Jean Drapeau Quotes

Jean Drapeau, was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Montreal from 1954 to 1957 and 1960 to 1986.

Major accomplishments of the Drapeau Administration include the development of the Montreal Metro mass transit system, the successful revival of international expositions such as with Expo 67 as well as the construction of a major performing arts centre, the Place des Arts. Drapeau also successfully lobbied for the 1976 Summer Olympics and personally chose its lead architect, Roger Taillibert, to design the city's iconic stadium, athlete's village and inclined tower. Drapeau was also primarily responsible for leading the city's effort to secure a Major League Baseball franchise, with the creation of the Montreal Expos in 1969.

Although he is remembered as a visionary, Drapeau's mishandling of the construction of the Olympic Games facilities resulted in massive cost overruns and left the city with a debt of over $1 billion that has taken its citizens over thirty years to fully pay off.

✵ 18. February 1916 – 12. August 1999

Jean Drapeau: 3 quotes 0 likes

Famous Jean Drapeau Quotes

“What the masses want are monuments.”

Jean Drapeau

Quoted in We need politically incorrect mayors by Victor Schukov http://westislandgazette.com/victorschukov/26987, West Island Gazette, Saturday, December 3, 2011

“The Olympics can no more lose money than a man can have a baby.”

Jean Drapeau

Quoted in Why Chicago didn’t want the Olympics, by Edward McClelland http://www.salon.com/2009/10/02/chicago_olympics/

“Let Toronto become Milan. Montreal will always be Rome.”

Jean Drapeau

Quoted in House Beautiful, vol.133, p. 216 http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=LKlUAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Let+Toronto+become+Milan.+Montreal+will+always+be+Rome.%22&dq=%22Let+Toronto+become+Milan.+Montreal+will+always+be+Rome.%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=J0djT-L9H5Da0QXvu-2iCA&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAA