Montreal mayor Denis Coderre likes what he’s hearing from Quebec Liberal leader Philippe Couillard.
The candidate for premier is promising to give the city special status if the Liberals form the next government.
That’s not all – Couillard came to the one-on-one meeting with a bag of goodies for Coderre.
Couillard supports building a new train line for the west island during his mandate. And he agrees part of the Villemarie tunnel should be covered.
“Nobody before committed themselves to enacting a law specific for Montreal,” Couillard said behind city hall, using the skyline as a back drop.
New powers for Montreal would allow the mayor and city council to make decisions that don’t have to be rubber stamped; everything from writing up a new master urban plan for Montreal to changing the tax formula used to charge home and business owners.
Coderre insists the new powers could also thwart government bureaucrats from making decisions affecting the Turcot interchange without first consulting city officials.
“Those bureaucrats think that they own it. So I’m sending a message politically that if we want to make things right we have to be part of the decision or give it to us. We will take care of it,” he said during a joint press conference with Couillard.
Couillard has already met with Premier Pauline Marois and is scheduled to meet with CAQ leader Francois Legault on Friday.
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