While a few incumbent West Island mayors confirm they will be seeking a new mandate in the municipal elections set for Nov. 3, several have yet to make a decision.
Dollard-des-Ormeaux Mayor Ed Janiszewski, who turns 80 a few weeks after the fall vote, says he is ready for another term.
He was first elected mayor in 1984 and is currently the longest-serving West Island mayor. He initially served as a councillor in 1978. He was the Dollard borough mayor for four years following the forced Montreal mergers. All in all, he has served as a municipal politician in Dollard for 35 years, usually elected by acclamation or in an election landslide. In 2009, he captured about 85 per cent of the votes.
Janiszewski looks to the longtime mayor of Mississauga, Ont., as an inspiration, adding he is heading to a reception to honour Hazel McCallion in about a week.
“She is still considered by most as the outstanding mayor in Canada, at age 92,” Janiszewski said of McCallion.
“I only have three more terms before I am 92 years old,” he later added.
Janiszewski says he’s up for the challenge of another mandate and that he has the backing of his wife, Sylvia, adding she realizes that his involvement as mayor is great for his health and happiness.
“I feel great. I run up the stairs every morning at the town, and enjoy being a part of keeping Dollard-des-Ormeaux a very good place to live.
Longtime Dollard councillor Errol Johnson says Janiszewski has done an excellent job leading council over the years. “He’s on top of the ball, he’s very sharp,” Johnson said.
Dorval Mayor Edgar Rouleau, 67, said he is also seeking re-election to his third mayoral term. He was acclaimed in 2009. He first served as a Dorval councillor in 1982.
In Pointe-Claire, Mayor Bill McMurchie, who was acclaimed last election, said it’s too soon for him to make a decision. He was first elected mayor in 1998 after serving as a councillor.
In Beaconsfield, Mayor David Pollock said Monday he isn’t ready to make an announcement regarding his intentions. Councillor Rhonda Massad has confirmed she will be running for the post as an independent candidate.
In Baie-d’Urfé, Mayor Maria Tutino said she will announce her intentions next month.
Monique Worth, elected three times as the Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough mayor, is also weighing her political future. She remains a member of Union Montreal, chastising others who fled following Gérald Tremblay’s resignation last fall. A key element is waiting to see if a new mayoral candidate emerges.
“I’m still analyzing everything after 12 years of hard work,” she said, adding she spent another 11 years as a Pierrefonds city councillor before the Montreal mergers. “It’s a lot of time. The last year was kind of heavy.
“Also, the situation with (the Charbonneau) commission and everything else, people have no respect for elected officials. No matter how hard you work, everybody thinks that everybody’s the same. I feel it’s not very fair.”
