The Rightful Capital of Canada

It is obvious that Montreal should be, as it once was, the capital of Canada. This seems foreordained by God: all the natural communications and transportation routes funnel through. Most of Canadian history has also funnelled through.

There is another reason: making Montreal the capital would complicate the enterprise of Quebec separation. First, it would reduce the incentive: it would, by honouring Quebec, presumably make it feel a more integral part of Canada. It would split Montrealers' loyalties—suddenly, the federal government would be closer than the provincial one, away in rival Quebec City. As a purely practical matter, it would introduce a population of about one million—the present population of Ottawa—directly or indirectly dependent on the presence of the federal government in the province. That should skew any future referenda towards the federalist option. If Quebec nevertheless did vote to separate, it would make the split harder to arrange and harder to contemplate: might there not then be a case for retaining Montreal in the federal union?

For the Anglophone minority, the presence of the federal government in Montreal could be the ultimate guarantor of their rights. For the Francophone minority in Canada, the presence of the federal government in Montreal, a francophone city, would equally be the ultimate guarantee of their rights. It would show a confidence in the unity of Canada, and would be a symbol of that unity. As a practical matter, again, it would make it easier for the federal government to be fully bilingual, being able in Montreal to draw on a larger pool of bilingual workers for all levels of the bureaucracy.

In addition, frankly, Montreal is a far more prestigious location for a capital than Ottawa. As a more interesting and cosmopolitan place to live, it would attract better civil servants, better politicians, and better foreign diplomats. It would be a better showcase for Canada to the world.

The arrow roughly indicates the best feng shui for a capital.

The addition of the federal machinery should create synergies which will make Montreal that much more interesting and cosmopolitan in turn—boosting Canadian art and culture.

On top of all else, Montreal, unlike Ottawa, has good feng shui, a far more inspiring geographical and topographical setting for a capital, thanks to Mount Royal and the surrounding rivers. Properly, a parliament building belongs at the base of Mount Royal, facing roughly south—the location of the Royal Vic Hospital, or just south of Saint Joseph's Oratory, with the nation's patron saint overlooking from above, would do nicely.