Why “Equipe Denis Coderre”

Why “Equipe Denis Coderre”
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Denis Coderre came into our lives four years ago, after a successful 16-year term on the federal political scene with the Liberal Party of Canada. It was 2013 when Denis arrived as a new, "clean" option in the City of Montreal, freeing it from the scandals of the past.

In four short years, he has managed to change the face of the metropolis, enabling the acceleration of its development, investing in its streets, squares and parks and, overall, reforming the face of Montreal. Denis Coderre inherited a "sleeping" city and transformed it into a hotbed of culture and entrepreneurship.

The new skyscrapers that rose up in the downtown core and throughout the island, with their increased real estate values, enabled the municipality to make conservative tax adjustments, classifying it among the metropolises with the lowest property taxes in Canada.

Mayor Coderre issued dozens of permits for “outdoor tables,” turning entire streets and districts (such as Mont-Royal and Vieux Montreal) into neighborhoods with a distinct European atmosphere. He allowed shops and bars to stay open until the morning hours in select tourist areas, overriding an incredible bureaucracy that was reluctant to approve umpteen requests for open air terraces.

Of course, the extraordinary celebrations of the 375th anniversary of Montreal, although spectacular, may have been at the root of some questionable investments when it comes to the idea of maximizing the tourist identity of the city. However, all contracts were awarded in absolute transparency and through competitions and, as such, no one can accuse the Mayor of any misconduct. Even his enemies admit that the stigma of "corruption" that abounded has been cast away.

After much work, Denis Coderre was also able to upgrade the status of the city, having it officially designated as the “Metropolis of Quebec” through Act 121, which was unanimously passed by the Québec Parliament and increases the city’s autonomy. As a result, Montreal now acquires powers that were previously held by provincial ministries, mainly in terms of low income housing, the fight against homelessness and the integration of migrants.

Denis Coderre, a Quebecois, has shown and continues to show great respect for the immigrant communities. He has recently announced that the city will build a “Diversity Museum ” in Old Montreal, where the stories of all the ethnic communities can be co-located, opening the city's arms to everyone. Also, his announcement that Harout Chitilian, the candidate for mayor of Ahuntsic of Armenian origin, will become the next city council president should Coderre be re-elected, indicates the importance he places on the city's multicultural roots.

At a recent press conference with representatives from Montreal's ethnic media, he did not neglect to emphasize that unemployment in Montreal has fallen to an all-time low of 6.1 percent and called upon the electorate to vote for his constructive policies. He also promised to fight for the distinction of citizens by giving equal opportunities to all. At the same time, he said he espoused “urban diplomacy” and that he believed in a city without pollution, promising to continue promoting electric cars and boosting urban transport in the vein of his "blue" measures. Mayor Coderre also announced that he will prepare an "ecological system" to protect the city's atmosphere while giving utmost importance to the development of the “Smart City.” To promote the "Intelligent City,” Harout Chitilian announced that a strategy for city renewal will be put forth focusing on the facilitation of public services and access to information and the development of public transport and clean energy.

These are the reasons for which I have already cast my vote in favour of Mayor Coderre and his team. I weighed the pros and cons of the political options and Denis stood up. Besides, I worry about voting for any unknowns who will either put the city on a risky, uncharted course (as would be the case with the Valerie Plante-Luc Fernandez duo) or be neglectful of the environment (as could occur under the business-oriented Jean Fortier).

Denis Coderre is in the middle and the middle fits me just as well as it fits the citizens of the City of Montreal!

The Greek Factor

The Greek presence in the administration of Denis Coderre is significant. The oldest municipal councillor, Mary Deros, who is running for a 6th term in Park-Extension, has managed, along with her confrere and borough Mayor, Anie Samson, to transform the oft-neglected area by giving it a facelift, including the upgrading of the facilities of Jarry Park where the Rogers Cup Tennis Championships are held. This, along with the promotion of the many festivals of the ethnic communities bring much needed tourism to the region.

At the same time, Deros and Samson were instrumental in turning the “Marconi” industrial plot into a fashionable neighbourhood replete with modern buildings, while the south side of Park Avenue, with its various faculties belonging to the University of Montreal and the emblematic “Sculpture of the Greek Immigrant,” has taken on a completely new aesthetic.

Another prominent Hellene of “Team Coderre" is Demetrios Jim Beis, the Mayor of Pierrefonds-Roxboro, who has undertaken the development of sports in the city and the resolution of various chronic issues in his municipality. His dynamic intervention during the borough’s recent flooding with his hands-on handling of the affair greatly increased his popularity. An avid athlete, Beis does not hesitate to cycle to West Island council meetings during the warm summer days.

A new, fresh presence on the municipal scene is the Greek-, Québécoise Effie Giannou-Karmiris, running under the Coderre ticket in Bordeaux-Carterville. A very close collaborator of Mayor to be Chitilian, Effie is destined to play a vital role should she be elected given her solid communicative experience and skills that have impressed all around her.

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