Two mayors excluded from Projet Montreal who have since founded their own political parties called on Wednesday to vote for “local parties” on November 7, in order to correct the “historic underfunding” of several “marginalized” neighborhoods.
“Our boroughs are the two most populous on the island, and yet they receive less funding than the boroughs,” explained the outgoing mayor of Côte-des-Neiges – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and head of the Courage party. , Sue Montgomery, at a conference in front of City Hall in the morning.
By his side, the outgoing mayor of Villeray – Saint-Michel – Parc-Extension and head of Quartiers Montréal, Giuliana Fumagali, insisted that the solution to this “deficit” is to vote “for local parties”, which know the issues. Daily. “We’ve been seeing parties like Manon Barbe’s team in LaSalle and Luis Miranda in Anjou for four years. And we see that they really succeed in claiming issues for their population, ”she raised.
From the outset, “there is a historic underfunding that must be corrected, especially since our neighborhoods are among the poorest and marginalized in Montreal,” says Sue Montgomery. “It has to change. We think that with our independent parties, we will be able to work with the administration to have more, ”she said on this subject.
A political past
Beyond their positions, the elected officials are both former members of Projet Montréal, the party of mayor Valérie Plante. Giluana Fumagali was excluded in 2018 after complaints about her behavior at work.
Sue Montgomery, she was removed from the party last year after refusing to apply the recommendations of the Comptroller General in a case of psychological harassment. The case has also plunged the Montgomery clan and the Plante clan into a long legal saga, which has already cost taxpayers more than $ 600,000.
“I will work with anyone. I will not give advice [aux électeurs] to vote for one person or another ”, was content to answer Mr.me Montgomery Wednesday, when she was questioned about her analysis of the clash between Valérie Plante and Denis Coderre.
The two district mayors also smiled when the possibility of a merger between their two formations was briefly raised, stressing however that this is not the intention. “We like it, working together”, nevertheless offered Mme Fumagali. “We can still have alliances between us, between the districts”, also said Mr.me Montgomery.
Christine Gosselin, municipal councilor of Rosemont – La Petite-Patrie who had also announced her departure from Projet Montréal last year by denouncing the “retrograde and authoritarian management” of Valérie Plante, was also present during this press briefing.
“The districts that all these candidates represent are approximately 325,000 inhabitants. In both cases, they are sleeping giants. What is important to do for Montreal is where it happens, ”she explained, offering her support for the principle of local governance.