Big names fall in Montreal municipal races

Some familiar faces and high-profile candidates saw their municipal election hopes dashed Sunday nightsome by margins so slim that they will likely trigger recounts.

Longtime provincial and municipal politician Louise Harel, who is former leader of the opposition at Montreal city hall,failed to win the votes needed to hold on to her spot on council.

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Harel decided earlier this year to cede her leadership of Vision Montreal and join forces with Marcel Ct and his Coalition Montral. The decision was made, in part, she said earlier this year, because she of hertroubles wooing Anglophone voters.

Montreal is tattooed on my heart so what is important is that Montrealers are satisfied with their decision, Harel said election night, adding her grandson informed her she would now have more time to spend with her family.

Harel said she has no regrets about joining the coalition with her team.

Im very happy to have gotten Marcel Ct out of his comfort zone, she said. He was one of the candidates that was the least interested, but in the end, he offered his experience and his skill. Montrealers chose something else.

Interim Montreal mayor Laurent Blanchard also saw his seat on council goto a challenger. Blanchard was elected interim mayor after his predecessor, Michael Applebaum, resigned amid criminal allegations of fraud and corruption.

Blanchard lost in the Hochelaga electoral district to Projet Montrals ric Alan Caldwell, a longtime resident of his districtwho works for the Montreal Casino.

In Pierrefonds-Roxboro, city councillor Christian G. Dubois lost his bid for borough mayor to his one-timeUnion Montreal colleague, formerborough councillor Jim Beis.

Hasidic woman wins in Outremont

Helen Fotopulos, former Union Montreal executive committee member and one-time Plateau mayor, lost her race for city council in Cte-des-Neiges by 51 votes to Projet Montrals Magda Popeanu.

While he wasnt known for his political experience, Montreal Canadiens anthem singer Charles Prvost who was running for a borough council spot for Mayor Marie Cinq-Mars quipeConservons Outremont partycame in fourthin Outremonts Claude-Ryan district.

In anhistoric first, political newcomer Mindy Pollak, a woman from Outremont's Hasidic community, won that seat for Projet Montral.

And still up in the air is the fate of Projet Montreals leader, Richard Bergeron.

Bergeron lost his mayoral bid, but his candidate-designateJanine Krieberwon by a slim margin in a Ville-Marie council race, defeating Team Coderre star candidate and former Radio-Canada journalistPhilippe Schnobb.

On election night, Bergeron said they will make a decision in the next 12 days about who will actually fill that seat.

On Monday afternoon, Coderre said his team will ask for a judicial recount in that race.

Kirkland incumbent mayor loses

Outside of Montreal, John Meany, who served as mayor of Kirkland since 1993, lost his bid for re-electionin an upset that saw challenger and veteran councillor Michel Gibsonwin by 500 votes.