It’s just a street name people.
I’ve been following the saga that is the changing of Parc to Robert Bourassa. I don’t get the fuss. I really don’t. The Gazette in a recent editorial equated Montreal city council with Pyongyang. No, but seriously. There’s hyperbole, and then there’s just plain idiotic. I was suprised however, that the editorial writers of Winnipeg actually were aware of the name change.
It’s a street name people. That’s all. I’ve never seen so much protest over something so insignificant. If let’s say they had proposed in changing St-Urbain, I could see the fuss. St-Urbain has heritage, due in part to Richler’s novels. But Parc? It’s a street that describes a park that covers maybe 10% of its entire length.
But the problem isn’t that they want to change Parc. It’s that they want to change it to Robert Bourassa. Anglos especially despised this premier and his sign law. Remember the Equality Party? What a lark. That came from Bourassa’s sign law and some anglos have a long memory.
My personal favorite argument is that this will cost merchants money because they will have to change all their stationary. OH THE HORROR! THE DRAMA! Maybe the merchants on Parc will now stop buying 20yrs worth of stationary. No, seriously, they are going to have to buy some sooner or later.
Love him or hate him, Bourassa was a major influence on Quebec society. He was a major player.
Ms Fotopoulos, Mr Prescott, go head with your change. This will all blow over.. as so it should.
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You don’t understand and are making gross generalizations. There are a large variety of reasons residents hold for not wanting to see the name changed, none of which are petty. The mayor should have consulted the residents impacted, or at least our representatives, instead of making a personal decision about such an important matter. This is OUR community.
And why be so mean-spirited? People obviously care deeply about this or almost 4000 people wouldn’t have signed the petition already.
Sorry Jay but I completely disagree with you on this subject. A lot of people do have a lot of emotional attachment to the street. Changing Parc Avenue is as emotionally charged as changing St Urbain or St Denis or Ste Catherine. I don’t think it’s an anglo/franco thing although I’m not sure if I’ve seen as much coverage of it in the french media. As far as the cost, it’s not only businesses that have to bear the burden but our tax dollars will be needed to change the street signs, the tourist brochures, maps, etc. People are most upset that there was no public consultation. This was a decision that was taken and announced without any regard to the citizens of the community. Yes, there may be other issues worth protesting about but we are lucky to live in a society that has known democracy and any impingement on that will bring out protestors. I guess you have your opinion and I have mine. We’ll see what happens.
In point of fact, Bourassa wasn’t responsible for Bill 101, the sign law, but for Bill 22, which made French the official language of Quebec. Also, as I was recently reminded, Bourassa pressed for a state of emergency to be declared during the October Crisis, which brought Canadian troops into the streets of Montreal. So, I think he pretty much pissed everybody off.
Personally, I’d like to see a moratorium on renaming streets, airports, and other city landmarks after politicians, at least until one is actually deserving of the honour. Until then, Parc will do just fine.
i assume you’ll see the other side of the coin when something you care about is changed. let’s see if you blog that.
what a silly post. if it’s not important to you, it’s not important to you. but, clearly it’s important to other people, otherwise there wouldn’t be such a fuss.
that’s the point: no one was asked if it was important.
and as democracies are meant to refelect the will of the people, any one person’s opinion (yours or mine) doesn’t matter, what matters is that there be a process in place so that the government’s decisions reflect the will of the people.
why no public consultation? because people would be against it.
they may get over it, but that doesn’t make executive decisions right.
and no one, anglo franco or other that i have talked to is in favour of the change. (except you).
I’m still feeling sorry for the merchants who will have to change their cheques, business cards, invoices, advertising, letterhead and envelopes. Many of them barely make a living as it is, without this kind of expense. And I disagree with the person who said merchants shouldn’t buy 20 years of stationery (that’s with an “e”, by the way, as in “ecrire”. The other stationary is with an “a” as in “arreter”.) That’s how I remember them, and I’m an Anglo.) If they were forward enough thinking to overstock on stationery at yesterday’s prices, I say God bless ‘em. I was furious when they changed the name of Dorchester in favour of that *&^%$#* separatiste, especially as I understand that Lord Dorchester was instrumental in ensuring that French is still spoken in this Province.
Cheers,
Rosemary