Montreal
A Citizen's Guide to Politics
Roy, Jean-Hugues and Weston, Brendan (eds.)
Publisher: Black Rose Books, Montreal, Canada
Year Published: 1990
Pages: 215pp Resource Type: Book
Cx Number: CX4487
Abstract:
The volume concentrates on events in Montreal since the victory of the Montreal Citizens' Movement (MCM) in the civic election of 1986. The essays in this book provide a vigorous critique of the behaviour of the MCM in office. Authors express their disappointment at the way in which the MCM quickly abandoned its platform of democracy and conservation as soon as it achieved office. As a result, many members of the old MCM have resigned to form two new organizations, the Democratic Coalition and Ecology Montreal. The authors examine several specific measures of the new administration, among them its increasing centralization of power, in direct violation of its platform of decentralizing power to neighbourhood councils with real power. Coupled with this was a clampdown on internal discussion and dissent within the MCM itself. Other articles look at the changing economic and demographic profile of Montreal, at housing, transportation, and ecology. One article argues that Montreal has become increasingly out of step with the political climate of Quebec, and that Montreal should look at the option of working toward sovereignty from Quebec.
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