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Valérie Plante sworn in as Montreal’s first female mayor

Click to play video: 'Valerie Plante officially becomes mayor of Montreal'
Valerie Plante officially becomes mayor of Montreal
Valerie Plante signs the golden book (le livre d'or) and is officially declared mayor of Montreal Thursday afternoon in a ceremony at Marché Bonsecours – Nov 16, 2017

Valérie Plante, Montreal’s first female mayor, was sworn in Thursday at a ceremony at Marché Bonsecours in Montreal’s Old Port.

READ MORE: Valérie Plante elected first female mayor of Montreal

The ceremony started with a performance by the Buffalo Hat Singers, chanting a song “in honour of women.”

The councillors and mayors of the city’s boroughs were then brought on stage as the audience cheered loudly.

WATCH BELOW: Montreal’s elected officials swear oath of office

Click to play video: 'Montreal’s elected officials swear oath of office'
Montreal’s elected officials swear oath of office

Plante followed, welcomed by a standing ovation as she entered the room and joined her colleagues.

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READ MORE: Pink Jacques Cartier Bridge a ‘coincidence’ to Valérie Plante’s historic win

In her first speech as mayor, Plante brought up public transit — one of the main issues she campaigned on.

WATCH BELOW: Valérie Plante delivers first speech as Montreal’s mayor 

Click to play video: 'Valerie Plante delivers first speech as Montreal’s mayor'
Valerie Plante delivers first speech as Montreal’s mayor
“The window of opportunity is there [to improve transit]. We will make it happen. It’s my mission and we will work hard to make it happen.”
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READ MORE: Denis Coderre ‘quitting political life’ after losing Montreal mayoral race to Valérie Plante

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Plante also reiterated her promise to improve housing and public services across the island.

WATCH BELOW: Valérie Plante: ‘I’m the happy warrior’

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Valerie Plante: ‘I’m the happy warrior’

“You may not know it yet, but I’m a fighter. For those who do not know me, my nickname is the ‘happy warrior,'” she said, laughing.

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The 43-year-old mother of two caused a major surprise when she won more than 51 per cent of the vote on Nov. 5 to defeat incumbent Denis Coderre.

Plante, who was born in Rouyn-Noranda in northwestern Quebec, spent a year as a teenager in North Bay, Ont., to learn English.

READ MORE: Meet Projet Montréal mayoral candidate Valérie Plante

She moved to Montreal at the age of 19 and attended university, where she received degrees in anthropology and museology.

WATCH BELOW: Valérie Plante is Montreal’s first female mayor

She then worked for a number of non-profit organizations.

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Plante entered municipal politics in 2013 when she won a council seat and she was elected leader of the left-leaning party Projet Montréal three years later.

rachel.lau@globalnews.ca

— with files from The Canadian Press.

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