‘Let’s clear out the incumbents’
Election follows trend of support for political neophytes
The new broom that swept clean at city hall was about more than an unstoppable Valérie Plante wave, a Montreal political scientist says.
The stunning victory of Projet Montréal political neophytes over many veteran politicians on outgoing mayor Denis Coderre’s team was in step with a trend that has brought non-traditional leaders to power elsewhere, said Caroline Patsias of the Université du Québec à Montréal’s political science department.
Justin Trudeau in Ottawa. Donald Trump in the United States. Emmanuel Macron in France.
“In the past, it was an advantage to be the incumbent,” Patsias said. “Today, it’s, ‘Let’s clear out the incumbents.’ ”
She said the traditional politicians who find themselves turfed after Sunday’s election were affiliated with a candidate — Coderre — whose style of governance was out of sync with voters.
“There was a profound disconnect with Coderre’s patriarchal and paternalistic style, which was no longer adapted to the times — to the new way citizens express their citizenship,” Patsias said.
Toward the end of the campaign, Coderre touted endorsements from millionaire business leaders and newspaper editorials, she noted. That backfired because voters today don’t want to be told what to think, she added.
Members of Coderre’s executive committee who went down to defeat:
Russell Copeman, incumbent Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Damede-Grâce mayor and a Liberal MNA for 14 years. He lost to former reporter Sue Montgomery.
Réal Ménard, incumbent mayor of Mercier–Hochelaga–Maisonneuve and a Bloc Québécois MP for 16 years. He lost to microbrewery owner Pierre Lessard-Blais.
Richard Bergeron, a three-time mayoral candidate under the Projet Montréal banner and most recently a city councillor and urban-planning point man. He lost to Robert Beaudry, a community organizer.
Anie Samson, incumbent Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension mayor and a municipal politician for 23 years. She lost to Giuliana Fumagalli, a union activist.
Other experienced politicians on Coderre’s ticket who lost include:
Elsie Lefebvre, a PQ MNA for three years who has been a municipal politician since 2009. She lost to Rosannie Filato, a lawyer.
Scott McKay, a PQ MNA for six years who was a Montreal city councillor from 1986 to 1994 and is a former leader of the Green Party of Quebec. He lost to Stéphanie Watt, an urban geographer.
Elsewhere on Montreal Island, old hands also faltered, including:
Claude Dauphin, incumbent mayor of Lachine who arrived on the municipal scene after sitting as a Liberal MNA for 13 years. He lost to Projet Montréal’s Maja Vodanovic, a city councillor since 2013.
Ed Janiszewski, incumbent mayor of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, after 33 years in the city’s top job. He lost to Alex Bottausci, a city councillor for 12 years.
CODERRE’S STARS, VISIBLE MINORITIES Much of Coderre’s team went down, but two of his star candidates won:
Hadrien Parizeau, a PQ activist and grandson of former PQ premier Jacques Parizeau, won an Ahuntsic-Cartierville city council seat.
Cathy Wong, a former youth development officer for the YMCAs of Quebec and member of the Conseil des Montréalaises, will be a Ville-Marie city councillor. She is the third member of a visible minority on the 65-person city council, after incumbents St-Laurent borough mayor Alan DeSousa and Frantz Benjamin, city councillor in Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension. All are on Coderre’s team.