Wednesday Night Salon #979
December 6, 2000
INTRODUCTIONS
Councillor Cynthia Lulham introduced John K. Stewart Senior Specialist Compensation IOC ORE ![[Version en français]](http://www.Wednesday-Night.com/images/fr.gif)
There is considerable excitement over the forthcoming December 10 monster rally [expect 40,000] protesting the proposed forced mergers of Québec municipalities. Clearly, citizens of the affected cities, towns and villages affected are opposed to the plan while the Québec government appears to be counting on the opposition to dissipate after the legislation is passed, as has apparently happened in Toronto. The municipal governments here, perhaps having learned from the Toronto experience, have organized and are hoping in one way or another to maintain such autonomy as they now possess, using all legal means at their disposal. It is hoped that the December 10 rally taking place in Montreal will form an integral part of the defence.
One must ask why the government of Québec would risk antagonizing a segment of the population the size of which is as yet unknown. Clearly this is not a language issue, although the elimination of most if not all municipalities now holding bilingual status may please Anglophobes both in the government and in the general population. There has been no hint of monitory savings resulting from amalgamation. In fact, the consensus is that costs will rise, especially in the smaller communities. The only plausible hypothesis is that this government in planning for its ultimate separation from Canada, recognizes that if this dream is to be realized, it must devolve to the municipalities, the responsibility for many responsibilities currently in the domain of the provincial government. To do this, the municipalities must be of sufficient size to handle them. If this hypothesis is correct, Québec has little choice but to take the calculated risk of choosing it’s planned course of action.
The initial line of defence of the affected municipalities was to inform their citizens as well as those of the not-as-yet affected cities and towns of the possible foreseeable problems. Has this objective been attained? Surveys done by Le Devoir has indicated that in a one month period, the number of people polled who were opposed to forced mergers, increased from 46% to 56%. Will the legislation be passed in the face of this increased opposition? The answer is, ... of course.
With the first phase of referenda, consultations, public information and public protests completed, the affected municipalities are moving to the next phase, namely a legal challenge of the legislation once passed. Although there has been no hint of a language issue on the part of any of the parties, it will most probably form the core of the court challenge.
On a lighter note, the arrival on this continent of two pandas from China has hit the news. As it always does, especially at this time of year, it captured the hearts of the North American public. Unstated, but undoubtedly not unforseen or unplanned, it has provided Fedex with incredible publicity at relatively low cost. Wherever the pandas were seen on television, so was "Panda I" and the cages they had built for the journey. The newspapers have given them a great deal of free publicity. Federal Express always delivers, especially when the product is as fragile and ephemeral as free favourable publicity.
QUOTES OF THE EVENING:
- "If we can keep this thing active and delay the enforcement of the law, the closer we can come to the election ... the Liberals coming in."
- "If the people want it, the courts will find a legal reason."
- "Eventually, democracy will win, but it takes time."
- "When governments go over the top, the courts set them right."
- " ,,, dichotomy between ... legal argument and political argument ... but .. legal argument is ... linguistic one."
- "The legacy the P.Q. wants to leave in Québec is to francisize Montreal."
- "The goal was not to get rid of Anglophone communities. It was happy collateral damage ... fortuitous."
- "Harel wants to get her name in history books."
- "My impression is there is no going back ... no way to reverse."
- "If we can legally delay it, we are home free ... delay is the deadliest form of denial."
- "Our best legal argument is that which hurts the most."
- "No matter who is right and who is wrong, the longer it goes, the longer it goes and nobody wants to hear about it (any more)."
,
Notes by Herbert Bercovitz Sculptor Scribe
Edited by Diana Thébaud Nicholson click to photos
Peggy Killeen was born in Kimberley, South Africa and has considered Montreal home for the last seven years. On May 14 she will present her short story "The Souvenir". Peggy is also a veritable virtuoso on the triangle. Her silver-toned talent lay dormant until a now-historic Caravan Collective reading last October. This was the occasion when her charming chimes first gave "Some Hemorrhaging For Jack" its much-needed melody, and even, dare it be said, a smidgen of soul. Audience members were deeply moved by the ringing rhythm Ms. Killeen brought to the piece. The future is bright for this percussionist with perfect pitch. see GRIMY WINDOWS VARIETY SHOWCASE at Hurley's Irish Pub 1225 Crescent Street, 8 PM. second Monday of each month
click any image or underlined type as they all go somewhere - a big picture or a new page.
Most open a new window which can get lost on your Link bar at bottom of browser
)
)
 "Pc06MichaelKronishMireilleSilcottARN17 2.6kb")
Wed978.htm
Wed-980
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
Site Menu
Peter Trent & Karan Marks
e-mail us
Please phone (514) 934-0023