What a pleasure to come across a Shorpy photo of the city you live in. Those outdoor staircases, so typical of many Montreal neighborhoods, may seem absurd or impractical at first glance, especially considering the harsh winter climate, but they exist as a means to save space in rowhouses while providing a setback from the public sidewalk and, at the same time, to economize on indoor heating costs. I live in an older neighbourhood (1880s) where the replacement of these staircases is closely monitored to preserve the heritage look. A recent poll found them to be the symbol most readily associated with the city. As for the guy in the street with the rifle, I don't see that very much at all.