Fifth opposition party in the offing
Another political earthquake rumbled through Laval last week. Municipal party plate tectonics shifted again, when Fabreville city councilor Michel Trottier resigned from the official opposition Action Laval party.
Trottier told The Suburban that he intends to form a new political party to run in the next municipal election in 2017.
“I want to offer Laval citizens a political alternative,” he said in an interview.
“[The ruling] Mouvement lavallois party is very strong, well organized and structured,” Trottier acknowledged. “In contrast, Action Laval doesn’t have any structure and no membership. Before the next election, we need to be able to offer residents a credible political party.”
“It’s something we have to do relatively quickly,” he added. “With two years remaining, the time is ripe to gather members and develop a sound structure.”
Should Trottier’s dream bear fruit, Laval residents could have at least five political parties to choose from, the next time that they go to the polls. Two other parties remain from the 2013 ballot: Guy Landry’s Nouveau parti de lavallois and Robert Bordeleau’s Parti au service des citoyens.
In addition, as reported in The Suburban, another disaffected Action Laval member, Emilio Migliozzi, has reserved the political party name Évolution Laval with Elections Quebec.
Migliozzi concurred with Trottier’s assessment of Action Laval.
“The party had no statutes, no leadership and no general assembly [of members],” Migliozzi told The Suburban. “Now they’re left with just one city councilor [Chomedey’s Aglaïa Revelakis].”
“As for Michel Trottier, I wish him good luck,” he added. “I have had a few discussions with him but we haven’t really sat down face-to-face to deal with substance. Perhaps we might meet to explore whether there are any possibilities.”
For the moment, Trottier rejoins Laval’s three other independent elected city councilors: Pierre Anthian (Laval des Rapides), Alain Lecompte (Orée des bois) and Jacques St. Jean (St. François).
“It’s very good news that there might be an alternative for change on the horizon in Laval,” Anthian told The Suburban. “There might be a serious option in 2017.”
Anthian, who has recently shown a knack for political cartooning on Facebook, didn’t rule out joining Trottier’s initiative.
“Many details still need to be worked out,” he declared. “How would it be structured? Who would be the future candidate for mayor? “It’s very promising, but the detail’s remain vague, so I haven’t made any decision yet.”
Migliozzi agreed.
“We need someone who is a rassembleur with leadership qualities,” he said.
“I work a lot with Anthian and Lecompte,” Trottier concluded. “We cooperate very closely, but first we have to see who is interested. After that, anything is possible.”
Fabreville Councilor Michel Trottier walked out of official opposition last week.
