A quick look at Montreal's mayoral candidates

Richard Bergeron

Party: Projet Montreal

Age: 54

Occupation: Politician/Urban planner

Key issues: Review governance structures in Montreal and reduce the powers of the executive committee;Develop true urban neighbourhoods; Improve and expand public transit andinvest in electric transit with amodern tramway; Protect green spaces; Expand pedestrian streets.

• Full platform

ClaudeBlais

Party: Independent

MichelBrl

Party:IntgritMontral

Occupation:businessman, publisher, writer

Key issues:government transparency;reduction of top-heavy administration and number of elected officials;revamping of public transit system that would includefree fares for students, seniors and parents with young children; promotion of Montreal to the rest of the worldas an open,cosmopolitan, and francophone city.

• Full platform

Denis Coderre

Party: quipe Denis Coderre pour Montral

Age: 50

Occupation: Politician (former federalMP)

Key platform issues:Create the position of inspector general to investigate and fight corruption; Invest in the development and support of local artists,cultural institutions and companies; Ensure that Montreal is a leader in social development; Maximize the use of existing transportation infrastructures.

• Platform highlights

Marcel Ct

Party: Coalition Montral - Marcel Ct

Age: 70

Occupation:Economist,public policy expert

Key Issues:Create an ethics commissioner position;Develop a clear and efficient administrative processfor contract management;Develop an integrated policy to attract families to the city;Promote better traffic practices to promote safer streets;Improve the ecological management of waste;Accelerate the development of active public transit.

• Full platform

Louai Hamida

Party: Independent

Age: 35

Occupation: Industrial Engineering degree from Concordia University and experience inoperations management andquality control.

Key platform issues:Involve Montrealers indecision making; Full public disclosure on publicly-funded projects;Improve rules to improve safety for cyclists;Develop pedestrian areas in the city and increase spaces for people;Develop social housing and create food banks for low-income families.

• Partial platform

Mlanie Joly

Party: Vrai changement pour Montral - Groupe Mlanie Joly

Age: 34

Occupation: Lawyer

Key platform issues: Put in place a 130 kilometrerapid bus network by 2010; Make all tendering documentation held by the city accessible to the public; Pedestrianize Ste-Catherine street in the summer and extend businesshours; Work with social groups to find shelter for vulnerable individuals and families.

• Full platform (French only)

Kofi Sonokpon

Party: Independent

Age: 40

Occupation: Aeronautics expert, Bombardier

Key platform issues: Restore Montrealers' confidence in their city;Empoweryouth and new immigrants;

Reinforce Montreal's leadership in aerospace and technology;Improve quality of and access to public transit.

• Full platform

Clment Sauriol

Party: Independent

Age: 67

Occupation: Secretary/Researcher at a not-for-profit

Key platform issues: Freezeproperty tax for next four years and get rid of the welcome tax; Collect, with interest, the funds misappropriated from the city; Make significant investments in social development; Cut the police budget.

• Full platform (French Only)

Patricia Tulasne

Party: Independent

Age: 54

Joseph Young

Party: Independent