The Gazette’s René Bruemmer runs down the list of challenges currently facing the city administration, and which will continue to plague whoever’s elected in November. Nothing new here – the same problems, grudgingly accepted as part of city life. I don’t blame Bruemmer for that. We’re in a loop here – “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” as the man said. We know that band‑aid solutions to big problems like homelessness and city congestion don’t work, but no politician even wants to go so far as congestion pricing, instead making vague promises about reducing traffic cones.
TVA is finding the campaign lacking in excitement in comparison to the Plante‑Coderre battles of recent years. It’s true that the contrasting philosophies and personalities of those two figures were better defined in the public eye than the current options, but remembering the collapse of the Tremblay era, let’s say that the less drama there is around mayoral figures, the better.
TVA also finds that a candidate for Action Montreal has done time for importing cocaine – but the chances of that party electing even one of its members are so low that it’s not important. The café shown, Mysterium, has been a hotbed of anti‑vax and other fringe “freedom” activism over recent years and has been sporting a campaign poster of Gilbert Thibodeau in its window for months. They’re a clown show and are of no importance.
La Presse has a valuable checklist of the positions and promises of the parties on a range of issues.
Tim S. 21:59 on 2025-09-20 Permalink
I don’t think it’s a big deal. There’s always tension on election campaigns, because a lot of people are brought together on short notice to a very intense work environment. In this case, two parties are drawing their people from the same pool of Montreal progressives, and personal loyalties will be playing a role in way that soundbites can’t easily capture.
As for being a militant since 2017 but working for 2 months, again there’s a small pool of progressive political organizers who rotate through staff jobs with Projet/QS/NDP/community NGOs fairly frequently, depending on who’s gearing up for a campaign (or just won one). So those two statements can be true at the same time.
Ian 15:00 on 2025-09-21 Permalink
Let’s not forget Marie-Eve Veilleux
“Au début du mois d’août, la présidente du conseil de direction de Projet Montréal, Marie-Eve Veilleux, a aussi remis sa démission. Sa « vision politique » n’était « tout simplement pas alignée avec la vision de notre nouvelle chefferie », avait-elle expliqué dans une publication sur Facebook.”
https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/elections-municipales/2025-09-19/premiere-journee-de-la-campagne-municipale/le-climat-toxique-est-chose-du-passe-a-projet-montreal-dit-rabouin.php
… and that’s just those that have quit becasue of Rabouin’s leadership specifically. Accusations of intimidation and harassment are not something to hand-wave.
Kate 17:14 on 2025-09-21 Permalink
True to a point, but is it a change in political vision, or a case of harassment? If you’ve been working somewhere that suits you, where your outlook chimes with the organization, then a new boss comes in and makes new rules and creates difficulties for you, it’s apt to feel unfair and mean even if it’s not specifically targeted at you.
Not saying the atmosphere hasn’t curdled chez Projet, but the curdling may simply have been one of overall approach, not personally targeted bullying.