Posted in Montreal, Music, tagged Expwy, Faubourg M'lasse, Montreal, Music, New Album, Turcot on November 28, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
The first part is about a neighborhood that was destroyed to build the Ville-Marie Expressway in the 60′s and the second part is about the new Turcot expropriations. and just to illustrate how history repeats itself you can play the first and second parts simultaneously.
Posted in City Hall, Montreal, tagged City Hall, Corruption, Henry Aubin, Merger, Montreal, Tremblay Resigns on November 6, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
One of the things that stands out in my mind regarding the merger of the cities on Montreal island involves former Verdun Mayor, Georges Bosse. After the merger Bosse became a key player on Montreal’s notoriously secretive Executive Committee. Soon after he was the City’s main shill for the massive, and awesomely ill conceived, Devimco project for Griffintown (connecting some dots, anyone?). At one point he actually said that the Devimco project would be great for Verdun businesses on Wellington Street. Now that took quite a stretch of the old imagination to picture a bunch of nouveau condo owners for some strange reason deciding to trek to Verdun to do their important shopping. My point here is that politicians, and developers, will say just about anything, make the wildest speculations possible, in order to make their projects more attractive, and people will buy it simply because it promises positive economic development.
And so it was with the merger, an entity that was supposed to solve a lot of economic issues for all the former Montreal Urban Communities. But there was a choice as to who would lead the city after the merger between Pierre Bourque and Gerald Tremblay. I was at a debate on the West Island and watched Bourque and Tremblay debate before a very hostile audience. Bourque, who was terrible in English, did not connect with what was bugging people at all as he promised great things for the merger. Tremblay, who was definitely not a separatist (nudge nudge wink wink), made promises about fighting the merger and that seemed to provide some bitter satisfaction for the audience, there was a faint light at the end of the merger tunnel. Montreal was going to be a great city again, that was the bottom line.
The merger was wrong, a universally acknowledged failed project, and so was voting for Gerald Tremblay. For some of us corruption at Montreal City Hall was painfully obvious. But the voters who put Gerald Tremblay in three times need to rethink why they supported him, why they decided to continue to support such an incompetent and corrupt administration, and why they feared any and all alternatives.
MONTREAL — Gérald Tremblay is gone as mayor, but a major reason for the upsurge in corruption remains intact and unchallenged: the merger.
One of the significant things to come out in testimony before the Charbonneau inquiry is the linkage between the growth of corruption and the creation of the megacity.
The chronology that three witnesses — Lino Zambito, Gilles Surprenant and Luc Leclerc — have given for illicit activities sheds light on how corruption and collusion existed at a relatively low level in Montreal during the 1990s, then boomed in the years following the enactment in 2000 of the law for the merger of all municipalities on Montreal Island.
Almost no one in the political class talks about this correlation. The merger is still a sacred cow for most provincial and municipal politicians of all parties. The merger enjoys immunity from criticism, too, by most media commentators. Yet the merger is the elephant in the corruption room.
Posted in City Hall, Corruption, Montreal, tagged City Hall, Corruption, Montreal, Taxes, Tremlay on October 30, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
C’mon, tell us how you voted for Tremblay again and again and how much you thought he was a good mayor. Tell us you had no idea that there was corruption at City Hall. And tell us us how you figured out that voting for a guy who was “not a separatist” actually did the city any good. The corruption at City Hall has been point blank obvious to anyone paying attention for the last, say, 30 years. The game is over and they want you to kick in 3% on your property taxes. But it’s not likely you will see the irony.
Montreal property taxes would go up an average of 3.3 per cent under the city’s proposed 2013 budget, presented this morning.
The increase would translate into about $100 more for the average homeowner.
Residents of the Plateau Mont-Royal would see the biggest increase, with their tax increasing by 5.7 per cent. Tax increases would be the lowest in Anjou at only 0.5 per cent.
Mayor Gérald Tremblay said the $4.9 billion budget marks a major change, offering for the first time a new structure for financing the boroughs that he says will provide them with more autonomy.
A new tax transfer in the budget plan would allow boroughs the flexibility to make more financial decisions without city approval.
From this Gazoo article.
Posted in Activism, Montreal, OccupyWallStreet, Stop Harper, tagged #OccupyWallStreet, Activism, Harper, Montreal, New York City, Occupy, Ottawa on September 15, 2012 | 1 Comment »
(english below)
Pour le lundi 17 Septembre s’il vous plaît soit aller à Ottawa pour ‘Stop Harper – Real Democracy Now! »ou à New York pour le premier anniversaire de Occupy Wall Street.
Ottawa: http://www.facebook.com/events/351278528284242/
**********************
For Monday, September 17th, please either go to Ottawa for ‘Stop Harper – Real Democracy Now!’ or to NYC for Occupy Wall Street’s first anniversary.
Ottawa: http://www.facebook.com/events/351278528284242/
New York: http://s17nyc.org/schedule/
If you really can’t make it to those events, drop by the Place du Peuple (Square-Victoria) any time during the afternoon or evening for live big-screen projections of the actions in Ottawa and NYC, as well as discussions on the last year, the future of the Occupy movement, and Occupons Montréal’s plans for our anniversary on October 15th.
Find your city on the Facebook page.
Posted in Activism, Community, Montreal, Protest, Quebec, Student Strike, tagged Activism, Community, July 22 2012, Montreal, Protest, Quebec, Student Protests, Student Strike on July 24, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
It was hot as hell and I really have to admire the spirit of the people who came to march in this heat. This is the real Montreal, having a party even under what many would consider to be serious circumstances. This Revolution likes to have fun!
People gathering at Berri Square.
Drummers are always good in my book.
Obligatory mask shot.
Some speeches were made.
It’s all because of people like this guy, maybe we should thank him?
There was some riot squad cops at the ready but they weren’t needed.
More drummers.
Democracy.
And the march begins.
The support from all Montrealers is awesome.
Very compressed shot. My guess is that it would be at least a 15 minute walk to the front to the march.
Where is this all leading? Very hard to say right now. But a lot of people in Quebec are quietly organizing for an election where the message will be to vote for anyone but Jean Charest. And if the Ontario students go on strike for the fall semester as they have indicated, this could go national in no time at all. People are ready, they don’t all just know it yet.
Mark August 22 in your calendars.
Posted in Montreal, Protest, Quebec, Student Protest, tagged Montreal, Protest, Quebec, Quebec Protests, Red Square, Video on July 10, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
You can watch the remaining 7 videos over at Montreal Teachers 4 Change. org
Posted in Montreal, Urban, tagged Downpour, Manhole Cover, Montreal, Rain on May 30, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Posted in Activism, Heritage, Montreal, The Main, tagged Activism, Art And Culture, City Hall, Heritage, Montreal, Montreal Funeral, The Main on April 16, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
The whole Quartier des Spectacles concept has been incredibly misguided and a general disgrace!
Artists, heritage activists and stakeholders are planning a funeral for Montreal’s heritage and culture. It is in response to the slow-moving train wreck that has been unfolding on the Lower Main over the past few years, which is set to reach its tragic and illogical conclusion on Monday, April 16. It’s the day the wrecking balls begin demolishing an irreplacable part of a cherished and endangered National Historic Site, Montreal’s storied Lower Main.
The story began several years ago when Mayor Tremblay, like many of his mayoral predecessors, desperately wanted to ”clean up” the Red Light District. Unlike Mayor Drapeau, who razed whole blocks of the historic neighbourhood to build the suburb-like Habitations Jeanne Mance, Tremblay decided to rebrand the entire neighbourhood as the Disney-like Quartier des Spectacles before going after the original “Red Light” culture. The rebranding set off wholesale demolition of historic theatres and performance venues, such as the Spectrum, Le Medley, and Saints, which were replaced by empty lots or questionable corporate buildings that are disconnected, architectually and vocationally, from the historic neighbourhood. Disregarding the fact that St. Laurent Boulevard is a National Historic Site, the Mayor authorized his friend, developer Christian Yaccarini, to expropriate and demolish a series of heritage buildings between the Monument-Nationale and Sainte Catherine Street, including the celebrated Cafe Cleopatre. This sparked off a cultural war of unprecedented proportions.
A colaition of stakeholders called Save The Main was formed, and after a protracted battle that even involved pleas to heritage buff Prince Charles, the artists and activists won and the Cafe was saved. In an effort to convince the Mayor that there were better solutions to the wholesale destruction of Montreal’s culture and heritage, artists from the Save the Main coalition presented an alternative Urban Plan that would seamlessly incorporate the priceless heritage into the rebranded Entertainment district, while staying loyal to Parks Canada’s policies on commemorative integrity.
In retaliation, the Mayor permitted Yaccarini to use an unethical strategy of demolition-by-neglect to ensure the destruction of the remaining buildings, disregarding both Parks Canada’s policies to protect historic sites and Montreal by-laws on building maintenance.
Instead of listening to stakeholders in the community, the Mayor opted for a top-down approach, earning him more scorn from artists while fast-tracking the destruction of the historic site.
Despite last-minute pleas from the Save The Main coalition, Heritage Montreal, The National Theatre School and Phyllis Lambert of the Canadian Centre for Architecture, the Mayor refuses to listen to the stakeholders and experts and won’t budge. Failing a miracle, the irreplacable historic site will soon be reduced to a pile of rubble, and be followed up with an empty lot. Adam Bemma has been filming some of the artists and activists’ last thoughts before the demolition, and has been speaking on CKUT Radio about the scandal.
Mayor Tremblay has made it crysal clear that he has no regard for Montreal’s heritage or living culture. As such, with no options left, the artists and stakeholders have little choice but to plan a dramatic funeral for Montreal’s culture and heritage.
Please spread the word that those who wish to participate should email Save The Main organizer Donovan King (optatif@gmail.com) with the word “funeral” in the subject to learn details about the plan as it unfolds. Generally, we are seeking both flamboyant burlesque artists and other people wearing black.
from OTL Blog
Posted in Heritage, Montreal, tagged Development, Heritage Endangered, Montreal, Sustainabilty on April 10, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Thanks to Derek at Mobilisation Turcot.
Posted in City Hall, Development, Montreal, Video, tagged Bad Urban Planning, City Hall, Montreal, Pimento Report, Robert Hajaly, Video on March 7, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
Another excellent Pimento Report shows how Tremblay’s City Hall doesn’t actually play by any rules, let alone their own, when it comes to development in the city. The Tremblay era has been erratically destroying the fiber of the city, diffusing it’s intangible spirit, crushing it’s unique architectural heritage, while creating a system of scattered embarrassing errors that will satisfy no one except those that stand to make huge profits.
Posted in Art, Festival, Film, Montreal, tagged Art, Montreal, Montreal 60 Second Film Festival on September 13, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
$8 / Doors at 7:30 pm / Films around 8:00 pm
Dozens of one-minute movies, made by filmmakers across Montreal and beyond. With nonsense and slapstick, kids and kung-fu, stop-motion animation to personal documentary, this festival has something for everyone, made by an eclectic mix of professionals, amateurs and first-time filmmakers. Come see these mini-masterpieces on the big screen, with a cheering crowd.
We will be showing all films on both nights.
Tickets will be available at the door on Sept 16 and 17. But you can save time by buying them in advance – either online, here, or at the Phonopolis Record Store, 207 rue Bernard O, beginning Monday September 3. Service charges may apply.
Posted in Activism, Language, Montreal, tagged Activism, Canada, Community, Crime Bill, Right Wing Agenda, The Conversation on August 14, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
or has that already happened and he is using language designed to keep us dumb, uncritical and easily manipulated? Excellent article by Taylor Noakes at Forget The Box looks at King Harper’s war on Canadian Society and suggests that maybe the only place the Revolution can take place is in Montreal. Is there anywhere else?
Have you considered the Tory Omnibus Crime Bill?
It’s not exactly light bedtime reading, but it’s worth knowing about. It is above and beyond all else a testament to absurdity. It is absurd yet delivered in such a fashion so as to seem sensible. It is irrational, illogical and yet is designed to seem appropriate. It succeeds because the intended audience is often so incredibly uncritical, of their actions inasmuch as those of government, that they will believe known falsehoods simply because it takes less mental effort than to formulate even a basic critical response.
There are almost no catchphrases associated with stereotypical ‘tough-on-crime’ legislation that aren’t also extremely voter-friendly. There is a language that feeds on base emotions and propels mass-delusion because we fail to be critical of what makes us feel good. And it feels good to ‘go with your gut’ – it’s easier, it’s less painful than using your head and thinking things through, forming a cohesive independent opinion and then acting on it.
There is a cancer eating away at the foundations of my nation. It is commonly referred to as Conservatism. Some distinguish it as neo-Conservatism. I can only describe it as discouraging, designed to deceive and dissuade me. I find it despicable – even the name is a lie. (more…)
Posted in Events, Montreal, tagged McCord Museum, Spacing, Spacing Montreal on July 17, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Pecha-kucha style presentations will present perspectives on how we shape the city, and how the city shapes us. Street food will be provided by Dépanneur Le Pickup. We will also be launching our first line of Montreal Metro buttons. There will also be free admission to the McCord museum collection until 9pm.
Please let your friends, colleagues and readers know! The press release is attached (french press release will be ready soon). There is also a facebook event page.
Posted in Montreal, tagged La Ronde, Montreal, Roller Coasters on May 23, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Don’t want to go all analytical on account of La Ronde opening but with all that rain and cold we have had this spring this may be a little inspiring!
Posted in Bicyles, Montreal, tagged Activism, Bixi, City Hall, environment, Montreal, Sustainabilty on May 21, 2011 | 5 Comments »
That’s right, free! How many usable bikes can you buy for 100 million? We are blowing it here, folks!
Turn it into a non profit essential services type of thing, have volunteers do repairs and other types of necessary work. Create an honour system that would make Bixi, and by extension, Montreal, the envy of the world. All we are doing once again is sending the world the message that we can’t seem to do anything right, and that is, like the Tremblay administration itself, very boring and predictable and totally inefficient, not to mention embarrassing and bad for urban morale!
The whole world is watching.
Council approves $108-million in loans to finance Bixi expansion
