On March 15, Montreal will discover the successor of Valérie Plante at the head of Projet Montréal. The leadership race, launched on 3 February, is currently in full swing.
La Converse has therefore invited the five candidates in the running to its offices. Everyone outlined their ambitions, looked back on their career path and explained why they believe they are the best qualified to lead the party that has been in control of the city since 2017.
On paper, their platforms are similar: ecological transition, decentralization of resources to the east of the city, fight against the homelessness crisis by increasing the supply of affordable housing, etc. However, beyond these common commitments, some differences emerge.
To better identify them, we also asked candidates about issues that are often overlooked, including systemic racism and armed violence.
Ericka Alneus: “The guardian of the city's soul”
Originally from the Eastern Townships and from a Haitian family, she has devoted more than 10 years to community and non-profit organizations, collaborating in particular with the Y des Femmes de Montréal and Pour 3 Points. She has also served on various boards of directors, including the Conseil de presse du Québec, Concertation Montréal and the Carrefour d'aide aux nouveaux arrivés.
Guedwig Bernier: The defender of diversity and finances
Less well known to the general public, Guedwig Bernier nevertheless played a key role within Projet Montréal as president from 2020 to 2024. His term was marked by a commitment to inclusion and diversity, which helped pave the way for candidates from racialized communities, including those of Ericka Alneus and Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, in the leadership race — a first for the party.
Apart from his municipal commitment, Guedwig Bernier has held the position of C3F Telecom Sales and Marketing Director since nearly 2015.
The leadership candidate says he wants to make financial management a priority, in particular by seeking to reduce the costs of major projects through strengthened collaboration with the private sector.
Gracia Kasoki Katahwa: The nurse at the service of the City
First Black mayor of Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (NDG), the most populated borough in Montreal, Gracia Kasoki Katahwa sits on the executive committee of the City of Montreal. There, she is responsible for human resources and the fight against racism and systemic discrimination, and she acts as an associate advisor for reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and having arrived in Quebec in the late 1980s, she grew up in Sainte-Foy. Graduated in nursing from Laval University in 2009, she moved to NDG in 2010. She worked as a nurse manager at the Jewish General Hospital and was active in the International Secretariat of Nurses in French-speaking Canada and the Order of Nurses of Quebec.
Laurence Lavigne Lalonde: “The transformation candidate”
Mayor of Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension since 2021 and a member of the executive committee, Laurence Lavigne Lalonde is responsible for files related to ecological transition and urban agriculture, in addition to overseeing the Space for Life museum complex. She presents herself as “the candidate of change and not of continuity”.
A former mental health worker, she has also worked abroad with NGOs, including Oxfam-Québec in Peru, an experience she describes as decisive for her political commitment, as it led her to run in the 2013 municipal elections.
Luc Rabouin: The economic development strategist
Mayor of Plateau-Mont-Royal, Luc Rabouin has experience in economic management and urban development. Before getting involved in municipal politics, he worked at the Caisse d'Économie Solidaire and at the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre. Since 2023, he has been chairman of the executive committee of the City of Montreal, where he is also responsible for finances. Luc Rabouin presents himself as a candidate for stability.
NB: Candidates are presented in alphabetical order
An overview of each candidate's program:
