Several environmental organizations polled Montreal’s municipal parties on where they stand on green issues and they’re making the answers public.
There were eight questions in the survey that was given to candidates from all four political parties.
The questions asked were, for example, if candidates would oppose development in Pierrefonds West or if they would protect the St-Jacques Escarpment or support the creation of Meadowbrook Park.
Three parties provided answers.
“This questionnaire and the responses we got demonstrate that we are making progress in the fundamental requirement in our political life that the environment is an important political issue,” said Campbell Stuart from Friends of Meadowbrook, an environmental group.
All reported that their party stands for protecting most green spaces in Montreal.
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But there was one glaring omission: Équipe Denis Coderre did not answer.
“I wouldn’t editorialize on that, I think it speaks for itself,” Stuart said.
“The most important issue is: do the politicians think that this is an important electoral issue? Some do, some don’t. By not answering, one makes a statement. By answering one makes a statement.”
Réal Ménard, member of Montreal’s Executive Committee and responsible for the environment said the city has done a lot to protect green spaces.
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“There’s only one thing to say: we protected 165 hectares since we formed this administration. It would be the same size as the Mont-Royal,” Ménard said.
The environmental groups said the goal is to help voters make an informed decision at the polls.
The answers from the parties are available on the Sauvons l’Anse-à-l’Orme Facebook page.