City at grips with Quebec

When the CAQ government was elected we knew this would mean Montreal vs. the ROQ, and that’s how it’s rolling.

The city is trying to get changes in the new taxi law, saying the new rules may be fine in the ROQ but not here. The city wants to run its taxis as it sees fit but the CAQ is determined to make no exceptions for Montreal.

CAQ transport minister Chantal Rouleau – also “responsable de la Métropole” – is snarking at Valérie Plante for expressing doubts about the Caisse de dépôt’s sudden enthusiasm for running more REM lines north and south of town without considering the domino effect of pouring more people onto a metro system already overloaded at rush hour. The mayor wants the ARTM to make decisions about urban transit, not the provincial pension manager, but it has the upper hand.

And the brief debate on Bill 21 begins tomorrow as the CAQ attempts to make Montreal look and behave more like Joliette.

It could get worse. We could elect the Tories in October.