General

Denis Coderre poised to enter municipal politics

Standing beside Liberal leader Bob Rae on Wednesday, Liberal MP Denis Coderre announced that he would not seek leadership of the Liberal party, a move that paves the way to pursue a run at the Montreal mayor’s position.

Coderre, who was elected in 1997, was viewed as a possible contender to challenge Justin Trudeau for Liberal leadership, but he has not denied rumours that he is interested in a taking a run at the Montreal mayor’s position. Again Wednesday, he told reporters he was under pressure to enter municipal politics in Montreal, but had not yet made up his mind.

Meanwhile, it appears there will be an opening for political leadership in Montreal, where current Mayor Gérald Tremblay likely won’t run for re-election in 2013, after testimony given during the Charbonneau commission alleges that the mayor was aware of corruption in the province’s construction industry, including illegal campaign financing.

Though Coderre is a popular politician, and a well-known former radio host, he will have a difficult job ahead of him, notes the Toronto Star, which points to the fact that Montrealers are looking for someone who can deliver them from corruption and many of Coderre’s former campaign donors are among the same people whose names have come up during Charbonneau commission testimony.

According to reports, Coderre is expected to make his intentions about municipal politics known in his Montreal riding of Bourassa as early as Nov. 9.

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