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Canada  

Demers hospitalized

Senator and former Montreal Canadiens coach Jacques Demers has been hospitalized, but his office said Saturday it was too early to provide any details.

His director of parliamentary affairs confirmed in an email that Demers, 72, had been admitted to a Montreal hospital but couldn't immediately provide any details.

Demers had suffered a stroke in April but his health seemed to have improved recently.

He was at the Canadiens' home opener on Tuesday night, smiling in a wheelchair while handing a torch to Captain Max Pacioretty to close out a pre-game ceremony.

Demers led the Canadiens to their last Stanley Cup in 1993.

He also coached the Quebec Nordiques, the Detroit Red Wings and the St. Louis Blues.

Demers was appointed to the Senate in 2009 by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, but later left the Conservative caucus last December to sit as an Independent.

At the time he said he was uncomfortable with some of the fallout from the Senate expenses scandal and didn't like to have to vote the Conservative party line all the time.



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