Expo 2020
An interesting little news story has been circulating the last few days.Benoit Labonté, opposition leader at Montreal city hall, upcoming candidate for Montreal mayor (and my new hero) announced at a press conference this week that he has taken steps to try to bring Expo 2020 to the city.
In a dramatic stunt worthy of Jean Drapeau himself, Labonté held up two distinctive red Expo 67 passports and said:
"What do the Expo 67 passports evoke?"
"It evokes Montreal's greatness, the moment when we thought everything was possible in Montreal, that the future belonged to us."
"But mostly, it evokes a great sense of collective pride, probably the greatest in Montreal in the 20th century."
A world exhibition in 2020 (over 50 years after Expo 67) would indeed rekindle that old Expo magic, and the economic boom that comes with it. Labonté has already created a non-profit organization to work on Montreal's bid for the world's fair. Bids officially open in 2011.
In another Drapeau-esque moment, Labonté insisted that the question wasn't "Can we afford it?" but "Can we afford not to do it?"
In another Drapeau-esque moment, Labonté insisted that the question wasn't "Can we afford it?" but "Can we afford not to do it?"
Expo Lounge fully endorses the Expo 2020 idea.
images: (top) vintage CBC graphic, recreated by Jérôme Cliche
(bottom) tripadvisor.com
images: (top) vintage CBC graphic, recreated by Jérôme Cliche (bottom) tripadvisor.com
Labels: expo life
posted by Jason Stockl @ 6:38 am
8 Comments:
Yes, Absolutely yes! Great idea. Although i would have preferred 2017 but that may not leave enough time to get it done and also it would seem Montreal needs a new administration for it to happen.
A political ploy or not, Labonté has my vote next time around... ;-)
With the language laws being what they are, do you really think such a fair could actually happen and that people would come?
I would love to see another Expo in Canada, but I do not believe that one can get the multiple levels of government approval to pay the up front costs to run one. Toronto keeps trying to get the bid process started and then one social group or another says it's a waste of government money, and the process falls apart. Also, there is a growing belief that you cannot sell an Expo in North America or even Europe. Look at the attendance number at Hanover 2000 versus Japan in 2005. The next few Expos are all in Asia where there still seems to be some interest.I hope that I am wrong.
I worked at expo67, and so did my boyfriend (who became my husband in 1968). We were 20 and it was a glorious summer!
In 2020 my granddauhter will be 20; wouldn't it be wonderful if she could have the same kind of experience?
I'll support this, from over here in Ottawa.
Glad to hear your support for something like Expo 67 here in Montreal. Great to hear about your daughter. I'd like to say we will build something. I've been a tomorrowist since the 64 New York fair. Be great to have a place for your kid to work. My idea is for a new community and attraction in Eastern Laval. I call it the CITY OF MINIRAIL which should give you a hint about what it could be like.
The time is going and nothing have been done so far for Montreal bid. We must have that Expo 2020.
wonderful idea but how can it work with the monsters running the city and the province? we need new blood and THEN , let's go for it!
Post a Comment