'Montreal: Come for the festivals, stay for the protests' | The Corner Booth

[@yessopie]

I live in the Plateau, I don't have a car, a car is useless here; but I'm fine with that. I have my backpack for most shopping, and if I have to buy something too big to carry home, I just have it delivered. That includes groceries. IMO it's silly to have a car just in case you want to buy a big screen TV and drive it home yourself. It would be like owning a truck just in case you want to buy a sofa. I don't think a walkable city is a bad thing, I don't think bike lanes are a bad thing per se. I don't think that "cars = shopping". Maybe people aren't driving from the suburbs to downtown to do their shopping, but that's normal, they are always going to prefer their local malls. I used to live on the south shore, and I had a car, and the idea of driving onto the island to shop was absurd even if you could find parking. Unless you were going to some specialty store like Steve's Music Store to buy something very specific, there's never going to be a reason for suburbanites to shop downtown.

[@FarOut-hp3bs]

Lest we forget, only a couple of years ago, in 2022, the CAQ was patting itself on the back about a budgetary surplus (as it sent out over 3 billion dollars in electoral payola cheques to the citizens of the province) and boasting about how much surplus electricity Hydro Québec was producing. Today, after giving the US a long-term sweet deal on electricity, apparently we are going to be in a shortage situation soon enough. Fitzgibbon (while he was still around) even revived the spectre of nuclear power plants and major rate increases for... residential customers! After shelling out billions and billions to big businesses like Northvolt (and the list is long) all the while short-changing Québec's small businesses, we are now, only two years later, in a deficit situation and need to endure austerity measures again as the CAQ cuts back on (what else?) education, health care and social services. So who's fault is it that we are in such a mess? Immigrants, of course. We have had corrupt and incompetent governments before, but the CAQ takes the cake. And by the way, I am a francophone. On another note : I Love The Corner Booth! Keep 'em coming. Happy holidays!

[@pierrelong6283]

love the show, keeps me up to date, greetings from Hollywood

[@zutharthirteen]

sovereign atlantic provinces stand with sovereign quebec

[@LindaElliott-kc1yf]

Great 👍 points made in your discussion here, Bill and Aaron. Thank you so much for all these videos, I really enjoy and appreciate them...and the work you both do. Merry Christmas 🤶 🎄 and Happy New Year to you. 😊

[@Zoidberg_QC]

I got to ask: what's the brown stuff on the right plate we are seeing in this video? It looks like chocolate ice cream.

[@polishtheday]

I stopped listening and downvoted when the topic turned to pedestrianisation and bike lanes. Another couple of old men with ideas from the last century.

[@tonycardazzi6301]

You should consider getting an upgrade with your camera for your future podcasts in 2025. Very poor quality and not appealing to look at. Your still pictures are better looking. Happy holidays.

[@habs416]

Aaron: 'The city's statistics seem to show that businesses on St. Denis have improved their revenues since the bike lanes went in. Well yeah but anecdotally I also saw some empty storefronts...' I think I'll go by the statistics. Clearly people can take transit, walk, or bike for most purchases and heavy items can be delivered. Your scenario of buying a big screen TV is silly. If your main priority is to have lots of parking downtown, then how about you move to Detroit, Buffalo, Cleveland or Syracuse? Montreal is a great world class city because it's trying to build an urban centre for people, not cars. Everything you're suggesting would do the opposite. This is a great podcast overall but on bike lanes, pedestrianization, and driving, you sound like out of touch dinosaurs.

[@hallowtherat]

bike paths are objectively better for everyone whether you cycle or not. it makes for safer streets and happier communities, its been studied. as if driving sucks in montreal because of bike paths and not because of snowfall, snowclearing, potholes, construction, car traffic, and other drivers. it can actually help alleviate traffic and those who take advantage of cycling can be better off physically mentally and economically. im a motorist and a cyclist, i get it, it seems at times annoying but realistically it doesnt make any sense not to have proper cycling infrastructure.

[@hatilloguitar]

you are done, you bet we will push for more bike paths, you are the past!

[@jay7T6]

Know what else is from the past? Bicycles.

[@polishtheday]

@@jay7T6Cars and trucks as well.

[@giovanniiaquinta880]

Montreal had an identity when it was great then the woke ideology Valerie plant decided to change what was to what is pure and simple .She blew all the money for important infrastructure thinking it was a surplus now Montreal is in big trouble no matter who takes office .It was not her decision to make she did not consult the people that it concerns what a dictator. By the way love your topics Merry Christmas and happy new year lots of health to you and yours,

[@karinturkington2455]

I'm voting for Pierre Poiiievre. Sad to hear your criticisms of his outward presentation - voice. We're just not used to hearing a real man speak in a position of authority. Justin's polyanna-like voice and Singh's slurring English articulations cause me to detest the sight of them both.

[@polishtheday]

I can’t even stand the sound of Poilievre’s voice. Watching him simper like a hurt child when he said “I wasn’t invited” and stomped offstage was the last straw. If manly strength was a measure of a good politician, which it definitely isn’t, he comes across as weaker than Trudeau or Singh. I don’t like any of them. I wish they’d all resign to be replaced by someone else. It would be nice to see a woman at the head of all three parties for a change, though, please, not Danielle Smith, Michelle Rempel or Christy Clark. I don’t like them either. I’m not sure which party I’m voting for in the next election, only that it won’t be the one with Poilievre at the helm. With signs pointing to the Conservatives being elected, I’m thinking hard about how I’m going to get through four or five years of watching them destroy the country. If there’s anything I can do to make it miserable for such a government, I will. Right now, the only thing I can think of is to stop any unnecessary spending which, if everyone did this, wouldn’t be good for businesses either. Mostly, I’ll just have to be patient and not read the news for awhile.

[@CallMe_Li]

I don't agree with Trudeau, but he is well spoken and cordial. PP is not the way to go. He is all kinds of wrong to represent us He is full of arrogance, disrespect, full of his own bs. He failed badly and directly responsible for the housing crisis he was housing minister. He came into leadership under a serious cloud. He has no security clearance. You think he can 'axe the tax' ? that isn't going to happen. They will find another way to label the tax. Look how deep in debt Canada is in. Who carries the burdens of taxes the most? Think about that point. Millionaires, billionaires, they aren't carrying the tax load. it's the middle class and the 3 levels of poverty our society is now in. I think the social programs like pharma care, school kid programs, and others, they will be cut. We will have less and pay more with conservatives. Sadly..It's going to be tough this Federal election. They all need to step up their game, and shut up more and act in Canadians best interest. Housing, jobs, food, education.

[@DemocracyJustice111]

Bonne Appetit..