The Montreal Citizens' Movement (MCM, French: Rassemblement des citoyens et des citoyennes de Montréal or RCM) was a municipalpolitical party in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It existed from 1973 to 2001.
Montreal Citizens' Movement
Rassemblement des citoyens et des citoyennes de Montréal
The Montreal Citizens' Movement was founded shortly before the 1974 municipal elections by a variety of groups: members of the Front d'Action Politique (FRAP), a left-leaning coalition of community-based action groups which had unsuccessfully run in the 1970 election; the Urban Progressive Movement (UPM), a mostly English-speaking group of community activists with links to the New Democratic Party (NDP); union activists from the Montreal Councils of the CSN and FTQ federations; and many others with backgrounds in student, community or political movements.
While FRAP had seen itself as a radical social movement as well as a municipal political party, the MCM defined itself as a party with firm community roots.
Opposition to Jean Drapeau
Eighteen of the party's candidates were elected to City Hall in 1974, constituting the first significant and effective opposition group since Drapeau became mayor more than a decade earlier. However the party was eventually plagued by internal divisions. Councillors Nick Auf der Maur and Robert Keaton founded the Municipal Action Group (French: Groupe d'Action Municipale or GAM) with a group of dissidents, which split the opposition vote. In 1978, the total elected opposition in city council consisted of Auf Der Maur for MAG and Michael Fainstat for the MCM.
The MCM was put back on the way to recovery when Jean Doré became its leader and mayoral candidate in 1982. Doré finished a strong second and fifteen of his candidates were elected. In 1984, Doré won a by-election and became the City Councillor of the district of Saint-Jean-Baptiste.
The Doré administration and its accomplishments
Drapeau retired in 1986. By this time, his Civic Party was seen as tired and complacent after 26 years in power. Additionally, Drapeau didn't have a clear successor. The MCM took full advantage, and seized control of the city at the 1986 elections in a comprehensive victory. Doré was handily elected as mayor, while the RCM took 55 seats on council.
The MCM Executive Committee consisted of Michael Fainstat, Chairman, Robert Perreault, Vice-Chairman; John Gardiner, 42, who oversaw housing and city planning; Kathleen Verdon, who was in charge of culture, tourism and relations with cultural communities; Jacqueline Bordeleau, who was responsible for public works and fire prevention; and Lea Cousineau, who was in charge of recreation, social affairs, health and the status of women.
The party was devastated when longstanding members and sitting city councillors Pierre-Yves Melancon, Sam Boskey, Marvin Rotrand, and Pierre Goyer quit the party, accusing Doré of cozying up to powerful interests and betraying the MCM notion of reform. (They would later found the Democratic Coalition of Montreal (Coalition démocratique de Montréal). Doré had lost also much anglophone support by encouraging the enforcement of the controversial anti-English sign law Bill 178, and by renaming Dorchester Boulevard to Boulevard René-Lévesque. As well, the Overdale scandal - involving the demolition on an entire inner-city block and the expulsion of its low-income tenants - and tax hikes on businesses, as well as a poor financial climate, would erode support for the MCM.
In 1990, Doré and his team would be re-elected with a reduced majority. Four more MCM councillors quit during this sitting.
The Doré administration is credited with:
the renewal of the Old Port and the parks and beaches of Île Sainte-Hélène
the establishment of the first public commissions at City Hall;
the adoption of Montreal's first Master Urban Plan.
Nonetheless, it faced growing criticism by fiscal conservatives for its perceived ineffective style of government, including lax policies toward city employees, as well as an unwillingness to pay down the massive debt left by the projects of former mayor Jean Drapeau. The party was also badly damaged by the Overdale fiasco.
Decline and merger
By 1994, the MCM was voted out of office and held onto only 6 seats on Council. Doré, although he had won a seat on Council, decided not to sit. Internal struggles over the succession of Jean Doré undermined the party's credibility. After she won the MCM nomination for the 1998 mayoral election,[2] City Councillor Thérèse Daviau left the party and announced that she would support Jacques Duchesneau - a former police chief and future member of the National Assembly of Quebec - for Mayor.[3]
^Jacques Couture, Assemblée nationale du Québec 2003-05-07 at the Wayback Machine
^Michel Prescott has been the City Councillor for the district of Jeanne-Mance since 1982. He was a member of the RCM, sat as an Independent from 1992 to 1997 and has been affiliated to Gérald Tremblay's Union Montreal party since 2001.
June 01, 2023
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The Montreal Citizens Movement MCM French Rassemblement des citoyens et des citoyennes de Montreal or RCM was a municipal political party in Montreal Quebec Canada It existed from 1973 to 2001 Montreal Citizens Movement Rassemblement des citoyens et des citoyennes de MontrealFormer municipal partyLeaderJean DoreFounded1973Dissolved2001Merged intoUnion MontrealIdeologyCommunitarianismSocial democracyProgressivismThird WayPolitical positionCentre left to centreNational affiliationNew Democratic PartyColoursRedPolitics of MontrealPolitical parties Contents 1 Origins 2 Opposition to Jean Drapeau 3 The Dore administration and its accomplishments 4 Decline and merger 5 Mayoral candidates 6 FootnotesOrigins EditThe Montreal Citizens Movement was founded shortly before the 1974 municipal elections by a variety of groups members of the Front d Action Politique FRAP a left leaning coalition of community based action groups which had unsuccessfully run in the 1970 election the Urban Progressive Movement UPM a mostly English speaking group of community activists with links to the New Democratic Party NDP union activists from the Montreal Councils of the CSN and FTQ federations and many others with backgrounds in student community or political movements Amongst the founders were journalist Nick Auf der Maur Louise Harel later a member of the Provincial government and other activists who were not satisfied with the management style of the administration Jean Drapeau 1 While FRAP had seen itself as a radical social movement as well as a municipal political party the MCM defined itself as a party with firm community roots Opposition to Jean Drapeau EditEighteen of the party s candidates were elected to City Hall in 1974 constituting the first significant and effective opposition group since Drapeau became mayor more than a decade earlier However the party was eventually plagued by internal divisions Councillors Nick Auf der Maur and Robert Keaton founded the Municipal Action Group French Groupe d Action Municipale or GAM with a group of dissidents which split the opposition vote In 1978 the total elected opposition in city council consisted of Auf Der Maur for MAG and Michael Fainstat for the MCM The MCM was put back on the way to recovery when Jean Dore became its leader and mayoral candidate in 1982 Dore finished a strong second and fifteen of his candidates were elected In 1984 Dore won a by election and became the City Councillor of the district of Saint Jean Baptiste The Dore administration and its accomplishments EditDrapeau retired in 1986 By this time his Civic Party was seen as tired and complacent after 26 years in power Additionally Drapeau didn t have a clear successor The MCM took full advantage and seized control of the city at the 1986 elections in a comprehensive victory Dore was handily elected as mayor while the RCM took 55 seats on council The MCM Executive Committee consisted of Michael Fainstat Chairman Robert Perreault Vice Chairman John Gardiner 42 who oversaw housing and city planning Kathleen Verdon who was in charge of culture tourism and relations with cultural communities Jacqueline Bordeleau who was responsible for public works and fire prevention and Lea Cousineau who was in charge of recreation social affairs health and the status of women The party was devastated when longstanding members and sitting city councillors Pierre Yves Melancon Sam Boskey Marvin Rotrand and Pierre Goyer quit the party accusing Dore of cozying up to powerful interests and betraying the MCM notion of reform They would later found the Democratic Coalition of Montreal Coalition democratique de Montreal Dore had lost also much anglophone support by encouraging the enforcement of the controversial anti English sign law Bill 178 and by renaming Dorchester Boulevard to Boulevard Rene Levesque As well the Overdale scandal involving the demolition on an entire inner city block and the expulsion of its low income tenants and tax hikes on businesses as well as a poor financial climate would erode support for the MCM In 1990 Dore and his team would be re elected with a reduced majority Four more MCM councillors quit during this sitting The Dore administration is credited with the renewal of the Old Port and the parks and beaches of Ile Sainte Helene the completion of Berri Square Place Emilie Gamelin Place Charles de Gaulle and the Archaeology Museum at Pointe a Calliere the establishment of the first public commissions at City Hall the adoption of Montreal s first Master Urban Plan Nonetheless it faced growing criticism by fiscal conservatives for its perceived ineffective style of government including lax policies toward city employees as well as an unwillingness to pay down the massive debt left by the projects of former mayor Jean Drapeau The party was also badly damaged by the Overdale fiasco Decline and merger EditBy 1994 the MCM was voted out of office and held onto only 6 seats on Council Dore although he had won a seat on Council decided not to sit Internal struggles over the succession of Jean Dore undermined the party s credibility After she won the MCM nomination for the 1998 mayoral election 2 City Councillor Therese Daviau left the party and announced that she would support Jacques Duchesneau a former police chief and future member of the National Assembly of Quebec for Mayor 3 In 1998 MCM candidate Michel Prescott finished third with 14 4 of the vote Only four of his candidates were elected The party survived for a few more years But in the wake of the province wide Municipal Merger of 2001 the MCM was absorbed by Gerald Tremblay s organization In July 2001 the party formally merged with the Union des citoyens et des citoyennes de l Ile de Montreal A few months later Tremblay was elected mayor Mayoral candidates Edit Election Mayoral Candidate Popular Vote for Mayor Number of Councillors 1974Jacques Couture 4 5 39 18 55 1978Guy Duquette12 1 54 1982Jean Dore36 15 57 1986Jean Dore68 55 58 1990Jean Dore59 41 50 1994Jean Dore32 7 51 1998Michel Prescott 6 14 4 51Victories are indicated with bold fonts Footnotes Edit Nick Auf der Maur 1942 1998 Homme politique Bilan du Siecle Universite de Sherbrooke Therese Daviau elue chef du RCM Radio Canada March 29 1998 Archived September 30 2007 at the Wayback Machine Therese Daviau quitte le RCM Radio Canada April 27 1998 Archived October 1 2007 at the Wayback Machine Jacques Couture was the Parti Quebecois Member of the National Assembly for the district of Saint Henri from 1976 to 1981 as well as a Cabinet Member in the government of Rene Levesque Jacques Couture Assemblee nationale du Quebec Archived 2003 05 07 at the Wayback Machine Michel Prescott has been the City Councillor for the district of Jeanne Mance since 1982 He was a member of the RCM sat as an Independent from 1992 to 1997 and has been affiliated to Gerald Tremblay s Union Montreal party since 2001 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Montreal Citizens 27 Movement amp oldid 1022456113, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
