“What I can see from Montreal or these communities is that there’s a constant flux. There’s a constant change. To quote Shrek, “Change is good, Donkey.” I think the idea that we sort of stagnate into one thing is counterproductive. I like the fluidity of change and what those people that come from away bring. Montreal’s notorious for fusion cuisine, for mixed marriages and all that stuff. That’s what makes us great.

Again, I don’t believe in a monoculture as a society. This city is not a monoculture. It is anything but that. Its diversity is what makes us strong, as diversity in nature is what makes it strong. Makes it resilient. I think Montrealers have that resilience because of that. These are definitive changes that I’ve seen. We’re seeing massive structural changes in the city with the, the cones has become a go-to joke.

I’ve seen orange pylon cone earrings to T-shirts to the works. There’s that resilience from the Montrealer again. How do we deal with something that, basically, drives most people crazy. They will not leave their house unless their cellphone is on Waze or Google Maps ’cause they don’t know how to get from A to B. I think of Terry Mosher, Aislin, he’s always got the great one-frame cartoon that’s gonna say it. He’s had a heyday with the cones and everything else.

That’s part of city changing, growing in numbers, expanding, contracting. I think we’re all richer for it. Look at this winter we just went through. That was the worst ice I’ve ever seen. When you see cars at the same height as the sidewalk because there’s 14 inches of ice. We’re gonna soldier through it. We’re gonna figure out what’s the solution to this. We’re gonna bitch and complain. Eventually it will or won’t get done. But people will still stay here.”