CDN-NDG Mayor Russell Copeman joins Denis Coderre's team
Move bumps Coderre's party to 31 members at Montreal city hall
Russell Copeman, borough mayor of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, has joined Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre's party ahead of the next municipal election.
Copeman has been a member of Coalition Montréal, although he's been a member of Coderre's executive committee since his election in 2013.
"We've been in discussions for some time," Copeman said.
"I'm in sync with the mayor and my colleagues on the executive committee. But we thought it was important with an election coming up to announce my colours."
He also cited three examples of Coderre's leadership which made him confident in the switch: the creation of Montreal's inspector general, his controlling the city's expenses and his investment in infrastructure.
His official departure from Coalition Montréal leaves that party with just four city councillors and bumps Team Coderre's numbers up to 31 at city hall.
Projet Montréal downplays switch
Opposition Projet Montréal doesn't think the move is important news.
NDG district councillor Peter McQueen says Copeman hasn't done much as mayor of the Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough.
"In terms of opposition, he's done nothing," McQueen said.
"He never stood up to Mayor Coderre once. He never once voted against Mayor Coderre."
with files from Elias Abboud and Radio-Canada