Officials Find "Ethnic Cities" Comment Offensive And Worrisome

Former PQ Minister Louise Harel has raised some eyebrows with her comment that fewer boroughs could mean 'ethnic cities.' (Mar. 11, 2009)

From CTV:

Comments made by a former PQ minister that fewer boroughs could lead to "ethnic cities" have left citizens and officials alike scowling and scratching their heads.

Louise Harel made the comments in reponse to comments made by Cosmo Maciocia, mayor of Riviere-des-Praries-Pointe-aux-Trembles. He suggested that the city should look at reducing the number of boroughs from 19 to 10, and reducing the corresponding bureaucrats to save money.

The week before, the city had announced it was aiming to save $155 million in its 2009 budget.

Maciocia wanted the city to start considering his idea around 2010.

In an interview, Harel said: "if we go from 19 to 10 boroughs, but these boroughs remain quasi-municipalities as they are now, we will end up in the worst of situations because we'll have cities... an Italian city, a Haitian city, an Anglophone city, an Arab city- Ville St. Laurent, a Jewish city, etc. We will no longer have this sense of one big city with boroughs that speaks with one voice."

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