Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante Says She Works Well With Liberals

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Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante welcomed the re-election of Justin Trudeau’s liberal party with a minority government on Tuesday, highlighting the positives and potential for improvement.

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“I’ve worked with liberals before when they were a liberal minority government,” he said, citing common ground on the issues of climate change and affordable housing. “We work well together. There were many MPs here in Montreal who were part of his cabinet. I definitely encourage Mr. Trudeau to do it again so that Montreal’s interests and needs are shared in government. “

Plante also expressed his relief at not having to deal with Erin O’Toole’s conservatives, particularly regarding a couple of issues close to his heart.

“There are two reasons why I am satisfied that it is not a conservative government,” she said. “It is my perspective. This party, not long ago, saying that climate change didn’t exist was crazy. I was worried. We are making a great effort to do our part for climate change. That was awful.

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“The other thing was weapons. Conservatives on that front are not only against banning guns, they were considering reopening the list of banned assault weapons, including some of those used at Polytechnique, Dawson, and the mosque in Quebec City. Has no sense. There are always pros and cons in all parties, but I know we can work well (with the liberals). “

Gun control was at the top of Plante’s priority list to discuss with the Trudeau government, particularly the ban on assault weapons and pistols. And while the Liberals have not moved fast enough on that front, Plante noted that “in gun control, there was no party that really met our expectations.”

Ultimately, he called Monday night’s election results a sign that voters want stability.

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“I always say, never take citizens for granted,” Plante said. “Obviously, the results for the montreals showed their seriousness in terms of housing security, mobility and the environment, which are subjects much loved by the montreals. It also showed our ability to adapt as we handle a pandemic with great humanity and goodwill. I think people want goodwill. “

The mayoral candidate, Denis Coderre, hailed “the genius of Quebecers” to ensure stability in the elections, while being careful to argue that his Ensemble Montreal party can offer that to citizens better than the current leadership.

“If people want stability, you need the right people in the right place,” Coderre said. “If you want security, you need the right people and equipment. If you talk about housing, it is not just about talking and numbers, you must show that you can deliver the goods. All this notion of competence, efficiency and experience – that’s our team. We also talk a lot about economic development. … If you want stability, you also need a change in Montreal. “

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The results of Monday’s elections show the divide between urban and rural voters, according to Coderre, creating ample space for Montreal’s concerns to be heard.

“We saw big Canadian cities voting en masse for the current in government,” he said, “but since it’s a minority government, I think cities are going to play a bigger role than ever in this government.”

Aspiring mayor Balarama Holness said if elected he would push for Montreal to obtain city-state status under the Canadian constitution, and to support the transfer of Peel Basin from federal to municipal jurisdiction to act as a ” main site “for social activities. accommodation.

“Housing is a fundamental right,” the Montreal Movement leader said in a statement. “However, more than 24,000 people are on the waiting list for subsidized housing, including 325 families in urgent need of shelter since July 1. Things clearly must change. “

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