In reference to Elizabeth Faure’s article on this month's CDN-NDG council meeting, I did not storm out of the CDN-NDG meeting because of Mayor Applebaum’s response. I generally leave such meetings as I have a wife at home. (I reside in Dorval and have no real interest in CDN-NDG aside from Le Tour.)

I only returned as I wished to see a friend who was there (after speaking to another in the hall).

If the readers of The Monitor are comfortable that Quebec is by far the worst place for charitable giving/volunteerism north of the Rio Grande, then let them remain quiet.

Montreal's politicians seem very pleased to waste $650,000/yr on an event that inconveniences tens, if not hundreds of thousands, hurts retailers, does nothing to benefit tourism (according to the hotel assn) and serves only Velo QC.

Laval told me that they would not have the event back even if it raised $$$. Go ask Velo QC what percentage of their participants live in Laval. Montreal taxpayers subsidize each Laval resident with $20 and the same goes for the South Shore. Longueuil gave streets so narrow to Le Tour 15 yrs ago, that Le Tour never went back!

Cities to the west and north will no longer allow Le Tour on their streets. I have succeeded in having Le Tour de l’Ile de Montreal banned from the West Island. Three cities will not allow the event to return unless it cooperates with charity and three do not want the event back because it is a major inconvenience and does nothing that they consider positive. The handwriting is on the wall. The only thing that delays Le Tour de l’Ile de Montreal being used for a higher purpose, are the politicians and the silent citizens of Montreal.