Civic Alert: Could Dumont really be the solution?

It may be a horrible thought, but they argue “what are the alternatives?� Lucien Bouchard is even proud of his PQ government’s forced mergers. Jean Charest gave up his integrity over the broken demerger promises long ago.

There is arrogance in Quebec Liberal thinking that the Anglos will put up with everything. Perhaps not any more.

Besides, it is not just a case of putting down the Anglos. That is hardly the current situation. On Dec. 21 St. Bruno and St. Lambert joined Island mayors in a coalition. Next week they will meet with colleagues from Quebec City.



Media support



Even La Presse columnist Michèle Ouimet, who had been one of the strongest supporters of the forced mergers, accepted that they had not worked. Le Devoir publisher Bernard Descôteaux questioned what had gone wrong.

Last November, under pressure from local MNAs, Municipal Affairs Minister Nathalie Normandeau finally agreed to face the suburban mayors and the local Liberal caucus. Russell Copeman was frank enough to call the Agglom “dysfunctional.�

Nevertheless, the mayors’ watered-down proposals were rejected on Dec. 13 by Normandeau’s people—with Tony Soprano overtones. Heated conference calls to Charest’s office brought no relief.

Gérald Tremblay compounded the situation with abuse of his power, particularly charging residential properties an enhanced tax rate.



Agglom frustration



The attempts to work within the Agglom have been increasingly frustrated. For most of 2006, ideas of supporting an independent candidate or starting a Montreal Party have been considered and lost favour.

There is now no time, no money and no chance of qualifying for the essential TV exposure.

Far better is to link with the third way, they conclude. The summer contacts with Mario Dumont and the ADQ were tentative.

As the year ended, there were at least two meetings with Dumont himself.

For most mayors, stepping into provincial politics is a last resort. But Charest and the party managers have now pushed them too far.



No longer separatist



The big difficulty with that option was Dumont’s record as a separatist. However, the same day as the meeting with the South Shore colleagues, some mayors met the ADQ leader.

It was the eve of the holiday and political activity since has been muted. But it was back to work this week with a letter in Monday’s Gazette by Bill Tierney, the plain-speaking mayor of Sainte-Anne de-Bellevue, who had been one of the delegations.

If there were to be a referendum, Dumont would vote “No,� Tierney reported.

The ADQ leader was “no more interested in a ‘separation’ of an autonomous Quebec from Canada than we are in the ‘separation’ of our demerged cites from Montreal,� Mayor Tierney wrote.



Challenge the Liberals



He summed up what many of his colleagues are feeling. “The Liberals should be challenged on their record just as the PQ was challenged in the last election.�

Maria Tutino, mayor of neighboring Baie d’Urfé, admitted she is seriously considering the ADQ as an option.

But the mayors’ group has not yet formalized a position. “We haven’t decided yet, nor have I,� said Anthony Housefather, Côte St Luc mayor.

“I’m waiting to see what the Liberals will do. It has been minimal so far. But they had better act quickly. Local MNAs have voiced concern, but accomplished little.



Liberal voters shunned



“This is not acceptable for people who have voted Liberal, and the government should take immediate action and change the Agglom.�

Westmount’s Karin Marks, chair of the mayors’ group, said, “It’s not yet war, but we all feel badly let down by the Liberals. We are certainly not finished.�

April 23, two weeks after Easter, seems to be the favourite choice for the next provincial election. That is just over 14 weeks away. There is now a strong likelihood that at least some mayors will back a third force.

They will need to hurry. Elections are not won on a whim. Among other things, they require planning, managing, organizing, contacts, experience, television equality—and money.

Are they up to it? Is Dumont?



Platform



What has the ADQ committed to so far? It unveiled a platform document on Dec.12 undertaking to eliminate both the Agglom councils and the direct taxing for central services.

Big issues not defined are the form of supra-regional structure, the definition of which services are central and which are local, and how to finance them all.

These would be part of the electoral platform to follow in February, said Gilles Taillon, the party’s president.

Presumably, any of the mayors teaming with ADQ would be well placed to offer input to this part of the platform.

After being so devastatingly rejected by Charest and Co., that in itself would be appealing.



New look



The conversion of Michèle Ouimet is outstanding and welcome. A La Presse editorialist when supporting the forced mergers, she is now a columnist with a changed view.

Over the holiday, she prepared a ‘grocery list’ of political requests. Among them :

La ministre des Affaires municipales, Nathalie Normandeau, devrait mettre la hache dans les conseils d'agglomération, une superstructure aussi inutile qu'encombrante. Mais elle y tient, à ses conseils. Elle est bien la seule.

In the Montreal council, she noted, the Tremblay team pretended to listen to the demerged cities, but they “parlent dans le vide.�



Trent’s fictive headlines



Though remaining out of the public eye, Peter Trent still reads the papers and offers some speculative headlines for the New Year:



Tremblay buys Pinochet's old uniform for

Agglomeration Council appearances.



Residents around Westmount Park School get sick from smoking synthetic grass.



Montreal has the trees lining Park Avenue chopped down. “They blocked the view of all the Robert Bourassa signs,� says Fotopoulos.





Civic Studies



Recovering: Councillor John de Castell is recuperating in hospital after undergoing surgery in the leadup to the Christmas holiday. His condition is said to be improving. He still cannot receive visitors, but City Hall is forwarding messages from well-wishers almost daily.



Relic: The water main being replaced this spring with the reconstruction of Kensington Ave. was originally laid in 1893, Councillor George Bowser revealed. The new pipe will provide much more water to residents. Cost: $362,000.



Connections: The Université du Québec has sponsored a public free wi-fi zone around St Roch Park near its campus in the provincial capital.



Constituted: Pitt Meadows, a District east of Coquitlam in the Greater Vancouver region, became a city this month. The designation change had been supported by 99 per cent of voters during the approval process last summer. There was no impact on taxes — this year, at least.



E-waste ban: New Hampshire legislature closed its year by voting to ban e-waste from its landfills and incinerators starting on July 1. It is the fourth state to prohibit such disposal – joining California, Maine and Massachusetts.



More taxes: Toronto and other Ontario municipalities began the New Year with the kind of new powers Montreal and other Canadian cities would like — including the ability to raise new taxes.



Renewed: Architect Julia Gersovitz, chair of the Planning Advisory Committee since 2002, has been re-appointed for another two-year term. It will be her last, Mayor Karin Marks announced at the December council meeting. “Westmount is very fortunate that someone with her international reputation lives here.�



Money call: Frank Zampino and Gérald Tremblay are scheduled to meet Premier Jean Charest this month to renew their long shopping list of items needed to support Montreal finances. They are looking for additional ways to raise revenue. Top of the list: tax on commercial parking spaces and recompense for providing school transport through the public system.



Saying no: Joining the opposition to the Park Ave. name-change is Jean Décarie, the recently retired city planner responsible for Mount Royal. Next week, the Toponomy Commission in Quebec City hears Montrealers’ appeals against the change.





Community activist Don Wedge can be reached at calert@web.net. His columns are archived at www.westmountexaminer.com,">www.westmountexaminer.com,">www.westmountexaminer.com, go to Opinion.