Coalition Démocratique–Montréal Écologique
Encyclopedia
Coalition Démocratique–Montréal Écologique (English: Democratic Coalition–Ecology Montreal) was a municipal political party in Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
, from 1994 to 1998. The party was led by Yolande Cohen, who was also its candidate for mayor in the 1994 municipal election
.
(MÉ). The parties had a history of co-operation prior to the merger. Both were formed as breakaway groups from the left wing of the governing Montreal Citizens' Movement
(MCM) in late 1989 and had co-operated under a non-aggression pact in the 1990 municipal election
, pledging not to run against one another in the mayoral contest and most of the city's council races.
The CDM won three seats in the 1990 election and another seat in a 1991 by-election. Two of the CDM's councillors subsequently resigned from the party in 1992, arguing that it was not sufficiently receptive to the concerns of Montreal's francophone community. Montréal Écologique did not win any seats in the 1990 election and was largely inactive from 1990 to 1994.
The two parties announced plans for an official merger in June 1994, in part to overcome Coalition Démocratique's internal divisions and create a larger political movement on the municipal left. The merger was made official by Quebec's chief electoral official on 23 August 1994. The Coalition Démocratique and Montréal Écologique initially continued as autonomous movements within the merged party, which was overseen by a common six-member executive.
The party's founding members included city councillors Marvin Rotrand
and Sam Boskey, both of whom had been elected as Coalition Démocratique candidates in 1990 and chose to remain with the party afterwards. Cohen had been a member of Montréal Écologique, whose former leader, Dimitri Roussopoulos, was also a supporter of the merged party.
's public security commission with a new body that would permit increased civilian oversight of the police. The party also promised to extend curbside recycling services to the entire city, spend one per cent of the city's municipal budget on the arts, create 1,200 units of low-income housing, and restructure the Montreal Urban Community as a smaller, elected body in which the city would have more power relative to the Island of Montreal
's suburban communities.
Pierre Bourque
's plans to eliminate Montreal's district advisory committees in late 1994 and later urging an investigation into allegations of illegal contributions to the governing Vision Montreal
party.
Coalition Démocratique–Montréal Écologique reverted to the "Coalition Démocratique de Montréal" name for the 1998 municipal election
, and Montréal Écologique did not re-emerge as a separate organization after this time.
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, from 1994 to 1998. The party was led by Yolande Cohen, who was also its candidate for mayor in the 1994 municipal election
Montreal municipal election, 1994
The 1994 Montreal municipal election took place on November 6, 1994. Pierre Bourque was elected to his first term as mayor, defeating incumbent Jean Doré...
.
Origins
As its name implies, the party was formed by a merger of two pre-existing political parties: the Coalition Démocratique de Montréal (CDM) and Montréal ÉcologiqueMontréal Écologique
Montréal Écologique was a municipal political party in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, that existed from 1990 to 1994.-Origins:...
(MÉ). The parties had a history of co-operation prior to the merger. Both were formed as breakaway groups from the left wing of the governing Montreal Citizens' Movement
Montreal Citizens' Movement
The Montreal Citizens' Movement was a municipal political party in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It existed from 1973 to 2001.-Origins:...
(MCM) in late 1989 and had co-operated under a non-aggression pact in the 1990 municipal election
Montreal municipal election, 1990
The 1990 Montreal municipal election took place on November 4, 1990, to elect a mayor and city councillors in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Jean Doré was elected to a second term as mayor by a significant margin....
, pledging not to run against one another in the mayoral contest and most of the city's council races.
The CDM won three seats in the 1990 election and another seat in a 1991 by-election. Two of the CDM's councillors subsequently resigned from the party in 1992, arguing that it was not sufficiently receptive to the concerns of Montreal's francophone community. Montréal Écologique did not win any seats in the 1990 election and was largely inactive from 1990 to 1994.
The two parties announced plans for an official merger in June 1994, in part to overcome Coalition Démocratique's internal divisions and create a larger political movement on the municipal left. The merger was made official by Quebec's chief electoral official on 23 August 1994. The Coalition Démocratique and Montréal Écologique initially continued as autonomous movements within the merged party, which was overseen by a common six-member executive.
The party's founding members included city councillors Marvin Rotrand
Marvin Rotrand
Marvin Rotrand is a Canadian politician. He currently serves as the Majority House Leader Montreal City Council and is also the city councillor representing the district of Snowdon. Rotrand has served on Montreal city council since 1982...
and Sam Boskey, both of whom had been elected as Coalition Démocratique candidates in 1990 and chose to remain with the party afterwards. Cohen had been a member of Montréal Écologique, whose former leader, Dimitri Roussopoulos, was also a supporter of the merged party.
Platform
Coalition Démocratique–Montréal Écologique's 1994 campaign stressed the need for ordinary Montrealers to take a more active role in city governance and have greater oversight of municipal services. The party promised to create neighbourhood councils that would have real powers over local services and to replace the regional Montreal Urban CommunityMontreal Urban Community
The Montreal Urban Community was a regional government that covered all municipalities that later merged into the megacity of Montreal.- History :...
's public security commission with a new body that would permit increased civilian oversight of the police. The party also promised to extend curbside recycling services to the entire city, spend one per cent of the city's municipal budget on the arts, create 1,200 units of low-income housing, and restructure the Montreal Urban Community as a smaller, elected body in which the city would have more power relative to the Island of Montreal
Island of Montreal
The Island of Montreal , in extreme southwestern Quebec, Canada, is located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. It is separated from Île Jésus by the Rivière des Prairies....
's suburban communities.
Results
Cohen finished fourth in the mayoral contest, a result that was consistent with polls taken throughout the campaign. Rotrand and Boskey were re-elected, but Coalition Démocratique–Montréal Écologique did not win any further seats.Aftermath
Coalition Démocratique–Montréal Écologique continued to exist for four years after the election. Boskey and Rotrand remained prominent members of city council, actively opposing new mayorMayor of Montreal
The Mayor of Montreal is head of the executive branch of Montreal City Council.The Mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and provincial laws within Montreal....
Pierre Bourque
Pierre Bourque
Pierre Bourque, CQ is a businessman and politician in Quebec, Canada. He founded the Vision Montreal political party and served as mayor of Montreal from 1994 to 2001.-Background:...
's plans to eliminate Montreal's district advisory committees in late 1994 and later urging an investigation into allegations of illegal contributions to the governing Vision Montreal
Vision Montreal
Vision Montreal is a municipal political party in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It has been in existence since 1994 and presently forms the Official opposition on Montreal City Council under leader Louise Harel.-Origins:...
party.
Coalition Démocratique–Montréal Écologique reverted to the "Coalition Démocratique de Montréal" name for the 1998 municipal election
Montreal municipal election, 1998
The city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada held municipal elections on November 1, 1998, to elect a mayor and city councillors. Pierre Bourque was returned to a second term as mayor against a divided opposition....
, and Montréal Écologique did not re-emerge as a separate organization after this time.