This summer, I was lucky enough to spend a vacation on the Côte-Nord. In particular, I ran into our colleagues from the Whale Cycle Route, who are doing a fantastic job of developing cycling culture in this magnificent region. Their dynamism reminded me just how much cycling, when supported by a passionate community, can transform a territory and inspire its inhabitants.
I was seduced by the municipality of Havre-Saint-Pierre. It's a town where you can feel the pride of its inhabitants: flowers in the parks, well-kept houses, a large presence of sidewalks that invite you to walk. I particularly liked the colorful paintings on the sidewalks, which made the walk even more cheerful. There are also several well-maintained bicycle paths. Even the elementary school shows its colors with sixty bike parking spaces... and racks everywhere, including in front of the SAQ. A wonderful example of how active transportation is also possible in the region.
One morning, I bumped into the husband of the innkeeper where I was staying. In his late sixties, not particularly sporty, he was about to set off on his bike. I ask him, «For transport or leisure?» He replies, almost surprised: «I'm going to the pier. I ask him again, »How often do you do that?« His face clouds, he searches for words: »Yeah.« I put him out of his misery by telling him that I work at Vélo Québec and that it makes me happy to see people on bikes. His face lights up immediately, relieved to learn that he hadn't done anything wrong.
That's when it hit me: for him, cycling isn't an identity. It's neither a lifestyle nor a posture. It's simply a tool, like a chair or a hammer. As I continue my reflection, I realize that it's often the opponents of bicycle development who are determined to attach labels: «real» and «fake» cyclists, «dangerous» or «useless» paths. Always a way of reducing a multiple reality to a caricature.
As the municipal campaign gets underway, trying to pin a single label on cyclists is getting us nowhere. There are many different kinds of cyclists: some vote left, others right. Some ride to get around, others to excel. Reducing this diversity to a homogeneous block is not only a political error, but a collective dead end. Bicycles don't belong to one camp. It belongs to everyone.
- Jean-François Rheault, CEO of Vélo Québec
