Massad throws hat in Beaconsfield mayoral ring
Beaconsfield city councillor Rhonda Massad, an outspoken critic of incumbent Beaconsfield mayor David Pollock, announced she would be running for mayor of the city in November 2013. Massad made the announcement nearly a year in advance of the next provincial election in the interest of transparency – a quality she says is lacking in the current Beaconsfield administration. Massad was first elected to council, representing voters in ward 1, in 2009.
Tremblay quits as Montreal mayor
After testimony at the Charbonneau Commission on corruption in the construction industry described him as a see-no-evil leader who was willfully blind to criminal misuse of taxpayer dollars, Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay resigned Nov. 5. He was teary-eyed and defiant at his resignatory press conference, saying "after 25 years, I’m leaving public life.” Council then had 30 days to vote on an interim mayor before municipal elections are once more held in 2013.
Belanger, borough councillors leave Union Montreal
Ile Bizard-Ste. Genevieve borough mayor Richard Belanger and the four borough councillors who comprise the borough's council, quit the Union Montreal party, saying the public had lost confidence in the party in the aftermath of former mayor Gerald Tremblay's resignation. All five councillors – Eric Dugas, Diane Gibb, Christopher Little and François Robert – were unanimous in their decision and will continue to sit as independents.
Liberal leadership candidates meet in Pointe Claire
The four candidates for the leadership of the provincial Liberal party addressed party members in a meeting held at the Holiday Inn Pointe Claire Nov. 24. Phillippe Couillard, Raymond Bachand, Pierre Moreau and Jean David all had a turn addressing members and answering their questions. Each took shots at the PQ government's budget, tabled earlier in the week, saying measures contained within the budget were a sign the longtime opposition weren't quite ready for prime time.
