Boo to Parc change

Regarding your Nov. 30 Insect, “Avenue Robert-Bourassa”: This smacks of extreme arrogance. If people power counts for anything, the street should revert to its old name Parc Avenue, in a brief period of time.

One day, major Quebec political stalwarts like Jacques Parizeau, Lucien Bouchard, Brian Mulroney, Jean Chrétien and many others will die. Will major streets be renamed to honour these people’s memories too?

There is no need to rename city streets to commemorate major politicians. In this environmentally conscious age, how about honouring the memory of major politicians by dedicating protected green spaces, wildlife sanctuaries and new public parks in their name?

» Manish Patwari

Gérald Tremblay just shot himself in the foot. You can play with taxes and municipal bylaws, and it will eventually wash away, but messing with people’s symbols hits much closer to the heart.

Parc Avenue is a part of Montreal’s identity, and, more importantly, a part of people’s identities who live here, “neo” or not. Forty thousand people signed a petition against the name change and hundreds rallied at City Hall. Meanwhile, to my knowledge, nobody outside of politics took a strong stand for renaming the street. Amidst all the passion, councillors voted along party lines. Bunch of assholes. Come next election, who’s going to vote for a government that doesn’t reflect the will of the people?

» John Faulkner

Quebec, Montreal and Northern Ontario

This is in response to Raf Katigbak’s column “Motion Lotion,” in last week’s Mirror [Nov. 30]. While I do not disagree with his view on Quebec’s nationality, there are a few things that I would like to point out.

I grew up in Northern Ontario, where Paté Chinois was the lazy mom’s supper (not “dinner,” as others call it), and poutine was the number one lunch special in the school cafeteria. We ate syrup with our breakfast sausage, went to the “cabane à sucre” in March, and watched Passe-Partout and Watatatow religiously. We were nothing like our southern neighbours in Toronto, and knew no other lifestyle than this one. When moving to Quebec, I was not struck by the distinction of this province, since, well, it all seemed pretty normal. I guess what some Quebeckers fail to see is that there are several francophone communities outside of this province, including those of New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and, yes, Alberta.

Second, Raf cannot use Montreal as an example to define Quebec’s national identity. This city reflects many different minority ethnic and religious groups from all around the globe. Using Montrealers to identify the average Quebecker would be like using New Yorkers to identify the average American. In fact, most “Montrealers” I know are not even from this city, province or country. If anything, Montreal deserves to be recognized as a nation within Quebec. Not only is this city unlike any other place in this world, but it is unlike any other place in this province. When travelling off this island, the first things I notice are the suburbs resembling those of many metropolitan areas in Canada, or the big highway rest stops like those off the 401.

I do think that Quebec has its unique perks, including the political instability (due to separatism), potholes, the French language and the vast amount of strip clubs on every block, but it is not enough to disconnect themselves from the rest of Canada. Being a separate province should be enough.

Other than that, I for the most part agree with Raf, and love his columns.

» Jessica W.

Primo cover

Dude, that cover was so funny I spilled Doritos all over my lap and almost drove off the road [“D.U. High,” Nov.30].

» Chris LaRue

Palestine counterpoint

Buntha Bun literally turns the truth on its head by claiming that Israel observed a truce with the Palestinians since last summer, and that it was Hamas that broke it [“Palestinian protest disrespectful,” Letters, Nov. 16].

According to the BBC and every other independent monitor, since last summer, Israel killed 370 Palestinians (about half of them innocent civilians) before Palestinian rocket attacks killed one Israeli woman. The irrefutable reality is that Hamas had unilaterally observed a cease-fire for nearly 18 months, while Israel continued assassinating its leaders. The crude and mostly harmless Palestinian rockets are more symbolic acts of defiance than a real threat to Israelis.

Finally, Bun’s other claim that “most Jews” don’t drive on the Sabbath is equally misinformed, as the most elementary research can confirm.

» John Dirlik

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