The Lives and Deaths of Cities

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Montreal is truly going through something special right now; it’s already a great city and feels confident of that, and pointed comfortably in an exciting direction. I envy much about it.But I also agree with this general sentiment above—for example, there’s not a chance I would move there, especially with young kids. If I were a single person in search of a great city, sure. As a parent, however, I’m not keen on raising kids in a society that often feels at risk of walling itself off from the rest of the world and retreating into a sort of blithe provincialism. There are of course many reasons for this, and it’s an impossible conversation to have between Quebeckers and non-Quebeckers. But it is what it is. I spent a few years in Quebec when I was younger and in many ways these things seem worse now.

To put it more simply: Montreal is our best city, but Quebec’s politics and the large cohort of irremediably nativist types constantly threatening to drag the place down are dealbreakers.

My friends who live there tell me how wonderful of a place it is to raise children. I've visit Montreal quite often and don't see how the city represents the whole province's political climate. Some of it sure but most people in the city are quite open to the outside world.