http://www.quebec89.com/politique/projet-montreal-propose-un-plan-de-transport-pour-le-sud-ouest-935.html

Thanks !

PHP

Of course, there is no requirement that a person that would like to be Mayor requires a full slate of candidates. Actually this whole municipal “party system” is rather unique to Montréal. In many major cities a candidate for Mayor is “stand-alone” without any official party designation. So the fact that Louise O’Sullivan does not have a full list of candidates should definitely not disqualify her.

And, of course, the general media was downplaying her campaign long before she unveiled her candidates – and except for Radio Canada and RDI, the rest of the media (and none of the English media) bothered to attend the unveiling of her candidates or ever mention who they are etc. ( I have been mentioned, once or twice, but only when they were simply reporting on co-candidates)

Being “pro automobile” has never been her policy.. However, she is a realist in that not every visitor etc. to downtown Montréal has access to public transport. For example, individuals from the West Island require a lot of time to make the trip downtown by public transport. And merchants (who pay a fair amount of taxes in Montréal) do sell various goods that would be difficult to transport back home by Metro or Bicycle. Her plan would involve building a number of city operated, low cost parking garages in strategic areas does make sense.

It would indeed allow someone to use their car to get to the area, and then to walk on a street like St. Catherine, or use the Bixi system etc. to get around. (She was one of the first candidates to propose that St. Catherine St. should possibly become a pedestrian mall – perhaps testing it out first on the weekends to see how if it works out).

But the bottom line is that the election is tomorrow, and her team and herself will work hard right to the legal deadline to get out as much support as possible at the polls tomorrow.

As I said the results should be interesting.

PS

It is important that people take the time to be involved in major projects like Turcot Yards – you are to be congratulated on your 4 year effort to-date.

I think one of the biggest flaws in the O’Sullivan campaign is using the word “alternative”. I just don’t see how a party that calls itself “pro automobile” can also call itself “alternative”. Probably would have worked in the 60’s but today it just seems like an identity crisis.

“Neath” has been the author of this blog for 4 years this December. That’s a lot of talking about Turcot Yards. But anyone who wants to know my real name, Ken McLaughlin, probably already knows it.

Good luck!

At any rate it does not change the fact that in this election there are only six (6) candidates running for Mayor and that the main stream media has neglected their duty to provide the details required for the voters to make an informed decision. From the beginning of the campaign, the general public would think that there were only two candidates for Mayor until they were somehow forced to finally start mentioning Bergeron.

In the case of Louise O’Sullivan, I am certainly confused and frustrated at her lack of coverage. I know her, I like her, and she is certainly the most viable of all the candidates.

Why this lack of attention? – Could it be because she has an English / Irish sounding name? Because she is a woman? Or perhaps because she is both so experienced and competent that the media (particularly the English media) is concerned that she might split votes with Tremblay and allow Harel to win?

Perhaps it is her policies….

Like the one where she feels that having more than 100 elected representatives in Montreal City Hall (Toronto; New York etc. have closer to 50) is crazy, and that decreasing the number of these elected representatives at City Hall & all the related costs, including an office and assistant for each representative, could be better spent on providing services to the population?

Or perhaps it might be that she is does not support a trolley type transport service when the infrastructure in our city is falling apart. Imagine a trolley on Notre Dame Street for example, with the street being dug up every day to make repairs – you cannot re-route a fixed trolley type service when you have to make repairs to the road.

Maybe people don’t like her belief that we really need to make a stronger effort to attract some economic development to the city – imagine the audacity of her thinking that business and jobs could help our city!

Maybe it is because she feels that you cannot simply ban cars from downtown and expect to keep the area vibrant – and has suggested some large and low cost parking stations in strategic areas of downtown to allow people to park and then walk on St. Catherine Street etc.

I will always be convinced that by not mentioning her in the main stream media; by not inviting her to debates; by not giving her a chance to properly voice her opinions, the media has managed to portray her as some sort of minor non-viable candidate – and that is a real shame! And indeed a major loss of information for the voters in Montreal.

However – with such a small turn-out for Municipal elections – Any of the candidates, including Louise O’Sullivan could win!

It will be interesting to see….