More On Montreal's Creative Class

The question is this: what comes first? An authentic creative community or building a creative class? I picked up this is a letter to the editor regarding Richard Florida's article in the Montreal Gazette. I especially agree with the part in bold. As I've written before, Montreal is a place to look and act cool but does it really deserve the excessive praise it gets? In parts it does, but I can't shake the idea that Montreal isn't a "grown up" city.

"In discussing the "immobilisme" of our municipal government, Richard Florida described Montreal as a truly authentic city. Forgive me, but how can you call a city authentic if its economy is subsidized and its spending dependent on access to credit? An "authentic economy" is measured in terms of production and capital reserves, not subsidies and debt.

The real issue is that we are all guilty of our own "immobilisme." Our low cost of living is not a positive indicator but a reflection of a city's lack of productivity and drive.

Our most cherished business enterprises are subsidized by federal, provincial and municipal governments. I love my city but let's be real: Montrealers don't want to take personal responsibility for their economic liberty and willingly hand that power over to our governments - the same governments we mistrust and call irresponsible.

The problem is us - the people of this city who won't build an authentic economy that's not dependent on an F1 race, festivals and beautiful women. We're too distracted by silly politically motivated cultural agendas to build an "authentic economy." If Montrealers want reduced taxation, then perhaps they should insist on slashed spending first.

On an optimistic front, Montreal does have the world at its fingertips, but claiming it will require a paradigm shift and culturally inclusive attitude."

P.M. (name protected. I never know if I should publish it.)