Denis Coderre recruits another former rival ahead of municipal election

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre has recruited another former rival to his ranks ahead of this year's municipal election.

​Réal Ménard, borough mayor for Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, was formerly a member of the opposition party Coalition Montréal.

Although Ménard had declared his intention to join the mayor's party last March, the decision was only made official on Tuesday. 

"I'm very proud to join Équipe Denis Coderre. I feel that he brings strong leadership for Montreal," Ménard told reporters at city hall, flanked by Coderre.

The veteran politician is the latest to join the mayor's party, following on the heels of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Mayor Russell Copeman, another ex-member of Coalition Montréal, and Richard Bergeron, the founder of Projet Montréal.

​Coderre said ​Ménard is a "man of experience" who brings "integrity and ethics" to the party.

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"I've been saying since day one that everybody that wants to be part of the solution is welcome," he said.

Équipe Denis Coderre now counts 33 seats on city council. Projet Montréal has 17, and Coalition Montréal has two.

The municipal election is slated for November 2017.