Inkless Wells

Paul Wells on all the latest out of Ottawa—along with the occasional post about jazz. Follow Paul on Twitter: @InklessPW

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Réal and Farewell

by Paul Wells on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 11:23am - 3 Comments

Réal Ménard, who has represented Montreal’s Hochelaga-Maisonneuve riding since 1993, is running for Montreal city council on mayoral candidate Louise Harel’s slate. This will open up an iron-clad Bloc riding for a by-election, and I think it’s safe to assume the NDP candidate in the riding will campaign against the Conservatives while the Conservative candidate campaigns against Michael Ignatieff or, if he or she is particularly slow-witted, against Stéphane Dion.

Montrealers are all aflutter over the Harel candidacy because she’s a long-time Parti Québécois cabinet minister (responsible for the mega-city fusions that created the sprawling heffalump that is today’s Montreal) and she essentially doesn’t speak English. So a lot of anglophones don’t like her, and many people who get upset when anglophones express emotions are angry in return. I can’t get too fussed over any of this. Anyway, Ménard has been around Ottawa forever, he’s a pleasant fellow and a strong public speaker, and we’ll miss him.

Tags: Réal Ménard

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MBtoday

Pleasant, but still an abandoniste willing to sacrifice 1 million francophones so he can have his little sacred pied a terre.
http://intensedebate.com/people/madeyoulook madeyoulook

If you have any remaining affection for the metropolis of your former employer The Gazette, you would be fussed over the fact that a candidate for mayor cannot handle even basic communication in the language of the continent surrounding her. The news reports don't just have the anglos wondering about the wisdom of such an isolationist trap such a mayor would project for her city.

And the anglos are probably just as (more?) miffed about the whole municipal merger mess she forced down everyone's throats when she was minister in the PQ government.

MBtoday

So her Spanish isn't all that great but most mayors in Canada are pretty rusty with their Spanish too. It is not her lack of English that should bother you it is her ideas and attitudes that should concern you. You fear isolationist? Look at all the English only Mayors and councils that have passed "Buy American' bylaws for bids.