Montreal a disaster?

[GTA refugee]

No traffic jams? Have you been on the roads lately or do you take public transit? Road work is everywhere and traffic jams are the norm. 'Rush hour' used to start at 5 PM and now it starts at 3. It regularly takes me over 30 minutes to cross the Champlain bridge from the south shore back into Montreal at the end of the day while listening to traffic reports of waits of over an hour to get out of the city. How much more unbearable do you want it to be?

.

Ok, so let me rephrase that. No traffic jams as bad as in the GTA ( Toronto )
I have the luxury of going where I want at the time I want to go there, so I am not trapped in the early morning and late afternoon traffic jams.

 

[YouVantOption]

If you don't think Montreal is a disaster

Then clearly you haven't left home to see any other cities. In the past year I've been to a 14 U.S. and European cities, and it is always shocking to see the disrepair of my home-town when I come back. The contrast is always striking.

Why are we in this state? Absolutely due to chronic financial issues which started before 1976, but were exacerbated by the seps governing the place. Our roads and infrastructure are worst than most third-world countries I have visited. Seriously & for real. I can think of only one place with worse streets, a bad road between Mombassa and Nairobi, in Kenya.

Montreal, which used to be the wealthiest and largest Canadian city is a disaster, and an embarrassment.

Happily, things do seem to be taking a turn for the better, all the road construction although an inconvenience is a sign of betterment, the Gran Prix coming back is a good thing, the new arts centre will be very nice. This summer, I was happy to see throngs of people in Place Jacques Cartier, and restaurants are generally doing quite well. Here's hoping that my city will attain some of its former glory, because it gave me no satisfaction at all to witness the decline over the past 35 years.

 

[JustBob]

After the documentary "L'Illusion Tranquille" (2007) appeared, a number of scathing articles came out lamenting the fact that Quebec was on the road to economic ruins. Things were so bad, they argued, that Quebec's GDP allegedly ranked 54th out of 60 provinces and states in North America. Of course most of these articles, written in english (duh...), blamed those pesky separatists and used the same old tired rhetoric about the exodus of companies and english speakers. Not only were these these articles mostly full of crap, but their bias made them completly impervious to basic economic facts and figures.

Truth be told, Quebec, as of today, would have the 16th ranked GDP in North America. Furthermore, the impact of these companies leaving was only temporary and, since these times and putting aside natural ressources, Quebec has managed to innovate, build a diversified economy, and is now considered a world leader in a number of sectors including: aerospace, finance, transportation, information technology, biotech/health industry, etc...

One might ask if Ontario's economy is in better shape because of it's heavy reliance on the manufacturing sector... Plus, they hardly create an attractive environment for investors, since they still have the highest corporate tax rates in Canada at nearly 35% and they tax growth industries like communications at an even higher rate!

So please, let's stop with this nonsense about the evil separatists having completely ruined Quebec. We're no longer in 1970...

 

[Kepler]

nonsense about the evil separatists having completely ruined Quebec. We're no longer in 1970...

The separatist haven't "ruined" Quebec, but the threat of secession does have a huge economic cost. Both the 1980 and 1995 referendums cost us very dearly.

Some people will argue that the cost was worth it. They are allowed to hold that view. But they shouldn't be allowed to get away with saying that it has no impact.

 

[Techman]

So please, let's stop with this nonsense about the evil separatists having completely ruined Quebec. We're no longer in 1970...

Unfortunately. In 1970 Montreal was still a world class city with a great future.

I always find it amazing that some people still refuse to accept any blame at all for the current situation here. Can anyone honestly believe that the constant separatist and language bullshit has had no effect on the economy of Quebec? That the loss of what probably amounts to more than 1 million people, many of them professionals and high wage earners, over the last 30 plus years has had no effect on the Quebec and especially Montreal economy?

One might ask if Ontario's economy is in better shape because of it's heavy reliance on the manufacturing sector... Plus, they hardly create an attractive environment for investors, since they still have the highest corporate tax rates in Canada at nearly 35% and they tax growth industries like communications at an even higher rate!

But for some reason, companies still choose to invest and build in Ontario while Quebec has to pay them a ransom to have them come here. Why is that?

Why do we have an infrastructure that is crumbling around us? Why are our streets like those in a war zone? Why are our highways and bridges in a constant state of repair? Why can't we do anything properly in the first place instead of treating everything as a permanent make work project?

Let's continue to believe that the language people speak is the most important thing in the world while everything else falls down around our ears. Maybe if we're really lucky, nothing will land on us and kill us on the way down.

Let's stop this nonsense about separatists and language problems having nothing to do with the present situation. Open your eyes.

 

[CLOUD 500]

Ok, so let me rephrase that. No traffic jams as bad as in the GTA ( Toronto )
I have the luxury of going where I want at the time I want to go there, so I am not trapped in the early morning and late afternoon traffic jams.

So very true. I am in Toronto at least twice a month and the traffic we have in Montreal cannot compare to the traffic jams in Toronto. There are like five times the amount of cars on the roads in Toronto then Montreal.

 

[Techman]

So very true. I am in Toronto at least twice a month and the traffic we have in Montreal cannot compare to the traffic jams in Toronto. There are like five times the amount of cars on the roads in Toronto then Montreal.

I wonder how many of them belong to former Montrealers?

 

[CLOUD 500]

The separatist haven't "ruined" Quebec, but the threat of secession does have a huge economic cost. Both the 1980 and 1995 referendums cost us very dearly.

Some people will argue that the cost was worth it. They are allowed to hold that view. But they shouldn't be allowed to get away with saying that it has no impact.

So sad but very true. Montreal was a very vibrant city growing very fast in the 70's. It was the main city in Canada. But all this war in between the French and English ruined this city. Let us face it no major businesses want to be in a city were there is such political instability and who are forced to operate in another language. Since the 80's the growth in the city are slowed considerably almost hitting close to stagnant but now things are better since the 00's. In the 80's and 90's there was very little new construction of new residential and commercial space. There has been almost no metro expansion, the public transit service has degraded considerably in the 90's. Look at Toronto which is growing so fast and is turning into New York. Near empty spaces in the 90's are now full of stores and housing. There has been considerable expansion of the subway lines in the last decade. Public transit service has nearly doubled, the population has tripled in the last decade. All the evidence is there. One just has to look.

 

[CLOUD 500]

I wonder how many of them belong to former Montrealers?

I suspect there are a high proportion of Montrealers. I meet many former Montrealers in Toronto simply because biligualism is a hot commodity in Toronto. If you speak French they will hire you without even having the qualifications for the job simply because they do not have much choice and they pay very well.

 

[JH Fan]

Bla bla bla !!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYbXBWsa0BM

 

[JH Fan]

Philadelphia, PA: 7/28/2008, U.S. Bridges Falling Down?, ABC News, At least $140 billion is needed to make major repairs or upgrades to one of every four U.S. bridges, transportation officials from states across the country said in a report released Monday.


Canada's bridges and roads are in urgent need of repair, says a new report.
RENE JOHNSTON/TORONTO STAR
OTTAWA - The infrastructure in Canadian cities is "near collapse" and will cost $123 billion to repair and replace — money that municipalities don't have, a new report warns.

http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/278129

But I forgot ! only in Montreal is this happening !
Ah yes ! and it is because of old stupid politics between anglos and hardcore frenchies !!!

DUH !

 

[CS Martin]

There is no one at home!!!!

*************editted***********

 

[Techman]

JH Fan, did anyone in this thread say that Montreal was the only place with problems? Why is it that everytime a discussion comes up about Montreal, or Quebec in general, someone has to come along and start talking about things that are totally irrelevent?

Yes, there are problems elsewhere in the world. So what else is new? Some countries even have wars going on. What the hell does any of that have to do with the situation in Montreal and the causes of it?

Who knows? Maybe if the separatist thread had never come up, things would be just as bad as they are today. Then again maybe they would be a hell of a lot better because the most important criteria in hiring someone would be the ability do the job well and not the language they speak.

So how about keeping the discussion on topic and about Montreal, not the rest of the world ?

 

[JH Fan]

Oh look ! CAE moved back it's head office from Toronto to Montreal in 2005 ! DUH !!!

You want H.O.s ?
What Bristol-Myers Squibb is staying in Mtrl and is moving to it's new Head Office ?

Air Canada ?
Alcan consolidated it's Head Office in Mtrl in 2007 ?
BCE is the leading telecom and it's in Mtrl ?
Abitibi-Bowater ?
Bombardier ?
GE Capital opened new HO in Mtrl ?

And by God ! the Port of Montreal is the largest inland port in the world ?
You don't say ! Ah well I'm sure now it's all ruined because of the separatists.

The Canadian Space agency is nearby ?

Wow ! I just learned that the IATA and the ICAO too ?
Le cirque du Soleil ?
The official legal corporate of the Royal Bank too ?
Even if it's operations are in Toronto ?
I thought it was because of the decision to favor the TSE ? But I guess you're right !
It has to be the political turmoil in Quebec that closed all the H.O.s in Mtrl...

What else ? now ! Mtrl a disaster ?

What about the CN, Rio Tinto, Ultramar, Jean-Coutu, Hydo-Quebec, SNC Lavalin, Quebecor, Power Corp, National Bank, Molson, Via Rail, Laurentian Bank, Alliance Film, Domtar, Tembec...

And oh ! look the Montreal Refining center is the biggest in Canada.
They all moved out of Ontario ! I wonder why ? It has to be the separatist !

Oh and I just learned that Montreal has been official named 'Canada's cultural capital'.

Sh*t ! that must hurt to all the ones who thinks the language barrier here screwed up everything !

With access to six universities and twelve junior colleges in an 8 kilometre (5 mi) radius, Montreal has the highest concentration of post-secondary students of all major cities in North America

You don't say ! Wow this has to be because the language barrier made it impossible to learn english I guess !!!

McGill university has consistently been ranked in the top 25 universities in the world for the past six years.

Oh Man ! the situation in Mtrl is getting so much worst I'm affraid everything will crumble !

 

[JH Fan]

Hey why don't I try to understand what happened with China since the 80's ?

I'm sure what happened in Quebec because of the language is lot more important economicaly about the way we do business nowadays but let's just try to read about how the world has changed since then ?

You never know ! maybe I'll learn something about the world's economy !

 

[Techman]

What about the CN, Rio Tinto,Ultramar, Jean-Coutu, Hydo-Quebec, SNC Lavalin, Quebecor, Power Corp, National Bank, Molson, Via Rail, Laurentian Bank, Alliance Film, Domtar, Tembec...

And oh ! look the Montreal Refining center is the biggest in Canada.
They all moved out of Ontario ! I wonder why ? It has to be the separatist

So all those companies moved out of Ontario to Quebec? Really? WOW! I never knew that Hydro Quebec and Quebecor especially were once located in Ontario! I'm sure that they would be very surprised to hear that also!

Anyways JH, go ahead and continue to rant away. I got bored with this thread at about the same time you made your first post in it. I have more important things to do, like pick on Leafs fans about their latest loss, watch some television, take a bathroom break...anything really than keep reading whatever it may be that you decide to post next.

 

[JH Fan]

JH Fan, did anyone in this thread say that Montreal was the only place with problems? Why is it that everytime a discussion comes up about Montreal, or Quebec in general, someone has to come along and start talking about things that are totally irrelevent?

Yes, there are problems elsewhere in the world. So what else is new? Some countries even have wars going on. What the hell does any of that have to do with the situation in Montreal and the causes of it?

Who knows? Maybe if the separatist thread had never come up, things would be just as bad as they are today. Then again maybe they would be a hell of a lot better because the most important criteria in hiring someone would be the ability do the job well and not the language they speak.

So how about keeping the discussion on topic and about Montreal, not the rest of the world ?

Very simply Techman : You guys over exagerate everything that happens here in Mtrl.
Montreal a Disaster ? is the title of this thread. That's what all the ranting is all about !

The start of this thread discussion is biased.

What happened in Quebec in the 80's is a side-show of a side-show and you guys are just going into this trap of always over exagerating stuff !

That's why I've thrown all sort of 'exagerating' and sarcastic stuff in all directions at you !

We all hear this 'culture' of the worst, the biggest, the 'disaster', the total corruption, the best of all, the brightest, the fastest, this and that, etc...

While deep down we all know this is BS.

What is next to fear and to be mad about ?
A Vaccine ? everybody around us ?

The price of everything ? taxes ?

Sh*t man ! we all know that we have it very easy compare to a lot in this world !
Can't you just go on and have sex instead ?

 

[Techman]

This is the last thing I have to say to you about this and probably any other subject you post about in the future. Once again, just as in the thread I started, you take issue with the title of the thread when in fact the title is taken directly from the article that is quoted in the first post. If you have a problem with the title, I duggest you take it up with the writer of the original story in whatever magazine or newspaper it was originally posted in. There's not a damn thing biased about it. It's a discussion about an article. Well at least it was until you got here.

What's next? Someone makes a thread about war breaking out in some part of the world and you start blaming it on him? Try actually reading the quoted article for once and make your posts based on it instead of attacking the person who makes the post about it here.

And yeah, we do have it better than a lot of people in the world. That's no reason to stop trying to improve things and letting them turn to crap. It's easier to make excuses and toss blame around than it is to actually work together to make things better. But it's impossible to work together when only one side is willing to do so and the other side only wants to walk away.

That's it, I'm done.

 

[YouVantOption]

I suspect there are a high proportion of Montrealers. I meet many former Montrealers in Toronto simply because biligualism is a hot commodity in Toronto. If you speak French they will hire you without even having the qualifications for the job simply because they do not have much choice and they pay very well.

Actually, the same is true of the bio-tech firms in Quebec City; they are in dire need of anglos, since they operate in the international arena where English is prerequisite.

 

[YouVantOption]

Ah yes ! and it is because of old stupid politics between anglos and hardcore frenchies !!!

Last time I checked, anglos were not putting up draconian language laws that dissuaded American business from investing. As someone else said, that is entirely within the right of those in charge, and those who voted them in, but please don't try to deny that those measures have had no impact of negative consequence. That is pure denial of reality.