Weird mayoral candidate #3

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by Patrick Lejtenyi

Housing, employment, forced mergers and public transportation are all big issues for independent mayoral hopeful Daniel Cormier. He is calling for a complete moratorium on condo development and wants to allow welfare recipients to sign some of their cheque over to their landlords; wants to lower the cost of bus tickets and passes while including the price of a pass in welfare cheques; and is totally against forced mergers, on moral grounds. He calls it theft.

So far, so not so bad. He also thinks the city should become a big employer, guaranteeing full employment. "The city offered work to people in the 1930s to sweep the streets or whatever," says the bearded 49-year-old management consultant. "I'm not talking about big jobs here. But the city has a duty to be a primary employer."

Okay. He is also adamantly opposed to Montreal hosting the Gay Games. "I have many friends in the gay community," he says, "and they are terrified of the possible increase in the spread of HIV/AIDS." He notes that the U.S. does not allow people who are HIV-positive into the country, and is astonished that Montreal's promoters were actually using that in their favour. He also looks at the disastrous financial record the Gay Games have, and is quick to point out that Montreal has not yet finished paying off its Olympics debacle.

Not registered as an official party, Cormier has recruited seven independent candidates who are campaigning under the Team Cormier banner.