CSN president Jacques Létourneau to resign and run for mayor of Longueuil

Jacques Létourneau, the president of the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN), intends to resign and run for mayor of Longueuil.

Létourneau, CSN president since 2012, first announced his departure on Tuesday in a private video that was intended for a select audience including CSN employees. It was then mistakenly posted on a public Vimeo account, according to Action Longueuil, the municipal political party Létourneau hopes to lead as mayor.

Running for mayor of Longueuil, “is the natural and logical extension of my commitment to people,” said Létourneau in announcing his candidacy.

Létourneau describes Longueuil as a flourishing city with many projects in progress that offer a very pleasant living environment.

“We must not forget the families and the middle class. I want to make sure that the city remains accessible,” Létourneau said.

Létourneau will leave his role at the CSN on June 18, a few months before the municipal elections in November.

Originally from Thetford Mines, Létourneau, 58 years old, currently lives in Longueuil. He is running to succeed the current mayor and head of Action Longueuil Sylvie Parent, who has already indicated she will not seek re-election.

The MP for Marie-Victorin, Catherine Fournier, has also indicated that she was considering running for mayor of the city.

Létourneau started his union career in the mid-1990s as president of the union of employees of the Charles-Le Moyne Hospital in Greenfield Park, which is now a borough of Longueuil.