First mayoral debate held
A first mayoral debate was held Wednesday evening in front of people described by CTV as young voters (defined as people 35 years of age and under). Coderre just can’t drop the urge to “have Montreal recognized on the global stage.”*
Montreal North mayor Christine Black (Ensemble) is accusing Projet of a hidden agenda by selecting Will Prosper as its mayoral candidate. Although Black insists Projet intends to defund the police, evidently Valérie Plante is planning no such thing, given that she has supported the creation of a new squad to work on illegal firearms issues.**
*I’d be curious to know how many voters think this is a goal worth squandering millions on. I cannot express how stupid I think it is to try to inflate the city’s importance internationally, and I can’t help feeling it’s mostly a reflection of the ex‑mayor’s ego.
**I find it predictably creepy that Christine Black sees something sinister in the nomination of Prosper. If any borough in the city should have a Black mayor, it’s Montreal North – and I don’t mean Christine.
Jeff 15:53 on 2021-08-12 Permalink
Coderre probably has friends in real estate, and when he says he want montreal recognized, he probably just means he wants “big developers” to raise land values for his real estate buddies, and “big tenants” to pay big rents to his real estate buddies.
Mitchell 06:30 on 2021-08-13 Permalink
When a politician repeatedly uses the same or similar phrases, doesn’t that usually mean that it’s got meaning for his constituents? In this case, if that’s real estate developers, that seems like a pretty small number of voters, no? Unless he’s hoping they’ll pour money into his campaign? Otherwise, the phrase would suggest that he thinks there’s enough voters in Montreal who think being “recognized on the global stage” has a real meaning.
Jeff 07:28 on 2021-08-13 Permalink
I think municipal politicians and real estate developers typically have strong reasons to be friends. Developers depend on the local bureaucracy (permits, zoning, inspections, etc.), so it makes sense for them to donate generously to candidates who are friendly to them.
Kate 13:26 on 2021-08-13 Permalink
Would people rather have a few more Americans know about Montreal than have streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians, a reasonable pace for maintaining infrastructure, and a city that takes environmental concerns seriously? I don’t want to live in Jean Drapeau-ville, with a big showy party every few years to attract tourists, while the neighbourhood I live in is allowed to deteriorate because it isn’t part of the showpiece.