A while back, La Presse columnist François Cardinal invited me to write an article for his new book Rêver Montréal – 101 idées pour relancer la métropole (Les Éditions La Presse, 2013). I took up his challenge, as did nearly eighty other writers from all walks of life, to propose a creative solution that would restore and enhance Montreal’s reputation. I am honoured to be a part of this book, since Montreal has played and continues to play an important role for Campus Montréal and the university community.

Campus Montréal is an ambitious social endeavour designed to reflect Montreal’s distinctive character and embody the city’s values; it offers a campus environment that promotes tolerance and the exchange of ideas and knowledge within a community that blends the French-speaking world and North American culture.

Canada’s leading university city, Montreal has the highest number of students and researchers and is the largest recipient of research funding in the country; moreover, in terms of scientific publication output, it is on par with Boston, home to prestigious Ivy League member Harvard University.

Finally, Montreal also has an international reputation. In July 2013, a study published by The Economist ranked Montreal first worldwide as an appealing destination for international undergraduates. What’s more, Campus Montréal – with its three institutions – is the sole French-language university centre in North America to figure among the world’s top 100 universities.

Naturally, the question François Cardinal poses in his book fired my imagination: “Montreal is going through rough times, but has what it takes to bounce back quickly. What can we do to make the city strong again?” Les Éditions La Presse graciously allowed me to post my original reply in this blog.

A city with pride and character

Montreal’s slogan in the early 1980s was: A city … call it proud. We are far from those heady days of a brand new metro system, the success of Expo 67, the launch of major league baseball in Canada with the Montreal Expos and, of course, the 1976 Olympic games – an era when everything seemed possible.

Today, this exceptional North American city with European charm has had its pride severely dented. Day in, day out, it seems, we hear nothing but problems at the municipal level, pothole-riddled streets and political shenanigans.

But before losing all hope, let us take a deep breath and ask ourselves: “On the eve of the 375th anniversary of its founding, can Montreal recapture the magic of its earlier days?” To answer this question, we need to have a look at the traditions and innovations, the audacity, diversity, creativity and successes of our city. Perhaps it still has a lot to offer. Perhaps Montreal is one of the world’s best kept secrets and we just don’t recognize the fact. Maybe, behind all those recent newspaper headlines lies something much more appealing and promising. Could it be that living in Montreal is a unique and rewarding experience?

Montreal may not have the stature of London, Paris, Rome or New York, but it has an equally fascinating history. The uniqueness of this city, an island on the mighty St. Lawrence River, which has attracted explorers, traders, creators and dreamers for over three centuries and welcomed millions of immigrants seeking a better life, embodies the very essence of its dynamism and culture.

Today, Montreal is knowledge driven, focused on design, creativity and innovation and is Canada’s leading university city. It has successfully built two (one English, one French) world-class health-care and educational systems and supports a thriving artistic community, whose members act as our ambassadors, and, consequently, enhance our reputation on the world stage. Montreal’s outstanding home-grown talent showcases the best we has to offer: the Cirque du Soleil and numerous festivals, musicians, playwrights, singers, authors, actors and artists of all stripes have made their mark here and abroad, just like our entrepreneurs who work in high-tech and emerging sectors.

Montreal is a great place to live, with neighbourhoods that are diverse, vibrant and people-friendly. Add to that the bicycle paths, the beautiful parks, including Mount Royal on whose slopes sit St. Joseph’s Oratory and two universities, the vibrant entertainment district, the impressive number of museums, the port that acts as a hub for commercial and leisure activities, and the immense choice of restaurants offering a mouth-watering array of culinary experiences… all this and more make living and visiting Montreal a truly enjoyable and memorable experience.

I recently referred to Montreal as the “New York of the north” after having worked there. Why? Because, just like New York City, Montreal is first and foremost a city with personality, and offers the best of all four seasons. Its appeal lies in the values fostered by the coexistence of two cultures (French and English) as well as in the diversity and creativity of its people.

Experiencing Montreal and being a Montrealer means tapping into the creative spirit that surrounds us. It means living in a safe city. It means celebrating the wealth of our cultural diversity and pluralism. It means sharing in the pride and security of living in the largest French-speaking city in the world outside of France and knowing that French is the majority language; it is also the only truly bilingual city in North America. It means welcoming, engaging and interacting with cultures and languages from the world over. It means believing in knowledge, having aspirations and ambitions, and believing that we can make a difference, at home and abroad.

All this, and more, is what showcases the character of our city. Montreal – plenty to be proud about!