I'd never travelled first-class on VIA before, but it didn't take long for me to appreciate such things as walking past the big line for my train...
and a quiet lounge to sit in before pre-boarding. They also have wireless connections for surfing the net, which I tried out. The first-class car is only different from regular cars in having a bit more leg room; the real difference is in having meal service. On the whole, I'm not sure the perks were worth the price difference.
I decided right away when I booked my trip that I wanted to jump right into activities when I got to Montreal (arriving as I was on Saturday afternoon). So I booked a room at the Delta Centre-Ville, which was visible from the train as we pulled into the station. Mission accomplished.