Labeaume mulls exit: Not ‘irreplaceable’ but maybe inimitable?

Since forever - OK, the 1930s - being mayor of Quebec City was a longterm job. Not since 1938 has a chef of the vieille capitale ruled the sceptred town for less than 12 years, or three terms. Sainte Foy suburban warrior Andrée Boucher was the tragic exception that made the rule in recent history.

Her untimely passing two years into her merged city mandate in August 2007, though, as cold-hearted as it may sound, created an opening for a maverick of a mayor in the spark-plug frame of Régis Labeaume.

Prior to the flamboyantly attired Boucher, Quebec City, true to its undeservedly dull and bureaucratic reputation, had not exactly elected exciting top civic officials of the stature of Jean Drapeau or Rob Ford. Labeaume has shattered that stereotype with a mix of bravado and boldness (arrogance and recklessness) unfamiliar to these parts.

Next month, Labeaume hits the milestone of 13 years as mayor, the first two of those years as the out-of-the-blue replacement for Boucher in a special election in November 2007. He becomes the city’s third longest-serving mayor behind Jean-paul l’allier’s 16 years (1989-2005), and Lucien Borne’s 15 (1938-53).

It was under Borne, incidentally, that Quebec City ripped up its streetcar system and converted to buses. More on that in a bit.

Earlier this month Labeaume caused a stir with a quip in an interview to mark the anniversary of his first victory, and with a year to go before municipal elections next year.

“I am absolutely replaceable. Cemeteries are full of irreplaceable people,” he told the Journal de Québec.

That the mayor is reflecting on his political future probably comes as no surprise. He’ll be 65 in May and having endured a frightening brush with prostate cancer two years ago, could be forgiven for pondering what to do with the rest of his life.

As for whether or not he’s replaceable or not, the more appropriate question is perhaps who but Labeaume would have had the energy, vision and audacity to take on the mammoth projects he has placed on his stocky shoulders.

For starters, Labeaume took office on the eve of the city’s 400th anniversary celebrations in 2008, with the event organization lacking forceful leadership. Labeaume and his team took charge and produced an extraordinary and financially profitable parade of events, from magical Sir Paul Mccartney and Céline Dion concerts, to a rousing world hockey tournament.

It’s hard to imagine anyone but Labeaume piloting the construction of a new arena to replace the aging Colisée and speed the return of the Nordiques. Barely five years after his election, construction was underway on the $400 million Videotron Centre.

Hopes for an NHL team may have evaporated, but the city does now have a world class sports and entertainment complex located in a part of the city destined for growth and development.

Labeaume’s latest big project, a $3.3 billion tramway system, is proving to be an infinitely more challenging and contentious venture than building a new skating rink. The project has been bedevilled by multiple changes in design, political maneuvering and waffling, and, most recently, a negative environmental assessment. It’s unlikely sod will be turned officially until 2022.

The tramway, combined with the Legault government’s pet project, a tunnel under the St. Lawrence River, are bound to be the dominant issues in the city in the coming years. Labeaume surely will be mulling whether he has the will and the stomach for the battles ahead to build the transportation network.

A recent Leger poll shows if elections were held today Labeaume would win in a walk against any potential rival, and satisfaction level with the job he has done tops 70 per cent. That same poll found that a new transit system is by far the issue of most interest to residents.

Labeaume himself has offered up some suggestions as a successor, should he decide to not go for l’allier record of longest serving mayor. Whoever should end up taking the torch from Labeaume, whenever that should be, must be prepared to be in it for the long haul - and to never feel irreplaceable.