Comments made by a former PQ minister that fewer boroughs could lead to "ethnic cities" have left citizens and officials alike scowling and scratching their heads.
Louise Harel made the comments in reponse to comments made by Cosmo Maciocia, mayor of Riviere-des-Praries-Pointe-aux-Trembles. He suggested that the city should look at reducing the number of boroughs from 19 to 10, and reducing the corresponding bureaucrats to save money.
The week before, the city had announced it was aiming to save $155 million in its 2009 budget.
Maciocia wanted the city to start considering his idea around 2010.
In an interview, Harel said: "if we go from 19 to 10 boroughs, but these boroughs remain quasi-municipalities as they are now, we will end up in the worst of situations because we'll have cities... an Italian city, a Haitian city, an Anglophone city, an Arab city- Ville St. Laurent, a Jewish city, etc. We will no longer have this sense of one big city with boroughs that speaks with one voice."
Comments not well received
"Y'know ethnic stereotyping is not something that we appreciate," said Antonio Sciascia of the Italian-Canadian Congress. "If we're all to be Quebecers, then why all this fuss about stereotyping?"
City hall is equally offended.
"That's not the Montreal of today. I would suggest Mrs. Harel is living in the past," said executive committee member Alan Desousa.
The Quebec liberals also chimed in.
"The PQ has long tried to create divisions between French and English in Montreal, and you have to be careful when you make these sensitive statements," said municipal affairs minister Nathalie Normandeau at a press conference.
And at least one person could not make the connection between less bureaucracy and ethnic groupings by geography.
"The issue of ethnicity has nothing to do with this debate about municipal structures unless Mrs. Harel is obsessed with the question like Jacques Parizeau was with the ethnic vote," said Robert Libman, former mayor of Cote St. Luc.
With files from Rob Lurie
