Latest news with #Plante
Montreal Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
This month's Grand Prix weekend will run smoother than last year's, Plante says
The city has learned from its errors, and this month's Grand Prix weekend will be a much smoother event than the 2024 edition, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante pledged Tuesday. Last year, Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx bashed the city's lack of organization during Grand Prix weekend, saying she was 'ashamed' of some of the events that transpired. Among them, paddocks were flooded during a heavy downpour, as was the broadcast booth. The city's police force had a miscommunication with race organizers and closed access points to Île Notre-Dame, which led to heavy congestion. And the fire department forced several restaurants to close because their terrasses didn't conform to the city's fire code. Plante said on Tuesday that things will be better for this year's edition of Grand Prix weekend, which gets underway on June 13. She insisted that public transit will be the best way to reach the island, even though transit workers are poised to walk off the job on June 9 for a nine-day strike. During the work stoppage, buses and the métro will only run during morning and evening rush hours and late at night, but regular service will be maintained during the entire Grand Prix weekend. 'Last year a lot of things happened all at the same time,' Plante said. 'What I'm really proud of is that in the last year, we've been working to address every single thing that went wrong and find solutions. It wasn't perfect last year. We need to do better, and this is what we're working towards.' She said, however, the city wasn't solely to blame for all the problems, as the province also owns part of the infrastructure that was problematic. Plante welcomed the decision by the Tribunal administratif du travail allowing transit workers to strike, but ordering service to remain the same during weekday rush hours and the Grand Prix weekend. However, she said she hopes that STM management and employees can come to a resolution resolving the labour conflict quickly in order not to punish users. Also speaking to reporters Tuesday, Éric Alan Caldwell, the chairperson of the STM's board of directors, said he welcomed the declaration of transit as an essential service, but said managers will be scrambling in the coming days to figure out how to modify service during the strike. He plans to meet reporters on Wednesday to further detail how the STM will cope during the labour conflict. Negotiations between the maintenance workers' union and the public transit company are continuing. At issue are the way nighttime and weekend schedules are created, how workers are transferred between facilities and the use of subcontractors and privatization. On Sunday, bus drivers and métro operators, who are part of a separate union, also voted in favour of a strike. This story was originally published June 3, 2025 at 2:56 PM.
Montreal Gazette
3 days ago
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Martinez Ferrada pledges to consult borough mayors regularly if Ensemble Montréal wins election
Montreal Politics By Borough mayors would meet regularly if Soraya Martinez Ferrada is elected Nov. 2. Speaking to The Gazette Monday, the Ensemble Montréal leader said the current Projet Montréal administration has ignored the needs of the boroughs, to the point that Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante has not even met with some of them in years. As an example, she claimed Montréal-Nord mayor Christine Black told her recently that she hasn't had a sitdown meeting with Plante since 2021. She said if she becomes the mayor of Montreal, she will create a roundtable made up of all the mayors of the city's 19 boroughs, and it would meet regularly. Although, she did not say at what frequency. 'The idea is to make sure we are giving the boroughs more power of influence before the executive committee makes decisions,' she said. Martinez Ferrada said many of the decisions currently made by the executive committee don't take the specific experience of local boroughs into account. She gave the city's new snow-clearing policy as an example. 'I understand the idea was to save money, but I think we have to make sure that there is the space for everyone to make a decision, so that every citizen has the opportunity to have the same quality of services,' she said. The snow-clearing policy came under fire from several opposition boroughs earlier this year because of a lack of flexibility. The boroughs of LaSalle and St-Laurent were penalized for undertaking partial snow-clearing operations last Feb. 4 without the approval of the central city. 'I think as a mayor, you have to work with the other mayors, wherever they are,' Martinez Ferrada said. 'It's surprising to me that the mayor of Montréal-Nord has not sat down with the central city mayor.' Martinez Ferrada said the boroughs have also been asking for more funding under the Plante administration, complaining that the increases in allotments from the central city to the boroughs have not been in line with the inflation rate over the last few years. She recognizes that borough budgets are tight, and added that she would increase the amount the city doles out to its 19 boroughs. How much, however, has not yet been determined. 'I'm not there yet,' Martinez Ferrada said. 'We haven't figured out yet how we will address the needs and how we will fund things, but we also have to look at blue-collar workers, because many boroughs don't have enough people to give the services to their citizens.' Martinez Ferrada said that after nearly eight years of the Projet Montréal administration under Plante, Montrealers are ready for something new. 'People don't feel listened to,' she said. 'People are telling me it's very hard to have a conversation with the elected officials of Projet Montréal. We want to have a city for everyone and not leave anyone behind.' She added that Projet Montréal has polarized the city, and there is an impression that the party only caters to a certain segment of Montrealers.
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Hunt for new NDP leader raises tension before race even begins
OTTAWA—On the heels of a devastating election campaign, the New Democratic Party's road to recovery is off to a tense start as party insiders and grassroots activists tilt behind the scenes over the party's next big challenge: Who will replace Jagmeet Singh? Potential high-profile candidates have signalled a lack of interest and the process of even deciding how to orchestrate a leadership contest is already divisive. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante was being strongly pushed to launch a bid for the job and was widely seen as a big name that can unite the party, but is no longer considering a run. On a recent podcast, Plante, who's term as Montreal mayor ends in November, was asked if she was ready to announce her candidacy for NDP leader, and joked in French that she 'can announce that I won't be the leader of the NDP.' A source close to Plante, who was granted anonymity to speak freely, said she was not ruling out an entrance to federal politics in the future, but needed a break from politics after eight years as mayor. The NDP's federal council is expected to discuss and decide the rules of that race in late June, according to an email from NDP national director Lucy Watson sent to party members Wednesday and obtained by the Star. But questions over the timeline of the race, the entry fee, and how much power each vote should hold have been a source of contention among New Democrats. A letter circulating among party members, started by a group of local EDAs, is urging federal council not to rush the process to decide the rules, to have an admission fee that does not 'preclude working class people from entering the race,' to allow a membership sign-up deadline of more than five months during the race, and to commit to a 'one-member-one-vote' principle. It came after media reports that quoted party insiders suggesting a short race with an entry fee five times higher than the $30,000 required in the 2017 race. Already, the process to select interim leader Don Davies has caused some divisions in the party. 'We cannot have a coronation happen. We cannot have a process where internal party movers and shakers, the consulting class, define the terms, create barriers and effectively squeeze out the ability for a very robust process,' said Matthew Green, the former Hamilton Centre MP, as he echoed some of the calls in the letter. 'If this process lacks legitimacy, I think the party puts itself at risk.' All this politicking comes as the race to replace Singh shrinks. It's a highly-anticipated contest that some have said will be a battle for 'the soul of the party.' Aside from Plante, former MP Charlie Angus, another big name in New Democratic circles and the runner-up in 2017, declared recently he had no plans to enter the race. As did former Toronto city councillor Mike Layton and Public Service Alliance of Canada vice-president Alex Silas when reached by the Star. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and B.C. Premier David Eby have also thrown cold water on any speculation they were interested in the job, though none of those three high-profile New Democrats were ever considered likely contenders. Former Alberta NDP premier Rachel Notley has not expressed any interest in returning to politics and campaigned for Edmonton MP Heather McPherson, who is widely expected to run for leader, during her successful re-election bid. Notley did not return a request for comment. Another name in the rumour mill is Green, who told the Star Thursday he is not ruling anything out and is willing to support the 'right candidate.' But the former MP also dampened expectations among some New Democrats after telling this newspaper recently he believes the next leader should be a 'strong woman.' Some New Democrats see that as an endorsement of Winnipeg MP Leah Gazan, one of the remaining seven New Democrats in Parliament and an influential voice on the left-wing of the party who has not ruled out a run. 'It matters less to me who the next leader is, if the next leader is simply going to duplicate all the past mistakes and personnel of the status quo that got us here in the first place,' Green said Thursday. 'The leadership talk is premature, absent of a really serious discussion around party renewal to ensure that there's a party to run.' Aside from Green, McPherson, Gazan and longtime activist and filmmaker Avi Lewis appear to be the most likely candidates as of now, though no one has made an official announcement and it's typical for other candidates to emerge. 'It's shaping up to be a battle between an establishment candidate and a left-wing candidate, and everybody is wondering who the left-wing candidate is gonna be,' said one NDP source, who the Star agreed not to name so they could speak freely about the party. 'The field is thinning, but I don't think it's going to end there.' Lewis, a two-time NDP candidate who's the grandson of former federal NDP leader David Lewis and son of former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis, was an author of the Leap Manifesto, a 2015 policy document pushing for aggressive climate action and other left-wing priorities that led to contentious debates in the NDP. He has also publicly warned against 'former staffers, consultants, former provincial cabinet ministers,' he accused of trying to shape the race before it starts. 'This is a battle for the soul of the party that has made Canada different from the US,' Lewis said in a recent social media post. 'This is a party that was born of the 99%, and will start winning when it belongs to all of us once again.' McPherson told the Star Thursday that suggestions she is 'the establishment candidate' are 'absurd.' She has yet to commit to running for leader, but said she is being encouraged to run and needs to see what the race looks like before making a decision. 'I'm a New Democrat, but I am a New Democrat from Alberta,' McPherson said. 'I'm more interested in policies that candidates bring forward.' Asked about the leadership race rules, McPherson said she won't interfere because it's up to the federal council, not MPs, to decide. George Soule, a longtime New Democrat strategist, said he understands arguments for a longer, less costly race, but noted the Liberal party had a successful three-month race in electing leader Mark Carney. 'Other parties make money off their leaders' races, we lose money,' Soule said. 'I don't know what that balanced number is.' Watson, the NDP's national director, provided few details about what comes next for the party in its hunt for a new leader, saying, 'We look forward to a dynamic race with an exchange of ideas between candidates and party members about the NDP's path forward.' David Lewis was the former federal NDP leader and Stephen Lewis is the former Ontario NDP leader. A previous version of this story mistakenly swapped the leadership titles of the two.
Toronto Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Hunt for new NDP leader raises tension before race even begins
OTTAWA—On the heels of a devastating election campaign, the New Democratic Party's road to recovery is off to a tense start as party insiders and grassroots activists tilt behind the scenes over the party's next big challenge: Who will replace Jagmeet Singh? Potential high-profile candidates have signalled a lack of interest and the process of even deciding how to orchestrate a leadership contest is already divisive. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante was being strongly pushed to launch a bid for the job and was widely seen as a big name that can unite the party, but is no longer considering a run. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW On a recent podcast, Plante, who's term as Montreal mayor ends in November, was asked if she was ready to announce her candidacy for NDP leader, and joked in French that she 'can announce that I won't be the leader of the NDP.' A source close to Plante, who was granted anonymity to speak freely, said she was not ruling out an entrance to federal politics in the future, but needed a break from politics after eight years as mayor. The NDP's federal council is expected to discuss and decide the rules of that race in late June, according to an email from NDP national director Lucy Watson sent to party members Wednesday and obtained by the Star. But questions over the timeline of the race, the entry fee, and how much power each vote should hold have been a source of contention among New Democrats. A letter circulating among party members, started by a group of local EDAs, is urging federal council not to rush the process to decide the rules, to have an admission fee that does not 'preclude working class people from entering the race,' to allow a membership sign-up deadline of more than five months during the race, and to commit to a 'one-member-one-vote' principle. It came after media reports that quoted party insiders suggesting a short race with an entry fee five times higher than the $30,000 required in the 2017 race. Already, the process to select interim leader Don Davies has caused some divisions in the party. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'We cannot have a coronation happen. We cannot have a process where internal party movers and shakers, the consulting class, define the terms, create barriers and effectively squeeze out the ability for a very robust process,' said Matthew Green, the former Hamilton Centre MP, as he echoed some of the calls in the letter. 'If this process lacks legitimacy, I think the party puts itself at risk.' All this politicking comes as the race to replace Singh shrinks. It's a highly-anticipated contest that some have said will be a battle for 'the soul of the party.' Aside from Plante, former MP Charlie Angus, another big name in New Democratic circles and the runner-up in 2017, declared recently he had no plans to enter the race. As did former Toronto city councillor Mike Layton and Public Service Alliance of Canada vice-president Alex Silas when reached by the Star. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and B.C. Premier David Eby have also thrown cold water on any speculation they were interested in the job, though none of those three high-profile New Democrats were ever considered likely contenders. Former Alberta NDP premier Rachel Notley has not expressed any interest in returning to politics and campaigned for Edmonton MP Heather McPherson, who is widely expected to run for leader, during her successful re-election bid. Notley did not return a request for comment. Another name in the rumour mill is Green, who told the Star Thursday he is not ruling anything out and is willing to support the 'right candidate.' But the former MP also dampened expectations among some New Democrats after telling this newspaper recently he believes the next leader should be a 'strong woman.' Some New Democrats see that as an endorsement of Winnipeg MP Leah Gazan, one of the remaining seven New Democrats in Parliament and an influential voice on the left-wing of the party who has not ruled out a run. 'It matters less to me who the next leader is, if the next leader is simply going to duplicate all the past mistakes and personnel of the status quo that got us here in the first place,' Green said Thursday. 'The leadership talk is premature, absent of a really serious discussion around party renewal to ensure that there's a party to run.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Aside from Green, McPherson, Gazan and longtime activist and filmmaker Avi Lewis appear to be the most likely candidates as of now, though no one has made an official announcement and it's typical for other candidates to emerge. 'It's shaping up to be a battle between an establishment candidate and a left-wing candidate, and everybody is wondering who the left-wing candidate is gonna be,' said one NDP source, who the Star agreed not to name so they could speak freely about the party. 'The field is thinning, but I don't think it's going to end there.' Lewis, a two-time NDP candidate who's the grandson of former federal NDP leader David Lewis and son of former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis, was an author of the Leap Manifesto, a 2015 policy document pushing for aggressive climate action and other left-wing priorities that led to contentious debates in the NDP. He has also publicly warned against 'former staffers, consultants, former provincial cabinet ministers,' he accused of trying to shape the race before it starts. 'This is a battle for the soul of the party that has made Canada different from the US,' Lewis said in a recent social media post. 'This is a party that was born of the 99%, and will start winning when it belongs to all of us once again.' McPherson told the Star Thursday that suggestions she is 'the establishment candidate' are 'absurd.' She has yet to commit to running for leader, but said she is being encouraged to run and needs to see what the race looks like before making a decision. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'I'm a New Democrat, but I am a New Democrat from Alberta,' McPherson said. 'I'm more interested in policies that candidates bring forward.' Asked about the leadership race rules, McPherson said she won't interfere because it's up to the federal council, not MPs, to decide. George Soule, a longtime New Democrat strategist, said he understands arguments for a longer, less costly race, but noted the Liberal party had a successful three-month race in electing leader Mark Carney. 'Other parties make money off their leaders' races, we lose money,' Soule said. 'I don't know what that balanced number is.' Watson, the NDP's national director, provided few details about what comes next for the party in its hunt for a new leader, saying, 'We look forward to a dynamic race with an exchange of ideas between candidates and party members about the NDP's path forward.' Correction — May 31, 2025: David Lewis was the former federal NDP leader and Stephen Lewis is the former Ontario NDP leader. A previous version of this story mistakenly swapped the leadership titles of the two. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. 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Montreal Gazette
30-04-2025
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
Plante will meet with Carney Thursday to get commitments on housing
Montreal Politics By The Namur-Hippodrome and Bridge-Bonaventure housing developments are the top issues Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante plans to bring up in a Thursday meeting with newly elected prime minister Mark Carney. Plante told reporters Wednesday she will have a sit-down with Carney on Thursday. During that meeting, she will ask Carney to fund infrastructure like sewers and roads in both those future developments in order to help pave the way for tens of thousands of housing units to be built in the next decade — many of them slated to be social and affordable housing options, and non-speculative housing. Carney has promised to speed up housing development in the country in response to the housing crisis. 'In the two cases, those developments are blank sheets, but there is nothing underneath, no pipes or streets,' Plante said. 'We have ideas, but we need to push it to the next level — to push the federal and provincial governments, and the city of course, to invest massively. 'I need to have this conversation with Mr. Carney. There's a lot of potential. I'm hopeful.' The city developed a master plan for the Namur-Hippodrome development last year. For much of the 20th century, the site served as a place for horse racing, but it has been the subject of a stalled housing development since the beginning of this century. Plante's vision is for 20,000 housing units to be developed in the Namur-Hippodrome sector, with roughly half of those units dedicated to those with lower means. However, the plan rests on the city finding $1.4 billion to fund roads and sewers. Similar funding is needed for the Bridge-Bonaventure sector, where another 13,500 housing units are envisioned. Plante said she's pleased that Carney is showing a willingness to move quickly on housing. She hopes funding will follow those intentions. Plante will also bring up other priorities with Carney, such as funding for a tramway in Lachine, which has been put on the back burner by the Quebec government, and a western extension of the métro's Orange Line to link Côte-Vertu station with the REM's Bois-Franc station in St-Laurent, which is slated to open this year. Plante congratulated Carney and said she's used to working with the federal Liberal government, but added the city would also work well with a Conservative prime minister. Still, she was asked if she thought it would be easier to work with Carney considering comments Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre made last year, when he called Plante and Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand 'incompetent' on the subject of developing housing. 'I think electors have talked about his style that doesn't necessarily represent Canadians well and how we do things. I think the results show Canadians can disagree on certain things but respect is very important. 'That being said, I was very impressed with how Mr. Poilievre accepted his defeat,' Plante said. 'He was very humble and very nice.' With the NDP in search of a leader, Plante has been mentioned among political observers as a potential successor to Jagmeet Singh, who resigned after Monday's election. Asked several times by reporters Wednesday, Plante said she has her hands full running the country's second-largest city and has no time to think about anything else until her term ends in November. 'I'm busy, and this is where my head is at; that's all I do and I will do it until the end of my mandate,' she said. 'After that, I'll take time to think about anything, but I want to be clear: Politics can change the world, but there are other ways, and I am also interested in those other ways.'
