Montreal City Weblog

Kate 21:44 on 2019-05-15 Permalink Reply  

• Ian 08:00 on 2019-05-16 Permalink

  Let’s hope there’s no roadwork, bagels, or softball for him to get abusive about in public forcing Plante to backpedal on his behalf. In that regard he and Ferrandez are very much cut from the same cloth.

• Joey 09:25 on 2019-05-16 Permalink

  Norris’s contempt for the softball field goes back a long time. GIven our community’s lawsuit plus the ongoing consultation for a plan directeur for Jeanne-Mance Park (yes, now that they have destroyed a ball field and rebuilt both the tennis courts and the playground, the City is developing a plan), I doubt there’s much he will be able to do to achieve his vision while he’s *interim* mayor.

• Jack 12:58 on 2019-05-16 Permalink

  Ian and Joey its deeply personal for both of you. Were things better with Vision Montreal, Equipe Denis Coderre…..did I miss something.

• Joey 13:08 on 2019-05-16 Permalink

  I voted for Luc (twice!) and donated to PM during the last campaign. Ferrandez, as plateau mayor during Coderre’s administration, promised to restore the softball field following the renovation of the adjacent tennis courts. There’s video of him throwing out the first pitch at an awareness-raising event we held. Coderre made the same promise, by the way. Once Plante was elected and Ferrandez assumed the role of head of parks, he promised again to restore the field. He then reneged on that promise without adequate reason or room for discussion. He dispatched Norris to deal with the community, and Norris spread lies and half-truths designed to misinform the public about the decision he and Ferrandez were “forced” to take (a decision he has been advocating for since long before our current situation), and refused to meaningfully engage with the overwhelming grassroots community effort to reconsider his decision. So, no, things weren’t necessarily better under previous administrations – but when a politician is willing to lie and deceive to get his way, it’s only “better” for you until your preferences stop aligning with his.

• Ian 17:54 on 2019-05-16 Permalink

  Didn’t Ferrandez and Norris circle the wagons to kick out Piper Huggins for being to radical and not playing ball? That aside, both Norris and Ferrandez have actually insulted me directly, but that’s not the point. I would vote for PM if they put a pig in a hat on the ticket because they are the only party not obviously on the take. That said, I don’t like the daddy knows best attitude and frankly I think their self righteousness is undeserved as the real cause of climate collapse is way beyond their vision. As far as actually working toward progressive change, being a confrontational asshole doesn’t win hearts and minds. I trust Plante to make the right decisions for the city, but that doesn’t mean I have to like everyone in her party. Richard Ryan would have been a much better choice to replace Ferrandez, for one.

• qatzelok 18:46 on 2019-05-16 Permalink

  I think a lot of car addicts can only see the traffic-calming in Luc’s eyes. And this makes them see red.

• Ian 19:03 on 2019-05-16 Permalink

  What a nuanced response, qatzi. Thank you for joining the conversation with such a relevant observation.

• Jack 02:24 on 2019-05-17 Permalink

  Joey I get it, the softball decision was stupid. Ian I think if we dont elect confrontational assholes we are doomed. Thanks for your responses.