Denis Coderre says goodbye to political life after second mayoral defeat
Posted November 12, 2021 3:36 pm.
Last Updated November 12, 2021 3:44 pm.
“I will do other things. After 40 years in public life, 12 electoral campaigns, 16 years in Ottawa, and mayor,” explained Denis Coderre, saying goodbye to politics after being defeated in his bid to return as mayor of Montreal on Sunday night.
The 58-year-old met with his Ensemble Montréal team for the first time on Friday since the municipal election loss, and made his intentions clear, he would not be leading the city s official opposition.
“I announced to them that I am leaving political life. I will not be leader of the opposition. I gave 40 years of my life. I took some time for me, to reflect. It was difficult,” explained Coderre. “I had to take care of my family,” he said referring to his team and colleagues, and “explain to them why.”
Coderre garnered almost 38 per cent of support in his bid to return to the mayor’s office, but it wasn’t enough.
Recent revelations about potential conflicts of interests, after he initially refused to divulge the list of companies he worked for over the last four years, may have contributed to his cooling off with citizens.
Coderre was a Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of Bourassa from 1997 until 2013, serving as Federal Immigration Minister from 2002 to 2003.
In 2013, he formed Équipe Denis Coderre and was elected mayor of Montreal. A position he held until 2017, when he lost to current mayor Valérie Plante.
