A medium-sized city with all the problems – and solutions – of the XXIe century. An aging population. More immigration than elsewhere outside the major centers. And now a political party, the first in 40 years. In Saint-Hyacinthe, a struggle is being played out in which renewal and continuity demonstrate their respective advantages.
“My God, you are brave. It’s been a long time since there was a woman mayor. “
A lady positions her mask just before answering on her doorstep, in the district of Sainte-Rosalie, in Saint-Hyacinthe. In front of her, mayoral candidate Marijo Demers and candidate for councilor Hernan Restrepo speak without delay about their 16-page program concocted following a consultation tour in each district of the city. “We hope that you will be able to go and vote, it is less than four out of ten citizens who will exercise this right in municipal elections,” said Mme Demers, leader of the United Saint-Hyacinthe party.
She seasoned her door-to-door conversations with a few well-placed statistics, without overly complicating listening. She also smiles a lot, proud and inexhaustible. “Did I tell you about the youth wing of our party?” It is very rare to have this kind of group of young people in the municipal office, ”she told the To have to between two addresses on his tour.
A college political science teacher, mother of two, columnist, she came second in the riding of Saint-Hyacinthe in the last provincial election, under the banner of Québec solidaire, ahead of former PQ Minister of the Environment Daniel Breton.
Hernan Restrepo, he wants to win the seat of councilor of this former village which is now part of the largest city. He therefore hastens to ask the woman who appears in the opening: “I have lived here for several years, I wanted to know your concerns. “
A roaring truck passes at good speed behind him, as if to answer his question. “I went out on my bike with my children, and a truck brushed past us. There is far too much traffic here, ”said Mr. Restrepo, who took the opportunity to put a theme dear to his political party back to the center of the discussions.
Saint-Hyacinthe united is indeed leading a carbon neutral campaign. The party calculated the greenhouse gas emissions produced by the boxes, placards and electoral travel of the 12 candidates, which they will compensate by planting 55 trees. “It’s a political stance. Whether I win or not, I will remain eco-responsible ”, says Mme Demers.
Between experience and new blood
M’s opponentme Demers is not to be outdone. Independent candidate André Beauregard has been serving as a municipal councilor for the district of Douville for 12 years and has now run for the post of mayor, which is currently held by Claude Corbeil, who is not seeking another term.
It has also adopted several environmental proposals in its platform, which it enumerates at high speed: adding electric charging stations for cars, improving sewer and aqueduct infrastructure, adding a large urban park, among others.
Many residents of Saint-Hyacinthe admit to eyeing the urban canopy, activities and recreation of Granby and Drummondville, two cities of comparable size. “We recognize that the canopy is still not sufficient, even if we have planted more and more trees,” said Beauregard in an interview. To the aura of change of his opponents, he opposes his “knowledge of the files”: “There are many projects in progress to pursue and which are already on track”, he summarizes.
The contribution of new blood “and a lot of ideas” perhaps accelerated the discussion a little, suggests Marijo Demers for her part. While more than half of the candidates for mayor in the province are over 61, she clashes with her 41 years.
The candidate she is supporting, Hernan Restrepo, is also a youthful figure in this aging panorama. At 35 years old, with his two children and his two businesses, he is 20 years younger than the median age of aspiring Quebec municipal councilors. As for his opponent, Daniel Côté, he is seeking a sixth term in the same district.
The face of Saint-Hyacinthe
Arrived in Quebec at the age of 16, after having fled Colombia with his family, Mr. Restrepo hopes to be the first candidate with an immigrant background to be elected to the post of councilor for the district of Sainte-Rosalie. The son of a teacher and trade unionist, he has the sociable character of business people and “the tough skin” – as he himself says – of those who have gone through tough trials. “If I were still in Colombia, I would never get into politics, it’s too dangerous,” he notes.
The district he covets is a fairly homogeneous environment, still agricultural, closely woven with most of the very long-term residents. “I was a little worried about the reaction of people, but I only saw the opening,” he rejoices.
It must be said that the population of Saint-Hyacinthe is changing, and perhaps faster than in other places in Quebec. With an average of 500 newcomers each year, the municipality has a greater proportion of immigrants than the Quebec region, for example, as well as its neighbors Granby and Drummondville.
“This is also the future,” smiles Hernan Restrepo.