Left Montreal after the last referendum debacle in 95-96 for Toronto, but go back for business regularly, miss the familiar surroundings, restaurants, ease of just getting around.
But something did happen, the waves of exodus didn't help and I find many Montrealers are somewhat bitter about it and when you walk from the old Montreal forum (Atwater st) to say Mountain St you can feel how progression has somewhat halted.
The so called glory days in my view somewhat peaked in the early 70's there.
It's unfortunate but the language issue really did set the tone for change, progress, and other major Canadian cities as Toronto simply developed.
But, if you ask most Montrealers or quebecers who have long resided there, they like it the way it is.