Laurent Blanchard

Laurent Blanchard ( born November 25, 1952 in Montreal ) is a Canadian politician and publisher. He was Juni by November 2013, an interim mayor of the city of Montreal, after his two predecessors were forced to resign amid allegations of corruption.

Biography

Blanchard was for several years editor and co-owner of the weekly magazine Les Nouvelles de l' Est and was the late 1980s personal adviser to the president of the publishing group Hebdos Telemedia. Under Mayor Jean Doré, he was responsible for the international relations of the city from 1991 to 1994. From 1995 to 2002 he served as General Manager of Corporation de développement de l' Est, the body responsible for the Municipality Mercier - Hochelaga -Maisonneuve Economic Development Authority. During this time he also served Secretary of the Board of Commerce and Industry Chamber in the eastern part of the Ile de Montréal.

2005 Blanchard was chosen as representative of the progressive local green party Vision Montreal in the city council. In December 2006, he made ​​headlines when he and a party colleague appeared in a bathrobe to a public budget meeting of the City Council; the meeting had been scheduled at 6 clock in the morning, what they felt they were much too early for meaningful citizen participation. In 2009 he was re-elected, but remained in opposition. When rumors began to circulate about corruption in the city administration, Mayor Gérald Tremblay began in November 2011, a commission should review the municipal contracts of irregularity, and certain Blanchard chairman. In September 2012, Blanchard complained publicly about the small number of contracts that could check his commission.

After it was revealed that the city had been awarded numerous works contracts to a mafia -like cartel, Tremblay resigned on November 5, 2012, after the City Council Michael Applebaum specific to its interim successor. This in turn appointed Blanchard chairman of the city executive. Applebaum took effect on June 18, 2013 also back after 14 charges, including fraud and corruption, he had been accused. On June 25, the city council Blanchard chose as interim mayor, with 30 of 61 votes. He announced not to stand in the regular mayoral elections on November 3, 2013, and practiced the official business until November 14 from.