The fallout from the switcheroo at Vision Montreal is continuing. Less than a week after the party’s vice-president quit because she couldn’t support a sovereignist anti-borough leader, token anglo Karim Boulos has quit the party and decided to sit as an independent, leaving Ville-Marie borough mayor Benoît Labonté in a minority position on the borough council.
The move comes a couple of days after Boulos posted an item on his blog about how destructive party politics can be, based on a column from The Gazette’s Henry Aubin he read. Though he asked for comments, the post only got one, from me, asking if this means he’ll be sitting as an independent. I didn’t actually thin he’d just make the jump right there.
As important in his decision is that Boulos represents the Peter-McGill district (PDF), which includes all of the Ville-Marie borough west of University (in other words, both anglo universities, though not the McGill ghetto). With the splitting of the borough into a third electoral district, his turf becomes even more anglo than it was (it used to extend to St. Denis). And having a sovereignist former PQ minister leading your party isn’t sitting well with those constituents on Pine and Dr. Penfield.
His move also comes just over a week after he defended Vision leader Louise Harel on his blog, saying he’s still a federalist Liberal but they can work together on municipal matters.
I strongly believe in a person who does not sell out. In this case it would be Mr. Karim Boulos. He has served our district/community with utmost integrity for the past 4 years. Never did he question how important it was to serve the constituents. He can count on my vote as I am hoping that he will continue to be our representative for another 4 years.
Gee, I though it was only the french who were “intolerant”…
The destructive agent here is not “party politics”, but simply the good old-fashioned ethnic french/english divide. You’re just trying to jump hoops to try to mean that it is something else that is only the french’s fault.
I don’t think it’s intolerant to quit a party because you don’t agree with its leader’s policies.
Congratulations ! As our borough councillor for the last four years Mr. Boulos has served his constituents very well. He has done more face to face meetings with local merchants and local citizens than any other representative in this area regardless of party affiliation. He will get my vote in the upcoming election. I believe in a person who does not sell out. He stood by his convictions and continues to maintain his integrity. Something that most politicians seem to lack nowadays. Mr. Boulos has a very bright future ahead of him (possibly beyond the municipal level). People are watching and listening.