Denis Coderre launches election platform with highlights from past term, future plans
'Short-term pain, long-term gain,' Coderre asks voters to see past construction woes of past few years
Montreal mayoral candidate Denis Coderre cut through chants of "Denis, Denis, Denis" from members of his team as he launched into an election platform anchored in the promise of continuity.
Coderre outlined his team's vision Monday afternoon at the Centre for Sustainable Development on Ste-Catherine Street West.
His primary message to voters was four more years of continuity and keeping with the vision presented during his successful election campaign in 2013.
Much of the platform, more than half, talks about what Coderre administration has done during last four years
—@SteverukavinaHe said that part of the reason some of his 2013 promises are being carried forward into this campaign is because it took his team so much time to weed out the corruption that plagued City Hall for years.
"We had to clean house, first of all," Coderre said.
Cost estimates for Coderre's plans to come later
Coderre's election platform addresses upgrading infrastructure, making Montreal a smart city and investing in transportation, among other things.
Concrete plans and how much those will cost were lacking from the launch, but Coderre says those will come later in the campaign.
He also spoke about his past term as mayor, saying that he has always governed with "responsibility and integrity."
"In four years, we've accomplished what others would put 10 years into," Coderre said.
He acknowledged that some of the work done by his administration drew the ire of Montrealers — like vast road construction projects.
He said the work was needed, and it included the "rehabilitation" of 51 kilometres of road and water pipes.
"That's why we were elected, short-term pain, long-term gain," he said.
Quebec's municipal elections will take place Nov. 5th.