(Quebec) Régis Labeaume is full of praise for Valérie Plante, a woman “of heart”, “a friend”, who helped the capital a lot in its light rail project and who “will be even better in her second term”.
These words, which have all the airs of support, the mayor of Quebec said in an interview with Press. Mr. Labeaume has made a media tour in the last days, he who is leaving politics.
True to his habit, Régis Labeaume had no tongue in his pocket. In addition to praising Valérie Plante, he wanted to greet a single provincial politician, Philippe Couillard, “probably the one who believed the most” in his tram project.
Régis Labeaume says that his relationship with Valérie Plante began cautiously. “At the beginning, Valérie was very suspicious because Denis [Coderre] always said that we almost slept together! Recalls the 65-year-old.
But the relationship between the two quickly heated up. ” I’m honest. Me, I consider it a friend. ”
Their good understanding was manifested in the complex issue of the Quebec tramway. The capital wanted $ 1.2 billion from a federal public transport fund. But the criteria only allowed Quebec to touch 400 million.
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, PRESS ARCHIVES
Valérie Plante, outgoing mayor of Montreal
The mayoress of Montreal has accepted that the missing 800 million come from the envelope reserved for Montreal. In exchange, she obtained certain guarantees to recover these sums for the metropolis.
This agreement made it possible to unblock the tramway project.
“I haven’t forgotten the tram. This woman, what she did, she did with good heart and fairness. I will never forget that. I won’t deny the feeling I have for this woman after what she did for us. Me, I am not made like that, explained Mr. Labeaume in his office of the town hall, which he is preparing to leave for good.
“She didn’t have big guarantees. I’ll never forget what Valerie did for the rest of us and I think she’s going to be even better in a second term. ”
During our interview, Mr. Labeaume did not send any tip to Mr. Coderre. The two men had had a fruitful collaboration on the issue of municipal employee pension plans.
In an interview with Radio-Canada last Tuesday, the mayor of Quebec had these words: “Denis, I haven’t heard from you for a long time, so I can’t tell you about it. ”
The long struggle for public transport
Régis Labeaume has caused much ink to flow with the construction of the new amphitheater. But at the time of the assessments, it is a lot of public transport that is in question.
The mayor believed in the tram from 2010. But in the National Assembly, the support was not there.
During the first tram project, I heard people say: “No way, tramway.” They were making political capital. sat [Hamad] was against, Gérard Deltell was against. It was just to make political gains. When you work on it for years, it sucks.
Régis Labeaume, outgoing mayor of Quebec
Followed the rapid bus service (SRB) project that was to link Lévis and Quebec. But the city of the South Shore finally withdrew from the project. “The radios are embarked against and the politicians are embarked after. Lévis has betrayed us completely. ”
He eventually succeeded in setting up the $ 3.3 billion light rail project, which four of the five municipal parties pledge to complete if elected on November 7.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, PRESS ARCHIVES
Philippe Couillard, former premier of Quebec
“I pay tribute to Philippe Couillard. He’s probably the one who believed it the most, in this project. He believed it would be modernity. Yes, of course he wanted to please me, it paid off politically. But he fundamentally believed in it.
“Everyone else has always treated it in terms of political gain or loss. It sickened me, it always sickened me. ”
On the day of this interview, Thursday, the Minister of Transport in the government of François Legault made an exit on possible cost overruns of 600 million for the tram. But the mayor does not want to broach this subject during his farewell interview, during which he will not pronounce the name of François Legault.
“My life is going really well”
On a more personal level, Régis Labeaume thinks of leaving at the right time. The man who has battled prostate cancer wants to make the most of his retirement. Politics is over for him.
Everything that is to come is happy for me. I have two grandchildren. My life is going really well. I have a good life. I’m in a great part of my life, barring bad luck like a second cancer.
Régis Labeaume, outgoing mayor of Quebec
The man says he leaves with the feeling of having accomplished his duty. He is especially proud of the very down-to-earth developments which, according to him, have improved his city: the ephemeral squares and eco-districts of Estimauville and Pointe-aux-Lièvres.
“I think everyone agrees that the city is doing better. She is proud. Compared to Montreal, she no longer has that complex, he says. I think she loves herself, that she has good self-esteem. I think she is more attractive. The quality of life is even better. ”
Quebec will never be a metropolis like Montreal. It is “a kind of city that is not that big”. But “we live in French here and we live well”. “It’s a very safe city. To raise a family is fantastic. ”
Régis Labeaume will first afford a holiday in the sun, then will leave for Istanbul and the Balkans during a trip of several months.
“I am equipped not to get bored. I just hope I’ll be able to calm down a bit! ”
Régis Labeaume speaks …
On the attack on the Great Mosque of Quebec
“It was the most intense moment, much more than the amphitheater. Humanly… People don’t know it, but the leaders spent the week at City Hall. They didn’t know what to do. We cried together. Stuff I’ll never forget. ”
On the radios
“Radio X liked me at first because I was against the grain of what existed. But as soon as I became mayor, they stopped loving me. It paid off for them to love me during the campaign. ”
On the absence of corruption scandals
“I’m pretty proud. There was a culture of honesty here already. And I said no to a lot of people when I left. I was intolerant. The signal has been given. This organization has always been completely honest. We have never been caught in a scavenger. In 14 years in politics, it is not easy. ”
On his decision to remain in municipal politics
“I like that, being mayor of Quebec. I did not see myself elsewhere. I am a guy from eastern Quebec. My parents, their dream was to move to Quebec. It’s true ! I lived in Lac-Saint-Jean, Sept-Îles… Quebec, for us, it was big. In my DNA, Quebec has always been big. ”