Coderre coyly delays announcing
Liberal MP Denis Coderre said Friday night Montrealers will have to wait until April to learn whether he will run for mayor.
But speaking at a fundraiser in Ville d’Anjou celebrating his 15 years as member of Parliament for Bourassa, Coderre all but threw his hat into the ring for the mayor’s job.
“I want to tell you that I am contemplating running for the mayoralty in November 2013,” Coderre said, earning cheers and a standing ovation from Liberal supporters.
But Coderre said he won’t make his intentions official before the federal Liberals choose a new leader in the spring because it wouldn’t be fair to his constituents.
Coderre, 49, an affable people person and consummate politician who makes ample use of social media, sounded as if he’s already itching for the municipal arena as he outlined his political vision in a speech to more than 1,250 supporters in a reception hall on Henri Bourassa Blvd. E.
“Of course I have ideas for Montreal,” Coderre said in an interview before the speech.
“Montrealers are hurt and Montreal is hurt. You have to bring back that soul. This is one of the great metropolises,” said Coderre, who described himself as “a citizen of Montreal for 40 years.”
“We need to bring back the people together,” he said, “anglophone and francophone, bring back that joie de vivre.”
In an interview, Coderre said that while he was appalled by allegations of deepseated corruption at city hall, he did not want to pass judgment until the Charbonneau Commission has done its work.
“Of course, we’re all disgusted at some situations: it’s taxpayers’ money,” he said.
“But at the same time, we have to let the inquiry do their job,” he added, saying he didn’t want to act like a “political mother-in-law” by second-guessing decisions made by municipal leaders.
Several speakers at the $35-a-plate spaghetti dinner made humorous references to Coderre’s possible jump into municipal politics.
Interim Liberal leader Bob Rae joked that he was planning to run for Montreal mayor, while Coderre will run for mayor of Toronto.
“Denis Coderre has done good work for the population of Montreal,” Rae said.
Also in attendance were Liberal leadership contender Justin Trudeau, MPs Irwin Cotler and Marc Garneau, and senators Joan Fraser and Francis Fox.
Coderre noted in an interview that he decided some time ago that he would run either for the Liberal leadership or the mayor’s job, and that he has already announced that he won’t seek the former.
Rae said in an interview that Coderre would be missed in the party if he jumps into the municipal ring, but “people make decisions in politics.”
Coderre, a populist politician who tells reporters to call him Denis, is considered a front-runner for the mayor’s job if he runs. A CROP poll last month gave Coderre 26 per cent support, compared to 12 per cent for Vision Montreal Leader Louise Harel and 11 per cent for Projet Montréal Leader Richard Bergeron.
Coderre, who has represented the north-end riding since 1997, has held various Liberal cabinet positions, including minister for sport and for citizenship and immigration.