By Matthew Brett
Article mis en ligne le jeudi 22 octobre 2009
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Susan Clarke
Susan Clarke
Union Montréal
Having lived in NDG for 25 years, Susan Clarke is a founding member of the first NDG Food Depot board. Her contributions include service as chair of the board of the borough’s CDEC and 10 years serving as a school commissioner. Clarke is currently working for a telecommunications and information technology company.
Priorities for the district
“I've done a lot of door-to-door and I ask people questions,” Clarke said. “Our borough is in an excellent financial state thanks to the administration of Michael Applebaum.”
Since borough finances are in a good state, Clarke would focus on local services (garbage, recycling). She also plans to compile a written report of each road in her district to understand what is important for each area of town.
Your take on the Benny Park project
“I am delighted by the new sports centre and library,” Clarke said. “It will be possible to walk on the grass roof of the sport centre—it's extraordinary. I have to say this magnificent project was the initiative of mayor Applebaum, contrary to what they say in the media. Equally, certain people are ill informed. It's not true that the complex will occupy the whole park.”
Critique of the outgoing councillor
“Warren Allmand and I have, we can agree, different approaches. I am in my apprenticeship. I'm constantly learning from citizens on each road. They tell me what they wish to improve concerning municipal services.”
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Hubert Gallet
Hubert Gallet
Vision Montréal
Hubert Gallet received degrees in both engineering and economics. He has worked with several banking institutions, notably Chase Manhattan Bank (Paris, New York). Gallet participated in financial projects in North America, the Middle East and Africa. As an engineer, he developed markets for high-tech products, notably with Groupe Manoir Industrie S.A.
Priorities for the district
“A base priority is to come to an equalization of taxes, considering that the budgets of different boroughs are not allocated equally. The first thing is to establish this balance. From this moment, we can ameliorate services that are degrading such as security problems, uncleanliness, snow-clearing, garbage, and potholes. Loyola is a deserted district.
“Lastly, there was the unfortunate closure of the Fraser-Hickson library. We will do everything to reopen it.”
Your take on the Benny Park project
Gallet said consultations held to construct the sports centre were not transparent enough. He also feels that the adjacent library project came out hastily right as elections arrived.
Critique of the outgoing councillor
“Lots of people have had enough, because the administration has not made its promises concrete. It's complete inaction, and taxes are rising. There needs to be better participation from the population and consultations have to be done with complete transparency.”
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Cym Gomery
Cym Gomery
Projet Montréal
A resident of Loyola district for 15 years, Cym Gomery is running in municipal politics for the first time. An avowed social democrat and activist, Gomery served on Sierra Club of Canada's Quebec chapter and as a member of the Unitarian Church of Montreal's Social and Environmental Concerns committee. She has worked on election campaigns at the provincial and municipal level and has 19 years experience as a technical writer. Her father is John Gomery, who investigated the federal sponsorship scandal and is now honorary chairman of Project Montreal’s fundraising campaign.
Priorities for the district
Gomery has four priorities for the district. “One is obviously better governance,” Gomery said. “[Citizens] have democracy in name only municipally and, dare I say, federally.” Sustainability, infrastructure and public transit also top her district priorities. “We don’t have adequate traffic calming measures. We don’t have adequate materials to fill potholes. We don’t have safe streets.”
Your take on the Benny Park project
Gomery is a firm critic of mayor Applebaum’s choice to construct the sports complex in Benny Park. She would prefer that the centre was constructed across from the park on the Benny Farm site to save green space. Gomery said that while the sports centre is being built, the Fraser-Hickson library is closed. “We’ve had a net loss of space,” she said.
Critique of the outgoing councillor
Gomery said it is not her role to discuss the actions of outgoing councillor Warren Allmand.
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George Pentsos
George Pentsos
Équipe Louise O’Sullivan
Pentsos is a former Greek national soccer player and current owner of five Souvlaki George restaurants. A personable and humble character, Pentsos has lived in the area for 23 years. He ran in the Loyola district under Pierre Bourque and placed second after outgoing councillor, Warren Allmand.
Priorities for the district
“The money we pay in taxes for this neighbourhood does not really coordinate with the services we are receiving,” he said. Loyola’s quality of life is going down as a result, with roads and public spaces falling into a state of neglect. Pentsos wants to see this imbalance corrected.
He stressed the need to revitalize and respect key areas in the district, with plans to turn Walkley Ave. into a vibrant street for the community. Graffiti needs to be cleaned up and vandals need to be held personally accountable for their actions, his platform states.
Your take on the Benny Park project
“We need to make it accessible to all families, not just to the people who live around Benny Park,” he said. “The project itself has some parts that will encourage lots of people to come from around the neighbourhood, but not everyone. We need more sports—basketball, tennis. All the sports must be included to make it easy to facilitate the choice of NDG residents.”
Critique of the outgoing councillor
“Warren Allmand, I think was a gift to all of us. He is the Gretzky of Canadian politics. He has done so well,” Pentsos said. “He has done everything from his heart with love, and has dedicated all his efforts towards goodness and kindness.”
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Jeremy Searle
Jeremy Searle
Indépendant
Loyola candidate Jeremy Searle stands out as a fiercely independent candidate in the upcoming Nov. 1 elections. He made a name for himself as Loyola councillor between 1994 and 2005, nine years of which he sat as an independent.
Priorities for the district
A central piece of Searle’s platform is to implement a reserved bus lane between Montreal West train station and Vendôme Metro during peak traffic times. A reserved lane would increase public transit use and improve the flow of traffic by reducing lane changes, Searle said.
“It's absurd. We have a reserved bike lane, but we have no reserved bus lane,” he said. “It's so obvious that it'll be unstoppable.”
Strong relations with municipal employees are also necessary for projects to move forward, he said.
Your take on the Benny Park project
Searle insists he conceived the Benny Park project on Sept. 22, 2001, during his time as borough president. He convinced Canada Lands to reserve the Benny Farm lands for a sports complex, and is now planning a public awareness campaign to insure funds are provided for a library adjacent to the park.
“Not some sort of Tremblay-Applebaum library. I’m talking about a Côte-St-Luc, Westmount quality library,” Searle said.
Critique of the outgoing councillor
“Nobody knows what he did. I’ve heard that he [Warren Allmand] was city councillor for four years,” Searle said. “He made the right choices about Park Avenue, but it was me who got the kids out there to defeat Tremblay over the name change.”
