Ok, so the demerger debacle is finally over...until angry Quebecers re-elect the Parti Quebecois in four years and they enforce mergers upon the province yet again. I frankly am tired with all this nonsense and prolly wouldn't have gotten involved except for jackasses like Anthony Housefather lying about the sugary goodness of de-merger. To me, it doesn't matter. In the couple of years that we've been merged, I've experienced no change for better or worse whatsoever. Who knows what would have happened but nothing that can be done about that now. So, here's the epilogue.

The Good Stuff

-This crap is over. Let's get back to hating Toronto.

-Democracy prevailed. Those who were trapped by the 35% minimum participation rule shouldn't be complaining. This is too important a subject for apathy to be a prevailing factor. If people don't care that much about an issue, then when you think about it, there isn't really an issue if people don't care. This wasn't minor insignificant zoning changes. This was a major change in our daily lives. Participation was key. Those cities that voted no to de-merger excerised their rights given to them in a democratic society as did the yes side.

-This crap is over. Toronto sucks again (yes, it's such a good reason, it needs to be put twice).

The Bad Stuff

-What was supposed to be a glorious project had been pretty much destroyed. The only ones that can truly be blamed are the architects. They were the ones that forced the cities to merger against the wills of the people and the people were blinded by their rage. Perhaps this would have worked had they been warmed to the idea first rather than pushed in.

-Lying arrogant assholes like Anthony Housefather are going to benefit in their political careers from this because they acted as "leaders" during this hogwash. Housefather said that people will undoubtedly get their cities back, but in reality, will only get them back in name only. So jerks like Housefather, Ste. Anne mayor Bill Tierney, and D.D.O. mayor Edward Janiszewski, who needs a swift kick in the gonads for his treatment of his citizens (I've got two stories of my former mayor which I will get to in a couple of paragraphs) will benefit and will be considered legends who saved "their towns". The only one who deserves credit is Peter Trent, the mayor of Westmount. He performed two live debates with Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay and managed to tie both of them. Considering that Trent did not have much going for him facts wise, his $64 000 question was an incredible piece of ammunition. He asked Tremblay why citizens of the de-merging municipalities should worry about the fact that the city of Montreal would be getting 60% of the citizen's tax bill because it was close to that in the former Montreal Urban Community. He said that the only thing that will really change from the former is the fire departments will be amalgamated. I used to think that Trent was just as much of a a-hole as Housefather, but Trent knew what was he talking about and seemed to genuinely care about the citizens a bit more than his own ego.

-The citizens of the de-merging cities. I keep hearing that those who voted to de-merge weren't voting to get out of Montreal; they were voting to get back their city. I've never understood that concept. Other than an elected council, Beaconsfield is pretty much the same city as Pierrefonds or Westmount. People go to and fro to other cities to do all sort of activities and don't think nothing of it. I used to live in D. D. O., went to school in Pierrefonds, spent most of my time in Montreal, went to a gym and worked in Pointe-Claire, rented videos in Roxboro. When people from other provinces or countries would ask me where I lived, I told them Montreal. My point is that we suburbanites use what should be more than our fair share of goods and services from other suburbs and most definitely Montreal. There are very few people who live in one city and never leave that city at least once a week. This whole de-merger vote and crying about their city gives them identity is a cheap excuse and it does say that they don't really care about Montreal, despite their dependence on the city.