Festivals not cancelled in de-merged cities

Perhaps a reflection of Montreal's general inefficiency, city officials there announced two fruitless deadlines last week for its blue-collar workers to promise to behave before calling off Montreal's annual winter carnival, which was to start Saturday. The city was afraid union members would disrupt the Fête des Neiges at Parc Jean Drapeau as part of their labour tactics. The park's blue-collar workers, who have a separate contract from the city's other blue-collars, have been without a collective agreement since 2005. Keep in mind Montreal's other blue-collar 'workers' have been without a contract since last August, meaning the already so-so services in the city will likely suffer.

One of the benefits of de-merging from the mega-city is that West Island municipalities regained total control over their own human resources (with the exception of regional services like police and fire) and as a result have to negotiate with their own blue- and white-collar unions, not Montreal's which tend to have more confrontational relations with their bosses.

By the way, local annual winter carnivals, starting in Kirkland, as well as those in Beaconsfield, Dorval, Dollard des Ormeaux and Pointe Claire are all on schedule with no labour disruptions in the forecast. Though Kirklanders should take note flurries are expected Friday.

Meanwhile, West Island mayors are still waiting to see if they made any impression on Municipal Affairs Minister Nathalie Normandeau who is working on amendments to change how the Montreal agglomeration council is set up. West Island mayors made a number of requests during public hearings last November, such as access to an information secretariat and returning control of local arterial roads to de-merged cities. Montreal countered by essentially asking it keeps all its current powers over regional matters. West Islanders are keeping their fingers crossed but the Charest government hasn't exactly come through for the suburbs before. But it's a new year, so there should still be some hope in the air as West Islanders in de-merged municipalities take in their winter carnivals. Let's all celebrate our 'freedom' from the mega-city with a sleigh ride or an ice-sculpture demonstration.

(Editor's note: For more information on local winter carnivals, check our online Arts & Life section at westislandchronicle.com).