ANNE-MARIE PELADEAU RELEASED ON PROBATION

Judge Orders Woman into Psychotherapy to Break Decades-Old Cocaine
Addiction

Anne-Marie Peladeau says she is "well therapy-ized" after seeking
every form of help for her longtime drug addiction.

Yesterday, a Quebec Court judge told her to give it one more shot
with psychotherapy as he released the daughter of the late media
mogul Pierre Peladeau from jail.

The 41-year-old woman pleaded guilty this week to four theft-related
charges, one of obstructing justice and another of attempting to
obstruct justice. Other charges, including assaulting a police
officer, were dropped.

Quebec Court Judge Claude Millette freed Peladeau, who has been
locked up since Sept. 12, and placed her on 18 months probation.
During that time, she's not to go to bars or take drugs, and must
stay away from Eric Kennedy, 29, who was involved in several
robberies with Peladeau. She must also pay $370 to one of her
targets, a children's clothing boutique.

"I'm giving you a chance to deal with your problem," Millette said.

He told Peladeau to come back Dec. 13 with the name of a psychologist
willing to work intensely with her to kick her 25-year drug habit.

The charges dated from Oct. 12, 2005, when Peladeau and Kennedy were
involved in a high-speed police chase after stealing clothing and
cigarettes from a store. The two intended to sell the merchandise for drugs.

The pair drove through several red lights during the eight-kilometre
chase, which ended in a collision at an intersection. The event was
recorded by a television news channel owned by the Peladeau family's
media empire, Quebecor Inc.

Kennedy was sentenced in May to four months in prison.

Peladeau, who had been out on bail after she was charged, broke her
bail conditions three times in five months by using drugs. The third
time, she was charged with attempting to obstruct justice by trying
to get others to fudge her urine test after a five-day leave at a
drug rehab centre. A judge then revoked Peladeau's bail and ordered
her detained.

Peladeau was vague yesterday when asked by the judge whether she had
ended her relationship with Kennedy.

"He's a good guy even though he has a record," she said. "But I have
to take care of myself."