Section 2

The Buzz Thursday Afternoon...

... is that Stephane Dion may deliver the upset victory...

Of course it's waaaaaaaaay too early to call this horse race, I'm just reporting what I'm reading in the blogosphere.

Park Avenue Lost

It isn't a pretty street. In fact, it would by most accounts be considered gritty, a little dirty, definitely rough around the edges. But it is lovable because of its flaws; after the past few weeks, there can be no doubt that it is a beloved piece of this funny Montreal puzzle.

The people spoke. And so did city council. And they spoke in two different voices.

Park Avenue/Avenue du Parc will be renamed Robert Bourassa Boulevard, in honour of the late Premier much admired by Mayor Gerald Tremblay. Bourassa served as Premier for, like, ever. Or so it seems. He is generally respected, and having a civic landmark named for him isn't a stretch. Most of the Save Park Avenue supporters acknowledged that there is reason to name something for him - just not their street. The same street upon which many of their families and friends have lived and worked, have cultivated and developed for the better part of a century.

But the Mayor pushed ahead, and his council mostly stuck with him. Despite the pleas, despite the petitions, despite the outpouring of input from across this island and well, well beyond.

This is democracy in action?

Is there a political benefit to derive from this? Is it just the right thing to do?

Umm, neither, by my calculation.

There were ways to right this situation. Screwing over thousands of Montrealers - not to mention, I dunno, city heritage - serves very little purpose.

Black day for city hall. Black day for Montreal. Black day for democracy.

Encounter Point

I saw a crazy good documentary Saturday night called Encounter Point, which was screened at the NFB Cinema in Montreal. Though certainly not the first or only doc dealing with Israelis and Palestinians looking for alternative solutions for peace in that region, it set itself apart from the pack by having selected particularly compelling interview subjects. And what's more, the documentary was especially fine because it simply let its subjects talk. There was virtually no narrative. There was no voice over. The entire film was told by its interviewees, and that takes skill. And guts.

It's getting good buzz, its run soldout here in Montreal. If you hear about it coming to your neck of the woods, or if it gets picked up by the CBC, definitely check it out.