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Greenfield Park newly elected councillors want to protect the borough’s unique identity

WATCH: After recounting 200 boxes of ballots from Longueuil’s municipal elections, Sylvia Parent has been confirmed as mayor. With a large anglophone population in the Greenfield Park borough, Global's Gloria Henriquez finds out what this means for English speakers in the predominantly French city – Nov 16, 2017
After a vote recount and much anticipation, Sylvie Parent has been confirmed mayor of Longueuil.
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Meanwhile, in Greenfield Park, voters spoke loud and clear, giving the majority of votes to one party, a party that for the last four years has been fighting for the rights of anglophones.
Option Longueuil’s Robert Myles, Wade Wilson and Peter Doonan are the three candidates voted in to sit in Greenfield Park’s borough council.
READ MORE: Political tensions heat up between Longueuil and Greenfield Park
They believe together, they now have more leverage to act on behalf of Greenfield Park residents.
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“The people have spoken and it’s time for the administration to listen to the residents and the representatives of Greenfield Park,” said Wilson, who was elected for a second term.

READ MORE: Language debate dominates Longueuil city council

As an opposition leader, Myles has been fighting for anglophones’ rights at Longueuil council, including the right to speak English to his constituents.
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“It was very tough at one point,” Myles said.

Last year, the City of Longueuil barred Greenfield Park Myles and Wilson from speaking during last year’s Canada Day celebrations.

READ MORE: Greenfield Park borough councillors barred from speaking at Canada Day celebrations

But there is one thing the councillors say is in real need of protection at Greenfield Park.

“Identity is a key issue. They’ve been trying to remove bit by bit,” Wilson said.

Within the past few years, the flower bed that defined Greenfield park disappeared.
READ MORE: Greenfield Park flower bed: demolished or getting a facelift?
On street signs, the name itself was replaced with Longueuil’s.
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It’s something these three newly elected councillors want to change.

They have high hopes the new mayor will be more inclusive.

“We can find that happy place if we finally start talking,” Doonan said.

“We’re hoping with the new administration and the opposition party, that there will be a lot more transparency and we will be able to sit in the committees,” Wilson added.

Global News reached out to Longueuil’s mayor-elect Sylvie Parent for comment but she declined our request for interview.

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