Coderre Keeps Bill 21, Carjackings, and Dune’s Québecois Influences — Metropolis

Welcome back to Metropolis, CUTV's weekly live political talk show, where we outline the latest stories affecting Montréalers. 

For today's episode, Dru Oja Jay, CUTV executive director and publisher at the Breach, joins us to discuss three topics:

• Denis Coderre's support of Bill 21.
• The rise of car thefts.
• How social-democratic cultural institutions helped to elevate acclaimed Montréal director Denis Villeneuve.

Denis Coderre, a key player in Montréal politics, has recently sparked interest with his potential candidacy for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Quebec. A Léger poll suggests his entry could significantly boost the party's popularity. In a recent interview on Montreal Now with Aaron Rand, Coderre made a noteworthy statement, vowing to uphold Bill 21 and renew the notwithstanding clause. 

Dru Oja Jay sees this statement as Coderre priming the liberal base by stating his priorities were if he became the premier of the province. Currently, the liberal party, both federal and provincial, has been staunch vocal opponents of this bill. 

Car thefts, a growing concern across Canada, have reached a tipping point. In early February, a national summit was convened in Ottawa, drawing the participation of various police departments, the Canada Border Services Agency, and insurance company representatives. The government has responded swiftly, announcing a $15 million funding allocation to the country's police forces. Dru and Kalden analyze this development, shedding light on the economic factors that have driven up car values, making them unaffordable for many, and the resulting rise in organized crime profiting from these inflated values. 

Also in question is the further funding of police departments, while historically, they have done little to prevent such criminal activities.

Lastly, Dru and Kalden chat about the powerful social democratic institutions that have helped elevate Denis Villeneuve and his feminist influences. The NFB and other public funding bodies have done a great deal to give Quebecois talent access to the expensive tools necessary to work in film, considered the most expensive art form.