2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005

October, 2000 – From a letter published in the Gazette on the PQ’s double standard regarding referenda on mergers vs. those on breaking up the country.

“George Orwell coined the phrase ‘doublespeak’ to describe such slogans as War Is Peace. For the PQ, Dictatorship Is Democracy. Shame.”

January 9, 2001 – Gazette Op-Ed piece: Toward a new megacity party.

“The formation of the Democracy Party would guarantee the island suburbs would lose nothing, and that the residents of Montreal would gain a responsive, democratic government that would give them better services at a lower cost.” Full text .

February 18, 2001 – From a letter published in the Gazette on the need for a political option should the court challenge fail.

“We can not afford to wait to see what happens in the court cases before pursuing the political option. Time is too short.”

NOTE: Dr. Steinberg warned Hampstead’s town council that he had been told by lawyers for Hampstead, Cote St. Luc and Westmount that the court case had almost no chance of succeeding and that a plan B was required. Mayor Adessky and the council dismissed that option so Dr. Steinberg did what had to be done on his own. Only in the last stages of the battle in 2004 did Mayor Adessky help out a little (mostly fundraising) under Dr. Steinberg’s leadership. Gerry Kessner never helped at all. When asked to buy 50 blue ribbons by Gary Shapiro, Gerry’s response was that he would take two.

June 13, 2001 – Suburban editorial endorsing Dr. Steinberg’s party, Democracy Montreal.

“For all these and other reasons, it makes good sense for Tremblay, Prescott and West-End opposition teams to find a common umbrella to run under.

Democracy Montreal is sounding better every day.”

July 14, 2001 – Gazette Op-Ed piece: New party should adopt anti-merger plan.

“…if the MICU also adopts this plan as part of its platform and is elected, Montreal would become, in effect, a federation of suburbs. The result would be lower taxes, better services and, most importantly, a structure that is responsive to citizens in each and every neighborhood of Montreal.” Full text

August 23, 2001 – Gazette Op-Ed piece: It’s the mergers, stupid

“Why, if the MICU is anti-merger, democratic and for decentralization, has it not incorporated these principles into the platform? Why has it meekly accepted Bill 170 and the mergers?” Full text

November 6, 2002 - From a letter published in the Gazette on the need to form anti-merger groups.

“If citizens want to de-merge (and they should), then they must take it upon themselves to form anti-merger groups so they can be ready in the event that the Liberals are elected. This has happened in Hampstead, Westmount, Montreal West and a few other towns.”

September 23, 2003 – Dr. Steinberg’s brief on Bill 9 amendments at the National Assembly. View the presentation and question and answer period. Fast Connection | Slow Connection (45 Min. Video; you can fast forward the boring parts) Transcript

October 10, 2003 – From a letter published in the National Post on the reasons for the Liberals victory.

“The argument that the Montreal de-merger issue is about language is nonsense. No less an authority than former PQ premier Bernard Landry stated that the PQ lost 20 seats and the last provincial election because of resentment over the forced municipal mergers. Not one of those seats was in a Anglophone region.”

October 14, 2003 – Gazette Op-Ed piece: They’ve finally found a way to let the dead vote legally.

“Now the new Liberal government has a choice between honoring both the spirit and the letter of its election promises, or adding another betrayal to the list. Full text

December 10, 2003 – Suburban Op-Ed piece: Demerger is the only choice.
January 6, 2004 – La Presse Op-Ed piece: Cent fois mieux (translation above)

This piece outlines the reasons for demerger. It was written by Dr. Steinberg. Numerous demergerists and former politicians from Hampstead, Cote St. Luc and Montreal West added their signatures. Full English text

April 20, 2004 – Gazette Op-Ed piece: Still time to make it fair.

This piece was written by Dr. Steinberg and co-signed by 10 demerger groups from across the island. Full text

September 28, 2004 – From a Henry Aubin column in the Gazette.

“The most constructive proposal I’ve heard so far for democratizing the agglomeration council comes from businessman William Steinberg. …his idea works for boroughs as well as suburbs. He suggests that each borough’s mayor – regardless of party membership – be guaranteed a seat on the council and that the borough’s voting power be proportional to population, in the same way the law provides for suburbs.”

“It has several virtues. It’s simple. It strips unseemly appointive power from Montreal’s mayor. It permits alliances between boroughs and suburbs.”

September 29, 2004 - The Suburban op-ed piece: A Choice of Democracy or Dictatorship. Full Text

September 28, 2005 - "Steinberg signs OK: election chief" from The Suburban

Hampstead mayoral candidate William Steinberg was within his rights to post his election signs on residents’ lawns nearly two weeks before the official Sept. 23 start of the Nov. 6 municipal campaign, says Hampstead chief returning officer Marina Di Blasi... Full Text