A former Montreal project launches at the town hall of the metropolis

Craig Sauvé city councilor tries his luck at the town hall of the metropolis, learned The press. This former Montreal project, elected in the district of the Southwest, will announce its candidacy on Thursday with a new training, Transition Montréal. He plans to recruit other current municipal elected officials by next fall.

“We are doing this campaign to win. And I think there is an opportunity this time, for real, ”says the principal interested in an interview. He is due to hold a press conference this Thursday, surrounded by founding members of the party and Transition Montreal collaborators, to formalize his arrival in the race.

Elected at the Town Hall since 2013, Craig Sauvé had withdrawn from the project caucus Montreal in November 2021, after allegations of sexual assault against him resurfaced just three days from the elections. He had then denied the facts alleged against him, but he has been sitting since as an independent advisor.

Transition Montréal, founded last March and today registered in the Quebec Elections Register, presents itself as a “new progressive and daring municipal political party”. It mainly brings together supporters of the left, which could create a division of the vote at the next election and harm the Montreal project, the party of the mayor Valérie Plante.

With its new chef, the training intends to present candidates in all 19 arrondissements for the ballot of November 2. According to our information, applications must also be presented next week.

Mission: Vedette candidates

Craig Sauvé does not hide it: the objective will be to hit hard by presenting stars candidates, which includes current elected officials who could be tempted to jump with his party.

“I multiply calls everywhere and already, I feel that there is interest in what we build. In 15 years, I have been able to create a lot of friendships on the municipal scene, both at Projet Montréal and at Ensemble Montréal, so it is certain that I will try to recruit talent where it is, “he explains, speaking of potential candidates” already elected, but also other non-elected “.

A former organizer of the Montreal project campaign, Mr. Sauvé says “know how” to achieve his ends. “I know how to do that, set up a political movement and recruit. It is even one of the things that I like to do in politics most, ”he says, saying betting on his experience.

Last summer, Mr. Sauvé also presented himself on the federal scene with the new Democratic Party (NPD), in the district of Lasalle – Émard – Verdun, during a by -election. He had not been elected and had returned to his role as municipal councilor.

Train or not the third way?

In the immediate future, several challenges arise on the horizon for Transition Montréal. It must be said that, in recent history, the establishment of a “third way” at the town hall of the metropolis, in order to compete with the two established parties, project Montreal and Ensemble Montréal, was strewn with pitfalls.

One March 2021, The press had notably reported that consultant Félix-Antoine Joli-Coeur, the lawyer Ryan Hillier, the social entrepreneur Balarama Holness and the political scientist Guillaume Lavoie had discussed in order to train this famous third way at the time of the election in 2021.

The project had been abandoned due to various political disagreements. Mr. Holness had finally founded Movement Montréal, who has managed to have any candidate elected.

Craig saved is convinced that a third way to the Town Hall is more than ever viable. “If we look at the 1994 election, there had been four really interesting, stimulating parties, and that gave a whole race. In 2013 too, there were four parties and one of the new voices, it was Mélanie Joly, who finished second, with a late candidacy, “he said.