Life In Our City

I know when I’m standing at the lookout, gazing out across the city where I was born, raised, educated and employed, I feel a lot of things, including a great affection for Montreal. I often wonder whether other Montrealers feel the same things? How do they spend their time in Montreal? What do they know about Montreal that I don’t? 

I was able to ask those questions of Sam Roberts, Nikki Yanofsky, Stefano Faita, Valerie Plante and Dori Yeats, to name a few. I’m curious to know what our city means to well-known Montrealers.

That’s one of the fun things I get to do as host of “City Life”!

Just as fun, is getting to talk about the issues that are percolating in our city. Our panelists are Montrealers, commenting on Montreal issues. There were some gigantic issues to discuss over the fall season, including the city spying on journalists, the city legislating against pit bulls, the PQ’s identity politics, honoring Leonard Cohen, and whether Trump’s election win might have an eventual impact on our city.

Journalists and commentators Martin Patriquin, Christopher Nardi, Ann Lagace-Dowson, Toula Drimonis, Ethan Cox, Marlene Jennings, Paul Gott, and Nakuset all have insightful and compelling things to say. Certainly, we cannot overlook what Christopher is doing for the resurging bowtie; the man fearlessly worked a wooden bowtie frame on our eighth show of the season!

Olympic wrestler Dori Yeats is a pit bull owner

The reports put together by our editorial team are weighty and intensely relevant. “City Life” reporter Dan Spector has taken raw looks at rape culture in our city, radicalization, gentrification, police investigating police, and whether the Charbonneau commission made a difference in the level of corruption in our city. 

We gave Mayor Coderre a report card, and in another report, we learned Montreal pimps do their most effective recruiting in the homes of young girls. We have highly relevant guests on “City Life” to discuss the reports we air. With their experience and expertise, they shed light on what we can do and where we’re going.

Every show I host, I learn something about the city I love. That’s got me hooked!

We have passionate documentary filmmakers on “City Life”, who share the stories they’ve found of homeless violin players, Montreal’s jazz history, Mohawk ironworkers, and a man who exuberantly, or over-exuberantly, preaches the Bible on the metro.

Juno-winning blues singer and guitarist Steve Hill shared his favorite Montreal burger joint, Nikki Yanofsky shared her favorite place in Montreal to shop and Projet Montreal leader Valerie Plante talked about what she wants to do for Montrealers.

Opposition leader Valerie Plante on our last show of the season

I had a lot of fun hosting the fall season and I’m chomping at the bit for the winter season, which begins in January.

Thank you to our guests, our panelists and our viewers!

The show makes me a more complete Montrealer. It can’t be helped; it’ll make you one, too.