Domenico Moschella
Encyclopedia
Domenico Moschella, also known as Dominic Moschella, is an entrepreneur and politician in Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
. He was a city councillor in the suburban community of Saint-Leonard from 1982 to 1986 and again from 1990 to 2001 and has been a school commissioner with the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île
since 2003.
Moschella was elected to the Saint-Leonard council for the city's third ward in the 1982 municipal election as a member of mayor Antonio di Ciocco
's Équipe du renouveau de la cité de Saint-Léonard
. Di Ciocco died in 1984 and the Équipe du renouveau subsequently split into two groups: Moschella led a party called Action civique de Saint-Léonard
and Raymond Renaud
led the rival Ralliement de Saint-Léonard
. A mayoral by-election was held to succeed Di Ciocco in September 1984, and Renaud defeated Moschella in an extremely divisive contest.
Renaud later stated that Moschella had run a "malicious" campaign against him, and in December 1984 he launched a $41,000 suit for alleged defamatory remarks. Moschella threatened to counter-sue, saying that the new mayor would "wind up paying [his] legal fees and then some" if he moved forward with his case. He also said that Renaud's lawsuit was harmful to the democratic process, as politicians might become reluctant to speak openly if they were concerned about provoking legal action. Newspaper accounts do not indicate how the matter was resolved.
Moschella was the only Saint-Leonard councillor to sit with Action civique after the 1984 by-election. He later called for a merger of the city's three opposition parties, and in late 1986 he dissolved Action civique to become a founding member of a new party called Unité de Saint-Léonard
. He ran for re-election under this party's banner in the 1986 municipal election for the city's twelfth ward and narrowly lost to Robert Zambito
, a candidate of the mayor's slate.
In early 1986, Moschella argued that Saint-Leonard should reduce its business tax rate so as to benefit shopkeepers. The following year, he took part in a significant local protest against property tax increases.
1990–2001
Renaud's political party lost much of its authority in 1988, when councillor Frank Zampino
launched a breakaway group (later consolidated as the Parti municipal
) that formed a majority on city council. Moschella appears to have effected a political reconciliation with Renaud after this time, as he was elected as a Ralliement de Saint-Léonard candidate in the 1990 municipal election. Zampino defeated Renaud for the mayoralty and the Parti municipal won a majority on council in this campaign; Moschella was one of only two opposition councillors to be elected.
In March 1994, Moschella joined with the only other remaining opposition councillor and crossed the floor to join Zampino party's. This effectively ended partisan politics in Saint-Leonard; from 1994 until the city's amalgamation into Montreal, there was no organized opposition to Zampino's administration. According to Moschella, city council had already become a collegial, non-partisan environment by this time; when he joined Zampino's party, he was quoted as saying, "They [Parti municipal members] treated us as part of the team. We were always aware of everything that was going on."
Moschella was re-elected without opposition in 1994 and again in 1998.
in the 2001 municipal election
as a member of mayor Pierre Bourque
's Vision Montreal
party, but he withdrew before election day. He ran for a seat on the Saint-Leonard borough council
in 2005
and 2009
and was defeated both times. On the latter occasion, he was a candidate of the newly formed Action civique Montréal
.
in 1987
and was re-elected in 1990
and 1994
. In 1988, he promoted a plan to increase French and English immersion courses for the younger grades. He did not seek re-election in 1998 when the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer was replaced by the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île
, but he was returned to the new board without opposition in 2003
and 2007
.
School commission elections
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...
. He was a city councillor in the suburban community of Saint-Leonard from 1982 to 1986 and again from 1990 to 2001 and has been a school commissioner with the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île
Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île
The Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île is a francophone school board in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, based primarily in the city's east end. It was created by the government of Quebec on July 1, 1998, as part of a general restructuring from school boards representing religious communities to...
since 2003.
Private career
Moschella was vice-president of an investment counselling firm in 1986. He later worked as a restauranteur.Municipal councillor
1982–86Moschella was elected to the Saint-Leonard council for the city's third ward in the 1982 municipal election as a member of mayor Antonio di Ciocco
Antonio di Ciocco
Antonio di Ciocco was a politician in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He served as mayor of the suburban community of Saint-Leonard from 1981 to 1984....
's Équipe du renouveau de la cité de Saint-Léonard
Équipe du renouveau de la cité de Saint-Léonard
The Équipe du renouveau de la cité de Saint-Léonard was a political party based in the suburban community of Saint-Leonard in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
. Di Ciocco died in 1984 and the Équipe du renouveau subsequently split into two groups: Moschella led a party called Action civique de Saint-Léonard
Action civique de Saint-Léonard
Action civique de Saint-Léonard was a municipal political party that existed from 1984 to 1986 in the suburban community of Saint-Leonard in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
and Raymond Renaud
Raymond Renaud
Raymond Renaud was a politician in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He was mayor of the suburban community of Saint-Leonard from 1984 to 1990, leading the municipal Ralliement de Saint-Léonard party.-Councillor:...
led the rival Ralliement de Saint-Léonard
Ralliement de Saint-Léonard
The Ralliement de Saint-Léonard is a former political party in Saint-Leonard, Quebec, Canada. The RdSL existed prior to Saint-Leonard's amalgamation into Montreal and dominated the city's political life in the mid-1980s.-Rise to political dominance:...
. A mayoral by-election was held to succeed Di Ciocco in September 1984, and Renaud defeated Moschella in an extremely divisive contest.
Renaud later stated that Moschella had run a "malicious" campaign against him, and in December 1984 he launched a $41,000 suit for alleged defamatory remarks. Moschella threatened to counter-sue, saying that the new mayor would "wind up paying [his] legal fees and then some" if he moved forward with his case. He also said that Renaud's lawsuit was harmful to the democratic process, as politicians might become reluctant to speak openly if they were concerned about provoking legal action. Newspaper accounts do not indicate how the matter was resolved.
Moschella was the only Saint-Leonard councillor to sit with Action civique after the 1984 by-election. He later called for a merger of the city's three opposition parties, and in late 1986 he dissolved Action civique to become a founding member of a new party called Unité de Saint-Léonard
Unité de Saint-Léonard
Unité de Saint-Léonard was a municipal political party that operated from 1986 to 1987 in the suburban community of Saint-Leonard in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
. He ran for re-election under this party's banner in the 1986 municipal election for the city's twelfth ward and narrowly lost to Robert Zambito
Robert Zambito
Robert Liborio Zambito is a politician in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He has served on the Montreal city council since 2009, representing the Saint-Léonard-Est division as a member of mayor Gérald Tremblay's Union Montreal party.-Early life and private career:...
, a candidate of the mayor's slate.
In early 1986, Moschella argued that Saint-Leonard should reduce its business tax rate so as to benefit shopkeepers. The following year, he took part in a significant local protest against property tax increases.
1990–2001
Renaud's political party lost much of its authority in 1988, when councillor Frank Zampino
Frank Zampino
Frank Zampino is a Montreal politician and a chartered accountant. He served as the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the City of Montreal and the city's second-ranking official...
launched a breakaway group (later consolidated as the Parti municipal
Parti Municipal (Saint-Léonard)
The Parti Municipal was a political party that existed from 1990 to 2001 in the suburban community of Saint-Leonard in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
) that formed a majority on city council. Moschella appears to have effected a political reconciliation with Renaud after this time, as he was elected as a Ralliement de Saint-Léonard candidate in the 1990 municipal election. Zampino defeated Renaud for the mayoralty and the Parti municipal won a majority on council in this campaign; Moschella was one of only two opposition councillors to be elected.
In March 1994, Moschella joined with the only other remaining opposition councillor and crossed the floor to join Zampino party's. This effectively ended partisan politics in Saint-Leonard; from 1994 until the city's amalgamation into Montreal, there was no organized opposition to Zampino's administration. According to Moschella, city council had already become a collegial, non-partisan environment by this time; when he joined Zampino's party, he was quoted as saying, "They [Parti municipal members] treated us as part of the team. We were always aware of everything that was going on."
Moschella was re-elected without opposition in 1994 and again in 1998.
Montreal city politics
Moschella intended to run for a seat on the Montreal city councilMontreal City Council
The Montreal City Council is the governing body of Montreal, Quebec. The head of the city government in Montreal is the mayor, who is first among equals in the City Council. The mayor is Gérald Tremblay, who is a member of the Union des citoyens et des citoyennes de l'Île de Montréal...
in the 2001 municipal election
Montreal municipal election, 2001
The 2001 Montreal municipal election took place on November 4, 2001, to elect a mayor and city councillors in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Gérald Tremblay defeated incumbent Pierre Bourque to become mayor of the newly amalgamated city....
as a member of mayor 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 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, but he withdrew before election day. He ran for a seat on the Saint-Leonard borough council
Saint-Leonard borough council
The Saint-Leonard borough council is the local governing body of Saint-Leonard, a borough in the City of Montreal. The council consists of five members: the borough mayor , two Montreal councillors elected for Saint-Leonard's electoral districts, and two borough councillors.The borough council,...
in 2005
Montreal municipal election, 2005
The 2005 Montreal municipal election was held on November 6, 2005, to elect a city mayor, borough mayors, city councillors, and borough councillors in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
and 2009
Montreal municipal election, 2009
The city of Montreal, Quebec, held a municipal election at the same time as numerous other municipalities in Quebec, on November 1, 2009. Voters elected the Mayor of Montreal, Montreal City Council, and the mayors and councils of each of the city's boroughs....
and was defeated both times. On the latter occasion, he was a candidate of the newly formed Action civique Montréal
Action civique Montréal
Action civique Montréal was a municipal political party that existed from 2009 to 2010 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The party fielded five candidates in the 2009 Montreal municipal election, all of whom ran in the borough of Saint-Leonard...
.
School commissioner
Moschella was elected to the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le RoyerCommission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer
The Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer is a former school board that was located in the east end of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was abolished by the government of Quebec on July 1, 1998, as part of a general transition from school boards representing religious communities to those representing...
in 1987
Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer election, 1987
Elections for trustee positions on the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer, in the Canadian province of Quebec, were held in November 1987.-Results:...
and was re-elected in 1990
Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer election, 1990
Elections for trustee positions on the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer, in the Canadian province of Quebec, were held in November 1990.-Results:The following candidates were elected:*District 1: Johanne Lorrain*District 2: Gilles Dion...
and 1994
Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer election, 1994
Elections for trustee positions on the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer, in the Canadian province of Quebec, were held in November 1994.-Results:...
. In 1988, he promoted a plan to increase French and English immersion courses for the younger grades. He did not seek re-election in 1998 when the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer was replaced by the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île
Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île
The Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île is a francophone school board in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, based primarily in the city's east end. It was created by the government of Quebec on July 1, 1998, as part of a general restructuring from school boards representing religious communities to...
, but he was returned to the new board without opposition in 2003
Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île election, 2003
Elections for trustee positions on the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île, in the Canadian province of Quebec, were held on November 16, 2003. Most contests were won by acclamation.-Results :...
and 2007
Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île election, 2007
Elections for trustee positions on the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île, in the Canadian province of Quebec, were held on November 4, 2007...
.
Electoral record
Council and mayoral electionsSchool commission elections