The race to succeed outgoing mayor Valérie Plante will give way to a series of announcements over the coming days. The mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough, Luc Rabouin, must announce this week his intention to run at the head of the Projet Montréal party, we have learned The Press.
Published at 5:00 a.m.
If all goes according to plan, this announcement will take place on Thursday. Questioned on Monday, Mr. Rabouin remained evasive about his potential candidacy. “Once the budget [de la Ville de Montréal] adopted, I will be able to deepen my reflection. […] Everything in its time. I still have a lot of time ahead of me,” he briefly argued.
The one who is currently president of the executive committee has benefited in recent days from the support of the ecologist Laure Waridel, who notably co-founded the organization Équiterre.
“He was able to demonstrate his commitment to a true ecological and social transition throughout his mandate. […] He knows how to listen AND take action,” said M.me Waridel regarding Mr. Rabouin.
Before becoming mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough in 2019, Luc Rabouin held a management position within the Desjardins funds for nearly nine years. He also worked within PME Montréal and the Community Economic Development Corporation of Plateau-Mont-Royal.
Other applications to come
According to our information, two candidates will also enter the race in the coming days, namely the mayor of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Gracia Kasoki Katahwa and that of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc- Extension, Laurence Lavigne Lalonde. “The reflection continues. I will make my decision before the holiday break,” underlined Mr.me Lavigne Lalonde to The PressMonday.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Laurence Lavigne Lalonde
Mme Kasoki Katahwa also intends to reveal his intentions “by the holiday season”. She is “effectively evaluating the idea of launching into the leadership race and she will continue to feed her thoughts in the coming days,” her office limited itself to commenting.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Gracia Kasoki Katahwa
The mayor of Lachine, Maja Vodanovic, also has a strong interest in the direction of the party. The advisor associated with the executive committee Alia Hassan-Cournol promises to return to the subject in the coming days. The same goes for the person responsible for urban planning and homelessness on the executive committee, Robert Beaudry, who promises for his part that he will keep Montrealers informed “when the time comes”.
For the rest, the mayor of Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Émilie Thuillier and the head of culture, Ericka Alneus, are considering getting started. Some announcements could take place soon.
A first confirmation
It was on Monday that the process to succeed the mayor of the metropolis took off at Projet Montréal with the opening of the application period. Already, the former president of the party, Guedwig Bernier, has applied. He has been involved with the party since 2018. He was at its head since 2020 until recently.
Unelected, Mr. Bernier makes no secret of having a lot of work to do to make himself known to the public. Beyond his municipal involvement, he has been director of sales and marketing for a telecommunications firm for almost 10 years and has extensive experience in business development.
Guedwig Bernier says he wants to make financial management a priority, by reducing the cost of major projects by collaborating more with the private sector.
PHOTO TAKEN FROM GUEDWIG BERNIER’S FACEBOOK PAGE
Guedwig Bernier
We will have financial challenges in the City of Montreal and we must find a solution. Yes, we are asking for money at different levels, but we also have to look in our own backyard at what we can do. […] We can do better.
Guedwig Bernier, candidate for leadership of Projet Montréal
Submission of applications will be open until January 31, which means that interested parties have a month and a half to come forward. The leadership race will officially begin on February 3. This electoral period will also last almost a month and a half, culminating in polling day, March 15. The deadline for joining the party, in order to be able to vote as a member, has been set for February 13.
“This is a great moment in the history of our party and I am confident that our municipal and democratic movement will attract many candidates. Projet Montréal is full of talent and vision, I guarantee it,” argued Valérie Plante on Monday in a publication on Instagram.
Race postponed at Ensemble Montréal
The opposition at city hall, Ensemble Montréal, postponed its race to “give more time” to interested parties to come forward. We still don’t know when it will be held.
At the beginning of November, the party rejected the only leadership candidate who has come forward so far, Younes El Moustir, a real estate broker who regularly comments on current affairs at QUB Radio.
Initially, interested applicants had until December 15 to submit an application. The leadership race was to begin on January 9, with a nomination convention scheduled for February 16. The campaign was expected to last about five weeks, with two debates scheduled for the end of January.
