MONTREAL – Another year, another flurry of newsmakers!
From Montreal’s various mayors, to the architects of the Charter of Values, to alleged mob leaders making a comeback, to undeniable courage in the face of disaster, to local leaders taking risks, to Montrealers standing up for what they believe in.
Montrealers have voted who they think deserves the ultimate accolade of Global Montreal’s newsmaker of the year and the prize goes to Bill 60, with 21.92 per cent of the votes.
Bill 60
Tabled in the Quebec National Assembly in November, Bill 60 was definitely the newsmaker of the year for drawing the most protest, creating the most division and stirring up so much emotion.
Camille Ross, Anchor
Denis Coderre
Coderre seems to bring a work ethic and bravado of someone who has a flurry of ideas and doesn’t really care about polls or what opinions people have of him. He also doesn’t suffer fools gladly. As the street vernacular goes, this guy has a pair and is willing to use them. He’s the new mayor of Montreal, yet he still has the time to coach the Canadiens!
Peter Anthony Holder, Anchor
Bernard Drainville
I’d vote for the three of the PQ horsemen of the Charter debate: Pauline Marois, Bernard Drainville and Jean-Francois Lisée. Marois and Drainville (the architects of Bill 60), and Liseé, the PQ member most often quoted on the charter and the one charged with selling it to anglophones. I’d also back Denis Coderre whose election as mayor of Montreal in November is slowly renewing people’s faith in the city. Let’s hope he can keep it up for another four years.
Jamie Orchard, Senior News Anchor
Brigitte Frot
The director-general of Quebec’s Soccer Federation unwittingly kicked off a debate around “ostentatious religious symbols” when Brigitte Frot announced the association would uphold a ban on players wearing turbans.
Isabelle Gaston
Almost five years after her two children were stabbed to death by her then-husband, Isabelle Gaston is still one of the most talked about people in Quebec as she continues to fight for justice.
Domenic Fazioli, Reporter
Genee Latreille
This mother spoke out in defense of her son’s educators after a photo was published on Facebook of niqab-wearing daycare teachers in Montreal went viral in Quebec. It took a lot of courage to do so, especially in light of how negatively so many Quebecers responded to the image.
Amanda Kelly, Web Producer
Pauline Marois
The controversial Charter of Values has sparked enormous criticism across Quebec and the country. The entire debate toward religion and individual rights has been relaunched with some disturbing results. The bill hasn’t been introduced meaning this issue will be a news maker for months to come and it all falls on Premier Pauline Marois.
Tim Sargeant, Reporter
Mindy Pollack
Mindy Pollak, the 24-year-old Hasidic woman who was elected as borough councillor in Outremont in November, becoming the first Hasidic woman to hold office in Montreal.
Anne Leclair, Reporter
Arthur Porter
My vote goes to Dr. Arthur Porter. Who could have imagined the American with a shadowy past would be languishing in a Panamian jail waiting to be extradited to Canada to face fraud charges in the super hospital project? The bow-tie-wearing Porter appears to have conned everybody, even Senator Angus and Prime Minister Harper. But the hospital is almost built!
Karen MacDonald, News Director
Vito Rizzuto
Vito Rizzuto has done the unthinkable just a year after returning home from a stint in a U.S. prison: he’s back on top in Montreal’s underworld.
Dominic Fazioli, Reporter
Colette Roy-Laroche
With so many of Quebec’s mayors ending their careers in disrepute, the mayor of Lac-Megantic sealed her legacy as a mayor with incredible bravery and heart, as she faced the unfathomable challenge of dealing with the aftermath of the train explosion that devastated her town.
The Mayors
Maybe the person of the year should just be “The Montreal Mayor.” It’s usually the politician we talk about the least – but not in 2013. From Montreal’s Gerald Tremblay to Michael Applebaum to Laurent Blanchard to Denis Coderre . . . to Laval’s various mayors . . . to Lac Megantic! Never mind Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary! Seriously, this was “The Year of the The Mayor!”
Mike Armstrong, Global National Reporter based in Montreal
The Superbeam
I would like to nominate the superbeam. Its installation meant that the Champlain Bridge has been reopened to traffic, allowing Montreal commuters access to the South Shore – and vice versa!
Gloria Henriquez, Producer
Did we miss anyone? Let us know who would get your vote in the comments!
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