City issues: homelessness, graffiti
When Quebecor reports on urban issues like graffiti and homelessness I read them and think: yes, these are actually a problem, but is Quebecor more interested in simply telling the story, or is its motive to emphasize Montreal’s grimmer and sleazier aspects because that’s a standing editorial policy?
Chris 11:20 on 2023-05-22 Permalink
Indeed. And you should have the same thoughts for everything you read in media generally.
Kate 11:32 on 2023-05-22 Permalink
Why how kind of you to school me, Chris.
shawn 12:04 on 2023-05-22 Permalink
I agree that graffiti is a scourge and more needs to be done to stop it but when the article cited $500 k a year as the “fortune” being spent on removal, it didn’t seem that high a figure given what the city must spend in other areas.
shawn 12:09 on 2023-05-22 Permalink
… and c’mon Kate, it’s the only way you’re going to learn.
Chris 12:51 on 2023-05-22 Permalink
Kate, I’m not trying to ‘school you’, I was agreeing with you! The comment wasn’t even addressed to you specifically, just a general conversation piece that it’s typical of media to all have their agendas to watch out for. They are easy to see when we disagree with their agenda, harder to see when we agree.
Chris 13:25 on 2023-05-22 Permalink
>$500 k a year as the “fortune” being spent …
Why do you put “fortune” in quotes? The article does not use that word. In fact their sentence is a pretty bland to-the-point statement of fact: “Dans l’arrondissement de Ville-Marie seulement, ce sont 500 000 dollars qui sont investis chaque année pour effacer les graffitis.” That wording doesn’t strike me as them trying to make it seem huge; does it?
>…didn’t seem that high a figure given what the city must spend in other areas
It’s also not what “the city” spends, that figure is for one borough. If we multiply by 19 (for a rough approximation) it’s almost $10 million. For comparison, the City budget is spending only $1.5 million per year to expand bixi. So you’re right it’s not the City’s biggest spending item, but it’s significant I think.
shawn 14:54 on 2023-05-22 Permalink
“Fortune” is in the headline.