Montreal vote part of broader trend

Despite populist style, Coderre was seen as out of touch with citizens’ concerns

In retrospect, Projet Montréal’s upset victory shouldn’t have come as such a surprise.

Pull the frame back. Across Europe and the United States, we have seen a rise of anti-establishment sentiment and growing public anger toward political elites, government and staterun institutions that are seen as being out of touch with people on the ground.

Montreal’s municipal election boiled down to that familiar theme: change versus establishment. In the end, Montrealers voted against the establishment, ousting Denis Coderre, the incumbent mayor. As the results became clear, he stepped down and announced he would leave municipal politics.

Valérie Plante of Projet Montréal was swept to power with a firm majority — her party won 34 of Montreal city council’s 65 seats. In the process, Montreal made history by electing its first female mayor.

Coderre may have only served one term as mayor of Montreal, but he is a career politician with a long history in federal politics. His populist leadership style featured a healthy dose of hubris and bombast that seemed to intensify during his four years in office.

It’s clear that Montrealers felt he grew too big for his britches, and too removed from the dayto-day priorities of city residents. Granite stumps, the Formula E race, the pit bull ban and urban rodeo, the cutting down of hundreds of trees to make way for an amphitheatre on Île-Ste-Hélène: there was a general feeling among citizens that Coderre simply was not listening to them.

Plante’s campaign, on the other hand, was centred around issues of transportation, affordable housing, keeping young families on the island and animal welfare. Where Coderre navigated the city in a chauffeured vehicle, she made her way by bicycle or métro. As Montrealers watched our money splashed about with reckless abandon on grandiose 375th anniversary initiatives, Projet ran a campaign that emphasized sincerity, accountability and transparency. Yes, Montrealers love a party. We love us some whimsy and noise and colour. But not at any cost.

That such a protest vote was delivered at a moment when Montreal’s economy is roaring like no time in recent memory is significant. No doubt that some votes were an expression of protest against Coderre than a vote for Projet Montréal.

But the results of Sunday’s vote suggest that Montrealers turned to candidates who are denouncing the political establishment and pointing out the failures of the whole system. Projet Montréal attacked the Coderre team for its inefficiency, lack of transparency and put themselves forward as an agent for change. It worked.

In short, Plante won by being closer to her constituents, incarnating enthusiasm for the city and focusing on the issues that affect Montrealers in their everyday lives.

Of course, the great paradox of running for election as an antiestablishment change agent is that, once elected, you become the establishment.

This is the new reality for Projet Montréal. Say what you will about Coderre, but he accomplished a great deal in just four years in office and put the city back on the global grid. His administration did much to restore our international reputation and clean up a city hall riddled with corruption and scandal. Projet, a party which grew out of grassroots community activism and organization, must now govern a global metropolis. This will include working with the Chambre de Commerce and the business community, the provincial and federal governments, and other international partners on highlevel issues. Expectations of electors will be high.

Today, Valérie Plante and Projet Montréal have an opportunity to work toward re-establishing a meaningful democratic link between people and the government here in our city. I wish them the best of luck. In time we will learn what that promise of change will mean, and how it will be delivered.