Not for Quebec to manage public transit: Guilbault
Geneviève Guilbault, Quebec’s minister of sustainable mobility, says it’s not up to Quebec to manage public transit: “L’État n’a pas à gérer le transport collectif.” Quebec looks after the roads, but she’s washing her hands of public transit funding.
carswell 18:06 on 2024-04-24 Permalink
If you had any doubts left as to whether the Legault government hates cities and isn’t serious about climate change, you can lay them to rest.
Ian 18:54 on 2024-04-24 Permalink
Absolutely.
That said, the real reason they don’t want immigration is becoming evident – the population of greater Montreal is almost 5 million and the population of the whole province is ojnly 9 million. Since the immigrants will mostly want to live in the city, it would be easy for that balance to tip.
The ethnonationalism is just a ruse to keep the support of the deplorables.
As in all things poitical, cui bono.
Robert H 11:51 on 2024-04-25 Permalink
As the crevice between Greater Montreal and the rest of the province widens into a grand canyon, the Singapore option is looking more and more attractive. Though I think Quebec needs the city and its immigrants more than the city needs Quebec, it would be a shame if such a partition were ever to occur: it would be a blow to french Canada and the beginning of the end of Canada itself.
Tim 14:28 on 2024-04-25 Permalink
Municipal governments in Canada are constructs of the provinces where they are located. Kathleen Wynne prevented Toronto from imposing tolls on Toronto highways. Doug Ford arbitrarily reduced the size of Toronto’s city council. These same powers exist in Quebec.
The Singapore option is an impossibility without the provincial electoral map being updated so that a majority government could be formed exclusively from Montreal ridings. That will never be permitted to happen, even if Montreal grows to 75% of the population of Quebec.
Tee Owe 16:08 on 2024-04-25 Permalink
Tim makes a good point about it’s not simply ‘them vs us’ in Quebec, it’s also ‘them vs them’ elsewhere. My Toronto friends kvetch constantly. Useful perspective.
Robert H 20:28 on 2024-04-25 Permalink
I appreciate that reminder, Tim, though I have been struck by the contrast between the Canadian system and the division of power between municipalities and states that I recall from Boston where I lived many years. For example, the municipal mergers initiated early this century by the provincial government would never have happened in New England with its powerful tradition of local autonomy and a generalized attitude that treats town boundaries as if they were ordained by God. I actually prefer the Canadian practice you articulated for reasons I stated in my previous message, but I do believe that Montreal should have more of a say in how it meets its municipal challenges. The devil, of course, is in the details.
Tee Owe, I agree that Montreal’s situation is shared by many large cities that clash with the jurisdictions within which they lie. Toronto at least has the advantage of being the seat of Ontario’s provincial government, though even that is probably a double-edged sword.