to find the perfect home for her growing family. She believes she’s found what she’s looking for in Paul and Lydia’s house, but the stresses of house hunting could have unexpected consequences and put their marriage to the test. Parris has appeared in , , and eventually made her mark in the MCU as Monica Rambeau in and . Instagram: Dennis is Carla’s husband, who much like his wife, is eager to find the house of their dreams before their first child is born. He’s optimistic, good-natured, and an overall people-pleaser, which is nice on paper, but it definitely makes him a bit of a pushover when faced with his overly involved mother, who likes to insert herself into their life a little often. (In-laws, am I right?) Fagbenle is best known for his role as Lucas Bankole in , but some may also recognize him for his portrayal of Barack Obama in . Instagram: What’s worse than an ex convict? How about one that’s significantly in debt and super stressed out about it. And given the way he’s shown threatening Paul in the trailer, he’s willing to do just about anything to get out of trouble. Leary starred in and co-created the series . Additionally, he appeared in and lent his voice to numerous animated projects, including , where he voiced Francis the ladybug and the franchise, where he voiced the saber tooth tiger, Diego. Instagram: Greg is Paul and Lydia’s realtor who is hoping to make a solid commission on the sale of their home and with so many interested parties, he’s got a lot of incentive to keep his eye on the prize — and make the house as desirable as possible to as many people as possible. Rogers has appeared in , , and . He also had a role in the film . Instagram: Denise is Dennis’ overbearing mother, who is eager to help her son find the perfect home — whether he wants it or not. And if you’re wondering just how deep her smothering nature runs, please take note that her name is Denise and she named her son Dennis. To say he's a mama's boy would be an understatement. Horsford’s TV credits include , , and . She also appeared in the comedy film , , and . Instagram: Gwen is in cahoots with Margo, hoping to buy the house and flip it for a profit. Let’s just hope they don’t try to flip on each other as well. Moennig is best known for her roles in , , and . Instagram: We all have that neighbor who makes it their business to know everyone else’s business, and for the Morgans that person is Phyllis. You just know she’s abusing her Nextdoor privileges and refreshing the page at least every 10 minutes. Lavin may be most celebrated for starring in the sitcom series , however, millennials like myself will most likely recognize her for her brief but memorable appearances on where she played Sandy Cohen’s mother aka Seth’s nana. Instagram: Jacob is Paul and Lydia’s teenage son, which means that on top of trying to sell their house, they are also dealing with a moody teen. Please keep them in your thoughts during this difficult time. Aside from this role, the only other credit Aubrey has to his name is the TV show , where he played Dash Alonzo. But considering the stacked cast he’s now worked with, that resume is sure to continue to grow. Instagram: N/A Related Stories