One Island-One city? Screw you.

The BBQ Pit
1

So, democracy rules, eh. We make such a big fucking deal about it - what a crock. In some countries, you get ‘silenced’ if you speak out against the gov. Here, you can speak out all you want, only they don’t silence you, they ignore you.

‘One Island One City’ is the slogan for a bunch of ELECTED leaders who have written themselves a new mandate- they’ve decided that FORCED mergers are the way to go. All the small cities surrounding Montreal are to be assimilated. Resistance is futile.

I purposely bought my home, outside of Montreal. I like the idea of a small community. I like the idea thaat the people who run this city actually live here.

Despite MASSIVE opposition, the gov is ramming this through with NO REGARD whatsoever for the people affected. Some of those cities to be wiped out wanted to hold a referendum, and the government came right out and said that it would ignore the results of any such referendum.

Bastards. I, for one, refuse to ever write a cheque to the city of Montreal for my taxes. Fuck you Bourque, Fuck you Bouchard, Fuck you all. I mean it. Really. Fuck you.

2

I disapprove of both options.

  1. We can’t just keep on going with a weak and undemocratic MUC. There are decisions which have to be made on a regional level that affect all municipalities. Besides, as it stands, the city of Montreal has to maintain the autoroutes and waterworks and trash and whatnot that suburbanites use during their working day, as the suburbanites make money in Montreal proper and take it out of the Montreal economy.

  2. Turning the whole island into Pierre Bourque’s fantasy playground is just as bad an option.

I think we should go with Vera Danyluk’s proposal to further empower and extend the MUC and make it elected. But that was not, of course, one of the choices. sigh

3

***Originally posted by matt_mcl *
There are decisions which have to be made on a regional level that affect all municipalities. **

You are absolutely right, but that can be acheived without the total sacrifice of our distinct communities. I mean, shit, the Quebec gov is so hooked on this sovereignty thing, whining about how Quebec must govern Quebecers… well, I think Beaconsfield is best run by Beaconsfield residents, Kirkland is best run by Kirlanders… Lachine is uh… er… well, never mind Lachine. But my point remains… certain things are regional, and you can see that concept from the neighbourhood blocks through the districts, provincial, federal, etc… and cooperation IS essential, but my town is my town. There’s a reason I came back and bought a house in the town that was home to me as a child.

If there had been a referendum, or ANY form of public consultation, I’d be dissappointed, but not outraged. Lets say Chretien decided to reorganize Canada into different regions… would Bouchard accept assimilation, or would he call for an outright revolution on the spot? How can someone so blatantly hypocritical and dangerous be in power? At least citizens of a dictatorship can claim it’s not their fault.
Besides, as it stands, the city of Montreal has to maintain the autoroutes and waterworks and trash and whatnot that suburbanites use during their working day, as the suburbanites make money in Montreal proper and take it out of the Montreal economy.

I hesitate to get into a political argument with you, matt, but I don’t buy this. Autoroutes are Provincial, and all those business that the suburbanites are going to downtown pay taxes to the city, not the suburb. Suburbanites drive a huge portion of Montreals economy in otherways too… parking, bus/metro/taxi, restaurents, shops, etc…

2) Turning the whole island into Pierre Bourque’s fantasy playground is just as bad an option.

:: shudders ::

**I think we should go with Vera Danyluk’s proposal to further empower and extend the MUC and make it elected. But that was not, of course, one of the choices. sigh **

What if we got a mayor in who could run the city effectively. What if someone competant, honest and hardworking was elected? Someone who could take the huge potential of Montreal and make it bloom, without laying waste to the cultural heritage of the communities surrounding it like some huge ravenous beast of foul corruption on a rampage of insatiable consumption…

Bastards…

BASTARDS!!!

:: stomping off ::

4

I think it’s very charming to see lots of ordinarily apolitical people from Westmount and the West Island coming out to protest on matters of interest to them.

So, can we expect to see you in Quebec City in April 2001 for the FTAA protests? :sweet smile:

5

I dunno. As sweet as your smile is, I’m not sure what an FTAA is… I’ve already been to Quebec city… they tried to kill me. (for those who’ve never been, drivers liscenses in QC are like hunting permits for pedestrians)

S’not like I couldn’t be convinced…

6

Hey, should this thread maybe be in Great Debates or some other column. This seems a little tame for the pit.

7

The FTAA = Free Trade Area of the Americas = NAFTA hemisphere-wide. More attacks on health care and public education as an unfair trade subsidy. More corporations suing governments to overturn democratic legislation. Further loss of Canadian sovereignty to foreign business interests. Y’know.

8

Personally, I don’t think suburbs should exist.
In the US there was a “land grab” in the big cities in the 60’s, when some court ruled the entire area had to decide if a suburb was annexed, not just the suburb itself.

The suburbs are basically tax dodges for the well off, at the expense of the urban centers, who are left with all the old stuff and the jobs, but none of the new stuff and the tax base.

I’d ban suburbs entirely if I were king.

9

April, eh? It’ll be a might warmer, so the sweet smile may go a little further… The whole Free Trade thing confuses me… I never paid attention when it was happening (I was more concerned with carnal pursuits) and since then haven’t felt like I could get a grasp on it. Hence - little to no opinion on the subject.

Fonz… that was a very well thought out argument. I think you may have convinced me. Fuck the suburbs. I’m glad to find out how well off I am, and that I’m getting such a good deal on my taxes. Without your historically informative and stimulating post to steer me straight, I don’t think I’d know what to think. Ban the suburbs… sheesh.

10

Dewt: For more info on the free trade thang, email me.

11

There was. I voted in it.

The government just doesn’t care about the result, though!

I’m kind of ambivalent about the joining or the merging, but I hate the idea that they’ll do it with the population protesting.

12

Those Islands do suck, In fact I have no Idea where they are either? So I am officially voting myself off of them!

13

This is Quebec, the same province that wanted to “separate” from the rest of Canada? Now all of a sudden, Montreal officials want to create a greater Montreal. While they are at it, why don’t they try to annex that suburban city Toronto? Give me a break.

14

Seems painfully obvious to me that Montreal is trying to pull off the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) caper. The point of that brilliant move was a consolidation of garbage, road cleaning (plowing) and other municipal services. The result was a dirtier and less efficient Toronto. But it did cut costs and that’s what the ultimate goal really is behind this insentive. Sadly, Montreal is heading for the same fate. Quel domage.

15

I thought GTA was ‘grand theft auto’… I guess you could call this ‘Grand Theft Autonomy’…

I still can’t believe this is happening. It’s incredible.
Here are some quotes from a Montreal Newspaper article:

(the article can be found here: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/pages/001218/5033575.html

Mayor Pierre Bourque failed yesterday to come up with the names of 100,000 Montrealers in favour of one island-one city.

Now, keep in mind this city and it’s surrounding areas has a population of like 5 million. (I think) A recent protest garnered the physical support of somewhere around 75 000. That’s people who a) cared enough to show up and b)could show up. I know lots of people who wanted to go, but couldn’t. Bourque even had his petition online and Mike Boone, a Gazette columnist had this to say:

*As of yesterday afternoon, the mayor’s petition had been signed by 14,000 people. Goofing around on my computer Sunday evening, I was 110 of them.
To mark the 20th anniversary of the passing of a working-class hero, I punched up the mayor’s petition and typed in John Lennon of 1 Penny Lane in the municipality of Strawberry Fields.
Then I hit “Submit” and received the acknowledgment that “the city of Montreal thanks you for your support.” *

Mike goes on to say:

The mayor’s dream of a megacity drew ethnic support from Mahatma Coat, Carlos Antenna, Yassir Atsmybabee, George Stayontopothis, Martina Neveryourlover, Nomar Lonelynights, Zbigniew Fridge, Alexander Soldyernissan, Aziz Nowarranty, Haseen Benisi, Kerry Oki, Noah Comprenday, Bjorn Toulouse, Israeli ex-pats Ariel Bummerman and Benjamin Notyetyouyahoo, German aristocrat Minnie Van Driver and two recent arrivals from the happy arrondissements of Paris: Norm DePlumeand Gerard Diaperdoo.
OK, I thought that scatological groaner would surely crash the system. But the city of Montreal Web site happily digests all manner of buffoonery.

Here’s a link to that article: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/pages/001212/5030780.html

So even with the made up names, Bourque can’t show that he has the support of even 1% of the population. How, in a great country like Cananda is it possible that 1 insane mans twisted dreams of power supercede the wishes and lives of 99% of the population affected?

This is how: (back to the first article:

After a weekend election-campaign-style marathon to collect signatures in favour of Bill 170, the province’s contentious merger legislation, Bourque said yesterday he has no clue how many names he has gathered - and he won’t reveal the numbers until after Quebec passes the bill this week.

It’s simple. Have your referendum after the fact.

bastards!

BASTARDS!!!

<< stomping off, too upset to type any more >>

16

Dude, they just redrew the line of where Montreal is. Just like they did with TO. (And now, TO is one huge suburbia for fifty kilometers in all directions. Nevermind. Continue raving mad aboot it)

17

Damn… it’s time like these I’m glad I’m away from home. I got to see the “Une Ile, Une Ville” slogans posted here and there before I left, but I had no idea that it had gotten this far out of hand.

Maybe I should extend my stay in Korea.

Oh, and as for GodKnowsWhoTheFuck’s comment about suburbs being a “refuge for the well off” (or something to that effect - I’m too lazy to check the exact quote), perhaps you should take a look at the bank-book of the guy who started this thread. To call dewt “well off” is kinda like calling Michael Jackson “a little odd.”

Anyway, that is all. Me’s got to go teech Korean kidz too speek and right gooder Englisch. So long. See all of you next time I drop by the SDMBs.

18

Are you SERIOUS?! I’ve never heard of this! Where can I find out more?

I’ve come to the conclusion that things like NAFTA are just convenient ways for businesses to underpay a Mexican to do an American’s former job, while management and the shareholders pocket the difference.

19

is available here: http://www.tradewatch.org/FTAA/factsheet.htm

Enjoy! And I hope to see you in Quebec City! (Isn’t it interesting that these closed negotiations will be held in North America’s only walled city? Hmmm…)

20

Hey, Thanks Matt.

Well, they did it last night, invoking “closure” (which is, as near as I can tell a simple word for “we are sick of putting up a facade of discussion and democracy.”)

I called a real estate agent today. Fuck it. I’m gone.

I’m thinking Cuba. At least there, it’s an honest dictatorship - plus it’s warm.

Fuckin assholes.