Dumb rules prevent Silicon Valley from building needed houses and offices

Re:Dumb rules prevent Silicon Valley from building needed ho... by jbm on Monday May 28, 2012 @06:37AM (#4032782)

Montreal is a dying metropolis, with very high taxes, Greece-style debt and an out-of-touch central bureaucracy that is more interested in culture wars than good management. Former premiere Lucien Bouchard mentioned that he was "shocked" when bankers threatened to cut Quebec's bond rating; the idea of deficit spending was so entrenched that the idea of it having a negative impact was seen as laughable. Wall to wall graffiti (and not attractive graffiti) are the hallmarks of the town, as are the poorly built roads and collapsing overpasses.

I left Montreal to go to "30 year recession" Japan and the difference is night and day. I don't believe in the future of Japan, but I am even more skeptical of Quebec's. Bringing it up as a success story makes me doubt your comment, eventhough I strongly want to believe what you said.

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Re:Dumb rules prevent Silicon Valley from building needed ho... by rimbo789 on Monday May 28, 2012 @11:35AM (#4033790)

Montreal is also thriving, creative and dynamic in ways few Canadian cities are. Its got an actual art scene, which is pretty rare for Canada. Its great food, decent mass transit, and fun neighbourhoods.

It may be falling down and overrun with student protesters but at least it is not the never ending soulless sprawl that is Toronto.

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Re:Dumb rules prevent Silicon Valley from building needed ho... by jbm on Tuesday May 29, 2012 @06:28AM (#4036799)

I support the student protestors. Not their violence, obviously, but I suppose violence is inevitable in these sorts of situations.

If the government cannot confront organized crime and its parasitic presence in its construction requisition system, it is basically engaging in selective budgetary restraint - which means it doesn't believe it "really" has to engage in budgetary restraint. Mind you, the budget problems are real - but attacking soft, weak targets means the gov't doesn't believe it.

It is easier to ask for sacrifice when you are seen as having tried to avoid it. That didn't happen. Now we see the inevitable outcome, and the media spin on it is shameful.

My personal belief is that Jean Charest's administration will be remembered akin to Nero's, except that JC's administration will actually deserve the dishonour.

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Re:Dumb rules prevent Silicon Valley from building needed ho... by stan_rogers on Monday May 28, 2012 @11:44AM (#4033830)

In the words Bowser and Blue (barely) put into his mouth:

  "Le déclin inexorable de la ville de Montréal
  C'est pas ma faute
  C'est la faute du fédéral!"

That said, it'll take a long time for the effect of the PQ on the economy (not their fiscal policy as much as the financial flight when separatism became "real") to stop echoing through the city. Desjardins does not an economy make.

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