Tell Us What You Really Think

With Montreal voters slated to head to the polls this week-end, Maclean's magazine has gone on the offensive with its take on the politics here. 

"The once-glamorous city is now a corrupt, crumbling, mob-ridden disgrace. What went wrong?"

Duh and Ouch!

I'll add to this, a second rate sports town with a sports media that has become so parochial, it's childishly obsessed with Toronto. That is, bashing Hogtown at every turn.

Chumps.

Moving along.

What went wrong? It never was right! Anyone ever read City Unique? It's the way it is here. Sin City. Montreal has always been a cess pool of Latin-style corruption. I've seen it with my own two eyes.

In North America, I can't say which cities are most corrupt, however, I can make an educated guess based on reputation and from what I've experienced, read and heard (one of the city's most respected and powerful lawyers - who happens to be a friend of yours truly - once told me as much). That being, the Big MTL. is right up there with Chicago, New York and Louisiana.

Put it to you this way, there's a reason why this city is the Capital when it comes to car thefts, marketing scams and investor fraud - to say nothing of the hushed reality of the terrorist cells operating here. Moreover, Montreal's mafia is second to none on the continent. Much is made of Capone's Chicago and the Five Families of New York but Montreal has quietly built itself as probably the main hub for all mafiosi operations. Indeed, the book the 'The Sixth Family' chronicling the rise of Vito Rizzuto, thrillingly explains Montreal's powerful eminence on this front.

It's a powerful piece of contradictions that despite all this along with the tiresome political climate, Montreal's quality of life remains very good.

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So imagine how hard I laughed after the Benoit Labonte scandal hit. Apparently, "brown bags" filled with cash were being exchanged. No!!! For real?  It's like losing my virginity.

The sad thing is nothing will change. Consider the candidates running for the gig:

Gerald Tremblay: Seeking re-election. Likeable and genuine but way too clueless. The "what me?" act has worn thin.

Richard Bergeron: In a word? A nutcase. Or at least doesn't think before he speaks. A guy who doesn't believe man walked on the moon, thinks 9/11 was an inside job and wants to turn Montreal into Lego land with 33 kms of Tram ways. Which voice speaks to him in the morning? Hubbard from a space ship somewhere in deep space, perhaps?

Louise Harel: A divider. A shrewd, proudly unilingual politician who rammed through the mergers against the wishes of Montrealers while she was with the PQ. About that. Yeah, sure. Her indepdendiste views should not be an issue. Suuurrree. I'll stop here lest I go overboard.

Tremblay is clearly the lesser of all the evils. But, as my father who owns commercial property told me, he wants to increase business taxes another 16%. "How much more do they want from us?"

As for me, I have to go vote for the Laval municipal elections.

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Note: Mr. Bergeron has since retracted his comments about 9/11. For whatever that's worth.