The best way to save the $52 fine Montreal lays on motorists who arrive just as a meter maid (meter master?) is slapping a ticket on your car is not to beg, bribe, threaten, entreaty, charm (Ok.. enough - Chimples) but rather there's another route worth exploring.
The thing to do is run to the nearest machine and quickly pop in some cash and get a receipt for that spot you're in.
Apparently you have a grace period of three minutes.
So if your ticket is given at 2 p.m. and your receipt says you're good until 2:03 p.m., you'll be okay when you contest your fine.
Take the ticket, mail it in with your parking meter receipt and just wait. Apparently it can take about a year sometimes to get a reply, but the reply will be good news: you will be let off the hook for the fine.
This solution was offered on HF boards forum, so I cannot personally attest to its veracity but I'm good with it.