Thursday, December 23, 2010

When it Comes to Donations, Quebec Remains Canada's Scrooge

Of all the blog pieces that I've written, this is perhaps the one that I've actually been avoiding.

The story is significant and bears discussion, but I'm afraid I'm going to take a lot of heat for it, as it's sure to paint an unflattering view of the generosity of Quebeckers, and yes, more specifically, francophone Quebeckers.

It has to do with the stunning difference in the level of generosity between Quebeckers and Canadians as well as the exaggerated difference between Anglophone Quebeckers and Francophone Quebeckers in relation to charitable donations.

The decision to finally embark on this rather sensitive subject was triggered by some recently published statistics, an email from a reader who made some very salient points in regard to the subject, as well as a newspaper article about Cirque de Soleil's Guy Laliberté and his charitable foundation 'One Drop."

Let's start with the numbers. The Fraser Institute recently issued a report which clearly showed a magnitude difference in the level of charity between Quebec and other provinces;


You can download a copy of the report via PDF file here.

As you can see the numbers are pretty depressing, Quebec comes in dead last in terms how much is donated by taxpayers to charity at $609. Compare this to British Columbians who donate an average of $1802, one can sadly surmise that Quebeckers are only one third as generous. 

In fact the numbers are even more depressing, with Quebec standing 60th out of the 64 North Americans states and provinces surveyed.

Consider that the Quebec figures don't break down the numbers to Anglophones/Ethnics versus Francophones, otherwise the $609 dollar figure might suffer a precipitous drop.

While evidence that anglo Quebeckers give more than their francophone brethren is hard to come by, one only has to look to the level of generosity towards anglophone institutions to draw fair conclusions.

McGill University's endowment fund, while not quite up to the University of Toronto standards, dwarfs any other institution in Quebec. In fact, it surpasses all the francophones universities in the province COMBINED!
Only 1.3% of Quebec university revenues come from private donations, compared to 2.8% in the ROC. Take McGill out of the equation and I shudder to think what that number would be.

The Jewish General hospital is in a similar situation, benefiting from the Montreal's Jewish community's particular largess, it's foundation dwarfs all other Francophone hospital foundations.

Other Anglo institutions, including the Children's Hospital and the Lakeshore Hospital all benefit from a robust financing campaign that badly overshadows fund raising efforts on the francophone side of the ledger.
 A reader MURRAY, sent in a disturbing email;
"To illustrate exactly just how bad things are; This year the 7th annual radiothons of the Montreal Children’s and Ste Justine’s hospitals were held. The MCH radiothon was heard in the greater Montreal area and $1.6 million was raised. The radiothon of the Ste Justine’s was heard throughout Quebec and only $753,000 was raised.

With a community over six times the size of the Montreal Children’s, the Ste-Justine’s Foundation raised only 10% more in total than the Montreal Children’s."
.....Two years ago I spent four weeks in Laval’s rehab hospital, the largest rehab hospital in the Greater Montreal area. As I looked at the names of the major donors on the wall I noticed that only 2% of the names upon the plaques, were Quebecois."
The culture of non-giving can be best highlighted by Quebec's francophone ultra rich who have displayed an alarming inability to get their wallets out of their purse or pants.
Those who have made it big in the world seem to have forgotten their roots and any obligation to make the community where they grew up, a better place.

Let's start with self-promoter Luc Plamondon who left Quebec to take up residence in the tax-havens of Ireland and Switzerland, where he conveniently and uncharitably shielded his millions from Revenue Quebec.
He recently objected that Montreal's big charity soirées are decidedly bilingual affairs, an affront to Quebec francophones.  Perhaps the blowhard should take heed to what bank robber Willie Sutton said in response to a reporters question as to why he robbed banks;
"because that's where the money is."
Yes Mr. Plamondon, these charities depend on the generosity of anglophones because of cheapskates like you!

Next there's billionaire Guy Laliberté whose charity "One Drop" is a decidedly modest affair considering his billionaire status.
Over the last three years it has raised a paltry $40 million of which Mr. Laliberté donated about $17 million himself. Reviewing the 2009 financials, One Drop isn't a very impressive organization, raising just over 3 million from outside sources, while spending over a million to raise the money.
Mr. Laliberté has committed $100 million to the project, but over twenty-five years, a pitiful average of $4 million a year for his signature project, a yearly donation that represents no more than one-third of one percent of his net worth.

As to returning money to his native Quebec?....not so fast...

Compare that to the Alvin Segal family of Montreal who are wealthy, but by no means, in Guy Laliberté territory. Their $24 million donation helped build the Segal Cancer Centre at the Jewish General Hospital and has helped reduce waiting times for cancer patients of all stripes, be they Anglo, Ethnic or Francophone. (80% of patients at the JGH are not Jewish.) This donation is in addition to many other projects that the family supports.

What about Celene Dion?  Has she completely forgotten her roots?.

Before I get a deluge of letters, let me say that there are many francophones who do  give, with the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation taking the lead.

The problem of course, is that it isn't enough.

Why are Quebec francophones less generous?

There can be no definitive answer to this question, but certainly it goes to a diminished culture of giving.

It's important to note that 32% of Canadian donations are directed towards religious institutions. Quebec francophone's wholesale rejection of the Catholic Church may explain, in part, why donation numbers are so much lower.
A generation ago, francophones were literally forced by the Catholic Church to donate money, with parish priests visiting homes and extorting money from willing and unwilling congregants. There are few of this generation who don't resent the arm-twisting.

Aside from that, Quebecker's capacity to give is diminished by the elevated tax burden and the inferior family income. This argument however, is weakened when one considers that even Newfoundlanders, poorer than Quebeckers, give more.

Perhaps the real reason for the diminished culture of philanthropy is the effects of the nanny state.

The government has taken over just about all the financial responsibility in regards to raising a family.
Daycare, Medicare, parental leave, pensions,  workman's comp, low tuition fees, welfare, unemployment insurance programs all have combined to convince Quebeckers that the government will do it all.

Why not charity?

This attitude is underscored by the reduced personal savings and contributions to RSP and RHESP savings plans demonstrated by francophone Quebeckers as opposed to those in the ROC.

This sense of letting someone else take responsibility goes past charitable contributions. People who depend on others are always less productive and it's no surprise that Quebec also stands just about at the bottom of the North American productivity list.

40 comments:

  1. Mississauga Guy said...

    At the time I started writing, there were no other postings yet showing, so I firstly want to recognize the editor for posting this thread. The pitiful level of charity in Quebec is another elephant in the room that is rarely discussed.

    I was chosen for a summer job with the Quebec Revenue Department through the government's student placement service in 1980. I filed my application in French, so I'm sure that was instrumental in my being selected for a position. I got a good look at tax returns filed for 1979. Being only one of a couple of Jews in the place, I was surprised myself how the level of charity given by Jewish filers stood out compared to just about everybody else.

    One of my then Concordia colleagues, in her amazement, asked me why "all Jews" give so much to charity? Firstly, I wanted to correct her by stating it's not "ALL Jews", but many, especially those who are affluent who donate. Over the centuries, millenniums really, the relatively small Jewish population of the entire world has faced a plenitude of persecution. Without trying to play a racial card, community and its support thereof, are part of our religion and our being. Without researching the subject, I hypothesize it is this support of our community that has enabled our community to survive.

    This goes back to major events such as the First and Second Destruction of our Temples in 586 B.C. and 70 A.D. respectively and the Maccabbean Revolt between those two years through the middle ages and the Spanish Inquisition in the late 15th Century through the Holocaust of the earlier 20th Century.

    Today the State of Israel, diminutive geographically, but huge economically, are proof of how one relatively small community in a huge world have survived. It's NOT a fluke notwithstanding what your anti-Semitic readers may think. The State survives through hard work of its citizens and the generosity of the diaspora.

    Too bad Quebec is running in the opposite direction that Israel is, but my former colleagues of that summer in 1980, most of them H.E.C. and UQAM students, saw the stacks of charitable receipts in the tax returns filed in Jewish people's returns versus the lack thereof in many others. Most of the returns that came across my desk were in French, but the much lesser number filed in English contained more donations, Jewish or not.

    BTW, just so we're clear, a "Jewish" tax return was conspicuous because of the plenitude of donation receipts from Jewish charities, not necessarily the name of the person on the return; furthermore, the fact I worked there 30 years ago is not to be construed what I write here today is based on selective memory. What the Editor has written today echoes my observations of those 30 years ago.

    As I have written in this blog many, many times, the true evildoers to French Quebecers are not ethnic minorities whom the majority blame so much, but the Roman Catholic church and despotic Quebec government leaders, namely during the Duplessis years, but not exclusively. I stand by what I write today, I stand by what I have written in the past and I will forever stand by what I have and will write in the future.

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  2. I guess donations are just not part of French culture ... the same disequilibrium exists between France & the UK.

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  3. I think Francophones don't give to charity because they believe all the charity goes to Anglo/Allo foreigners on their precious land!

    We all know about the St. Lambert Church that refused to give gift baskets to Anglophones, but I bet if we look harder we could find more examples of racism in Quebec charities.

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  4. Perhaps they give in different ways? Seems it's always Quebec's fault no matter what.

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  5. No, PHIL, sorry, you are making a huge confusion between the French Culture and the kébékuà culture: the former is European (so it knows it past very well), the latter is not at all (actually, it's not a culture at all).
    Kébékuà are too wrapped in themselves to see what happens in the world, too obsessed with their joual to go and explore the world and, frankly speaking, are not very cultivated to understand the meaning of a charity activity: they live in this Dis-Utopia (a distortion of Thomas Moore's masterpiece "Utopia"), where there are no obligations, but only rights, where everything is due without efforts, where complaining is better than acting, where "Nous, Nous, seulement Nous, uniquement Nous, toujours Nous, jusqu'à l'éternité Nous" is what is taught. So, what do you expect?

    Allophone++

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  6. Editor,

    Thank you to bring this subject up. I have been trying raising this subject in several boards with no respond. How can I take this piece to Vigil or to Louis Prefontaine?

    As I wrote elsewhere, as much as the francophone community resents the anglophones and their way of life, that community does not help itself. Your point about McGill and anglo institutions is spot on. Look at McGill. If the separatists say that McGill is over-financed, it is through independent and private means. Quebec government contibution to McGill per student is just a fraction of what it is to UdeM.

    Then we can also see the charities. Sun Youth, Old Brewery, Salvation Army. Hospitals. Jewish General, Lakeshore, Children's. They prosper because of the funds that they raise through charity.

    Another point. When the superhospitals were in planning stage, the government asked both CHUM and MUHC to raise funds. MUHC managed to raise TEN TIMES bigger than CHUM. And they say that MUHC serves only 10% of the population.

    Of course, these facts are conveniently forgotten in the discussion about English institutions and the desire to eradicate them.

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  7. Why does this not surprise me!!!

    PWC

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  8. As charity is for our beloved animals too, here's a useful link:

    http://www.rosieanimaladoption.ca/

    Anglophone++

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  9. @Anglophone++

    A quel endroit peut-on adopter un anglos?Un bébé de préférence...question de lui apprendre les bonnes manières dès son plus jeune âge.

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  10. "...they live in this Dis-Utopia (a distortion of Thomas Moore's masterpiece "Utopia"..."

    We have a dream...

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  11. Editor, no hard feelings, but since when idiotic comments like the one on DECEMBER 23, 2010 1:10 PM are allowed?

    Allophone++

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  12. un anglo = singular therefore no "s"

    Where can we adopt a franco, preferably a baby? You know to teach him not to be a cheapo ..

    Why don't you try stand up comedy ? ...you have the potential to become the next Gérard Spraingaire.

    "A quel endroit peut-on adopter un anglos?Un bébé de préférence...question de lui apprendre les bonnes manières dès son plus jeune âge."

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  13. "... since when idiotic comments like the one on..."

    Depuis que vous en émettez vous-même et a répétition.Je vous suggère de relire votre commentaire précédent.Si ce n'est pas un profond mépris envers les Québécois alors c'est du délire...Allez vous faire soigner dude!

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  14. "A quel endroit peut-on adopter un anglos?Un bébé de préférence...question de lui apprendre les bonnes manières dès son plus jeune âge."

    Not sure but you can always adopt a Quebecker. You can usually find them in their natural environment of some shitty appartment drinking beer and smoking pot till 5 in the morning. To lure them in just use the Quebecker call. Say something like "Fuck man" or "Shit man" or crisse de colisse" or "fuck top (how French people think fucked up is spelt)" or "trop bait guy!", you know, all those wonderfully unique French words you like to use.

    Then you can use a welfare check and a flat beak NY hat as bait. Then you can raise it to be as spiteful and racist as the rest of you. I don't think you'd enjoy raising an anglo anyways. We prefer not to live 60 years in the past. We like this little thing called the present and try to strive towards this little thing called the future. Ever heard of them?

    PS when I say "you" in this post I'm referring of course to Nationalists. Brainwashed sheeple asside, I love Quebeckers.

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  15. Murray is referring to the Jewish Rehab. center in Chomedy. Wonderful place manned by a great group of dedicated employees, it unfortunately had to readjust its locale because it was "too Jewish" for some. Once again zealots donned their suit of victimhood stating that no public place should show religious preferences. How dare they disallow poor little zealot from eating anywhere he wants (yes, this is similar to the JGH incident some time ago).
    The wall leading to the eastern exit is adorned with contributors' plaques including the big bad allophone Lino Saputo (family room on the 3rd bears his name) so loved by the francophone media.

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  16. Oui, Anonymous du 23 décembre 2010 2:16 PM...
    Vous avez parfaitement raison : j'éprouve un profond mépris parce que, comme tout le monde entier, je suis jaloux de votre nation indépendante, de votre culture avancée et sophistiquée, de vos écoles qui nous donneront de nouveaux Einstein, de votre belle langue aussi suave et musicale aux oreilles...Profond mépris causé par ma jalousie européenne...Je l'admets... Jalousie : quelle bête !

    Allophone ++

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  17. @Allophone ++

    Quel accent devrions-nous avoir?Et les yeux, quelle couleur?Sommes-nous assez grand de taille?

    Coté musicale si vous n'aimez pas notre accent: Essayez donc des chants patriotiques Allemands dans un casque d'écoute.

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  18. St. Lambert: The linguistic makeup of the city is 73.8%% francophone, 15.2% anglophone, and 9.5% all other languages combined.

    So, if you want your "little American love basket" in English for Christmas, you just can't spit on them the way you do it here !

    Le mépris il est difficile de ne pas en avoir. Il y a des milieux intellectuels au Québec, mais encore là, tout comme en France, il faut avoir le bras long.

    I see a lot of "cursing" on the site, it is a lot more disturbing then seeing capital letters.

    I think the Editor is a craker.

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  19. I think most people in Quebec are just tapped out. I know I am. This province sucks just about any extra money that residents can save up. So, what's left to give? And when you have such a level of interference from the province, people take the attitude that the state is taking care of those in need. Ha!

    The other strange thing I would like to mention is something that a few people have mentioned to me concerning charities in Quebec. A coworker of mine ( originally from the US) tried to donate his used car. And it was refused. He was asked if it was new? He was amazed that they seemed to think that somebody should donate a new car. He mentioned to me that in the US, charities will gladly accept a used car. Either to help them, or pass it on to somebody in need of a Car. This also happened with a relative of mine who tried to donate a used TV to a local school. TV worked fine. They wanted a new one. What the hell is up with this sort of thing!

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  20. To the crazy ALLCAPS lady,

    "I see a lot of "cursing" on the site, it is a lot more disturbing then seeing capital letters."

    I believe you are guilty of this 'cursing' yourself, having referred to Anglophones as 'English bastards' in multiple comments in the past. Don't be such a hypocrite!

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  21. "...j'éprouve un profond mépris parce que, comme tout le monde entier, je suis jaloux..."

    Pourriez exclure le monde entier de vos propos lorsque que vous émettez une opinion?Sinon,quelques abonnés fidèles a ce blogue pourraient croire que vous souffrez de démence.

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  22. "...We like this little thing called the present and try to strive towards this little thing called the future..." in english obviously.

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  23. This post would also be a good barometer of the amount of tax revenue quebec collects from allophones and anglophones, I wonder what the percentage is?

    Also back in 1977 if anglos had done a tax revolt and refused to abide by bill 101, many of the provisions would have had to been scaled back. Back then there was alot less computerized accounting compared to now.

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  24. "Also back in 1977 if anglos had done a tax revolt and refused to abide by bill 101"

    The same can be done now. Anglos and Allos never put up an effective resistance. Having a meeting in a playground of a school after it's already been shut down by the linguistic gestapo of the province is a lot like screaming into your pillow - those who might hear you, don't give a shit. Ignore the legislation. We need real protests not the bullshit that's being organized now. Block the Met or the Decarie at rush hour and keep going until something breaks. The only way the federal or provincial governments will ever do anything about this is if their hands are forced. The only way to do that is to hit them where it really hurts - whether French or English, once the money flow is interrupted (and blocking these main arteries at these times will do just that), they will be falling all over themselves to find a way out.
    Nobody will ever grant you your rights. These have to be seized by those who seek them. It's always been this and always will be.

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  25. "...Block the Met or the Decarie at rush hour and keep going until something breaks..."

    Êtes-vous un mohawk ?

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  26. Mississauga Guy to Anon @ 6:49 PM on Dec 23rd...

    What you write is a total cop-out! It seems Jews and other minorities still know how to donate, but not so for Francophones? There have ALWAYS been affluent Francophones in Quebec. Now some have made the super rich category like Guy Laliberté, Céline Dion (whose husband is a f--king animal that needs the money for his gambling), the Péladeaus, the Dupuis Family (their enterprises went tits up, not the families themeselves) and others.

    The same is true for middle class folk as well. The minorites give more than the «pur lainers» and that's a fact. They all pay EXACTLY the same taxes, so that's no excuse.

    -----

    To the Anon contributors on the 24th at 7:27AM and 12:55PM...

    Lookit, my late mom and others talked a good fight against the language zealots in the mid 1970s and absolutely NOTHING materialized. Back then there were a lot more minorities to fight the good fight, but they didn't. Seeing the lack of will to organize, I left and so did another ¼ million or so. I was still a teen when I decided I'd finish my education, then go, and here I am in Mississauga now. I used to live in Ottawa and North York as well and have now done so for half my life.

    There are still wonderful things about Montreal that I visit when I'm in town, which is much less than in years past. My girlfriend from there now lives with me and so there is little incentive to go in more than once a year or so anymore.

    My attachment to Montreal is now rapidly dwindling. My aunt passed away over the summer, my bro on his RREGOP Quebec government employee pension (who is not yet 60 years old and is on full pension) will spend winters in Florida and any remaining family and friends left are not worth seeing THAT much, or I can call or skype when the need be. Sadly, from a federation standpoint, Quebec has become a demanding, disgruntled and malcontent family member draining on all the other family members. What Canada needs now is less Quebec, esp. since their political clout is dwindling--thirty new MPs from outside Quebec in the next federal election...and counting!

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  27. "Êtes-vous un mohawk ?"

    In Quebec, anyone who is not part of the the French majority is a mohawk. Forever outsiders, even if they've been here for generations; ghettoized in communities in and around the island but not much further; pressed, pushed and rolled into abandoning their own culture, identity and language and with little, if any political representation. It seems that racial colonialism and ethnic cleansing are a fetish for French Quebekkkers that are a part of the regional psyche.

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  28. You wonder who is 'CRAZY' here ! Your way of communicating couldn't be possibly accepted in the USA. Nobody would talk against the Spanish or the Black in the USA the way Canadian crackers do of their French fellowman !

    The Queen and Harper are your representative, and the French are always suffering under all of
    you.

    May God stop this nonsense in Canada and give French peacefulness !

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  29. "May God stop this nonsense in Canada and give French peacefulness !"

    Crackers? Are you serious? Are you now pretending that bleach white, European Catholics are a racially victimized group?
    Listening to Lil Wayne, smoking crack, and watching Amistad in shitty Quebekois dubs does not make you a victim of racism. On the other hand, maybe it brings back genetic memories of French slave ships bringing Africans to North America.

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  30. "Êtes-vous un mohawk ?"

    The oppressed English and other minorities in Quebec should emulate the Mohawks, who refuse to be bullied by the Franco fascists who are in charge of the government.

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  31. "The Queen and Harper are your representative, and the French are always suffering under all of
    you."

    How are the French suffering? What negative impacts are the Queen or the Canadian prime minister having on French Canadians? Please provide some examples to back up your statement and please deal in the present.

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  32. Mississauga Guy to...

    1) Anon @ 1:02 PM: Right you are! This is exactly what I was pointing out in the second portion of my notes on Xmas Day @ 2:44PM. My parents and their peers TALKED the good fight, but nobody made something out of it. Too many apologists amongst them I reckon. I figured I would have to fight alone, so instead, I left as soon as I could. It took eight years, I finished my cheap CEGEP and university education and left the day after my university convocation--no exaggeration!

    Trouble is, it took almost 20 years for something to really materialize in the mid-90s when Howard Galganov took offensives against the separatists, but by then it was far too little too late. Not enough minorities left to make an impact, and newcomer minorities were neither cognizant of the Quiet Revolution nor were they interested. It's only too bad what he did, through QPAC (the Quebec Political Action Committee) and then on radio took place in the 1990s instead of the 1970s. Had someone started this 20 years earlier, there would very likely have been quite a difference in the demographics of Quebec...but probably still mostly in the Montreal area!

    Despite that concentration, it may have brought about a city-state that was once proposed, but the blog containing that proposal was removed several months ago. I wish I had printed it! I believe it was a fellow named Michel David who posted it--in both languages!

    A free on-line book by Tony Kondacks www.whycanadamustend.com/ also touched upon a city-state for Montreal, but I found his version to be dreaming too much in technicolor.

    Anyway, I'm getting off topic.

    - - -

    2) The Anonymous imbecile at 11:26AM: At the time of this writing, I don't know if you have yet answered and posted your answer to the Anon posting @ 1:22PM. I too would like to know what suffering the Queen and Mr. Harper have inflicted at the hands of your fellow Francophones and yourself. 1:22PM and I anxiously await your answer...if you have one!

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  33. Montreal city state will become more likely once the corridor from Montreal Island to the ontario border becomes anglophone/allophone majority. Vaudreail is rapidly becoming non francophone, Hudson is anglophone and St Lazare is on its way there. Only a matter of time.

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  34. One comment was worth my attention: Céline Dion.
    Another Jack Kerouac ? Jack coming from a very poor family, his mother slaving in a shoe factory, why would Celine Dion emerged to the anglos in America ?
    1) perhaps to escape the anglos from here who are persecuting and desire a cleansing;
    2) perhaps to find another identity, as she was so tired to be poor and treated the way bashers on this site are treating all the Québécois.

    I believe there is room for new money in French Quebec. Why not from her ? who will lobby Céline.
    PS: it is spell Vaudreuil mr. anglo, with (a poor mind you have,,, to sport only.)

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  35. "perhaps to find another identity"

    I guess that being part of the 'distinct society' wasn't enough for her once she realized she can sell albums out of Quebec.

    "perhaps to escape the anglos from here who are persecuting and desire a cleansing"

    I'm tempted to point out how pathetic this statement really is, but on further consideration, I think you may be right. Quebec does need a deep cleansing - an enema that will flush out your ignorance, your bigotry, your fascism, and your make - believe identity.

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  36. Mr. Brown is a stinker, he doesn't understand there are other languages than English ! Pourquoi ne laissez-vous pas les francophones tranquilles ? Pourquoi les empêchez-vous d'être des êtres humains à part entière ? Qui est le raciste ici? c'est vous. Qui est un dictateur et un bigot ? c'est vous. C'est drôle car vous ne le savez pas. Vous êtes un ignorant du dernier degré.

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  37. Thank you for bringing this matter to the attention of your followers.

    The situation in QC can be greatly improved but there is no will among the Chagnon's, Coutu's, Peladeau's, Desmarais' etc to even attempt to solve the problem. While they are charitable to the organizations that they support, the problem is sociological and unless there is a massive public service awareness campaign (of long duration) and other approaches implemented the gap between giving in QC and the rest of the "world" will continue to grow.

    In Montreal we have Velo QC that was founded by Michel Labrecque. Labrecque is now Chair of the STM, a Mayor Tremblay nominee. Tremblay made promises to me going back almost nine years that were never kept. His replies to me were nothing more than jokes.

    In NYC the same # of participants in their major running and cycling events as Montreal raised $31.5 million for charity, while in Montreal one could not even purchase a Toyota Camry with what was raised here!

    In the current blog post http://murraymakingadifference.wordpress.com/ I mention legal action against Montreal. That legal action would be a flea to Montreal BUT could mean the end of Velo QC events on the streets of Montreal and the loss of perhaps $750,000 in entry fees and likely twice that amount in terms of public funding and sponsorship for Velo QC.

    After 19 yrs, I intend to see the participants of Velo QC events invited to raise funds for charity, or the demise of the events and great harm in both prestige and funds to Velo Quebec.

    I have no lost love or any admiration for Mayor Tremblay or many of his brown nosing supporters on council, as for years they have not been doing what is in the best interest of Montrealers and society at large. It is time for Montrealers to tell Mayor Gerald Tremblay maire@ville.montreal.qc.ca what they think, but unfortunately very few will.

    My greatest supporters lie in palliative care units all over the place, and they have all promised to do something positive, when they fully recover.

    Thank heaven that I can depend upon a few good souls and myself. Its kind of lonely here and there is plenty of room available for more of those with good hearts and functioning brains, be they Quebecois or whatever.

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  38. @Anomynous DECEMBER 24, 2010 12:55 PM

    "If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favour freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."

    ----Frederick Douglass

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  39. FROM ED
    Editor, who the hell is this bullshitter posting under the name anonymous, criticizing other posters from the darkness of anonymity? I thought you disallowed the anonymous title unless posters use a name.
    His statements are cowardly potshots at just about everyone. These posts should be all deleted as they have only been mounted to make trouls in both languages. Obviously the work of a troll without brains who thinks we can't tell that they are allffrom one person. Ed

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