Raymond Renaud
Encyclopedia
Raymond Renaud was a politician in Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada
. He was mayor of the suburban community of Saint-Leonard from 1984 to 1990, leading the municipal Ralliement de Saint-Léonard
party.
's Équipe du renouveau de la cité de Saint-Léonard
. This group dissolved after Di Ciocco's death, and Renaud formed the Ralliement de Saint-Léonard as a successor party.
that followed di Ciocco's death. This election was extremely divisive, dominated by a rival candidate's charge that the city had acted improperly in a land purchase; after the vote, Renaud filed libel suits against both of his opponents. Renaud's newly formed Ralliement de Saint-Léonard became the majority party on council in this period, including in its ranks many former members of the defunct Renewal Party.
Shortly after assuming office, Renaud fired his personal secretary on the grounds that she had campaigned for one of his opponents. A Quebec Superior Court
judge later ruled that this decision was unjust.
As mayor, Renaud promoted a new arts centre and a renovation project for Jean Talon Street. He reluctantly accepted the city’s decision to withdraw from both projects in June 1985, acknowledging that it had been a mistake to move forward without the provincial government's guarantee of support. He supported a revised Jean Talon Street project, less expensive than the original, later in the same year.
in 1989–90.
There was a significant protest against Saint-Leonard's tax policies in early 1987. In May 1987, Renaud acknowledged that the city had overtaxed businesses by over one million dollars the previous year and indicated that he would seek redress for the matter.
Renaud lost his council majority in May 1988, when Frank Zampino
and seven other Ralliement de Saint-Léonard councillors resigned to sit as independents. The rebels accused Renaud of running the city in an undemocratic fashion, while Renaud responded that the split was due to jealousy and accused his rivals of letting outside forces run the city. Zampino's group established a priority committee to study documents before they were approved by council, and Renaud and Zampino fought for dominance of the municipal government over the next two years.
Zampino defeated Renaud by about four thousand votes in the 1990 municipal election. Renaud did not seek a return to political life after this time.
, arguing that the Liberals would be more amenable to supporting projects in Saint-Leonard than was the previous Parti Québécois
government.
In the 1988 Canadian federal election
, Renaud supported the Progressive Conservative
candidate in Saint-Léonard
.
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was mayor of the suburban community of Saint-Leonard from 1984 to 1990, leading the municipal Ralliement de Saint-Léonard
Ralliement de Saint-Léonard
The Ralliement de Saint-Léonard is a former political party in Saint-Leonard, Quebec, Canada. The RdSL existed prior to Saint-Leonard's amalgamation into Montreal and dominated the city's political life in the mid-1980s.-Rise to political dominance:...
party.
Councillor
Renaud was first elected as a Saint-Leonard councillor in 1978. He was re-elected in 1982 as a member of mayor Antonio di CioccoAntonio di Ciocco
Antonio di Ciocco was a politician in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He served as mayor of the suburban community of Saint-Leonard from 1981 to 1984....
's Équipe du renouveau de la cité de Saint-Léonard
Équipe du renouveau de la cité de Saint-Léonard
The Équipe du renouveau de la cité de Saint-Léonard was a political party based in the suburban community of Saint-Leonard in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
. This group dissolved after Di Ciocco's death, and Renaud formed the Ralliement de Saint-Léonard as a successor party.
First term
Renaud was elected as mayor of Saint-Leonard in September 1984, winning a by-electionBy-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
that followed di Ciocco's death. This election was extremely divisive, dominated by a rival candidate's charge that the city had acted improperly in a land purchase; after the vote, Renaud filed libel suits against both of his opponents. Renaud's newly formed Ralliement de Saint-Léonard became the majority party on council in this period, including in its ranks many former members of the defunct Renewal Party.
Shortly after assuming office, Renaud fired his personal secretary on the grounds that she had campaigned for one of his opponents. A Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Superior Court is the highest trial Court in the Province of Quebec, Canada. It consists of 144 judges who are appointed by the federal government.Chief Justices : [partial listing]* Edward Bowen...
judge later ruled that this decision was unjust.
As mayor, Renaud promoted a new arts centre and a renovation project for Jean Talon Street. He reluctantly accepted the city’s decision to withdraw from both projects in June 1985, acknowledging that it had been a mistake to move forward without the provincial government's guarantee of support. He supported a revised Jean Talon Street project, less expensive than the original, later in the same year.
Second term
Renaud was re-elected in the 1986 municipal election, defeating three rivals as his Ralliement de Saint-Léonard party won eight of ten seats on council. On election night, Renaud was quoted as saying "The opposition? There is no opposition in St. Leonard." He served a four-year term as mayor and was second vice-president of the regional Montreal Urban CommunityMontreal Urban Community
The Montreal Urban Community was a regional government that covered all municipalities that later merged into the megacity of Montreal.- History :...
in 1989–90.
There was a significant protest against Saint-Leonard's tax policies in early 1987. In May 1987, Renaud acknowledged that the city had overtaxed businesses by over one million dollars the previous year and indicated that he would seek redress for the matter.
Renaud lost his council majority in May 1988, when Frank Zampino
Frank Zampino
Frank Zampino is a Montreal politician and a chartered accountant. He served as the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the City of Montreal and the city's second-ranking official...
and seven other Ralliement de Saint-Léonard councillors resigned to sit as independents. The rebels accused Renaud of running the city in an undemocratic fashion, while Renaud responded that the split was due to jealousy and accused his rivals of letting outside forces run the city. Zampino's group established a priority committee to study documents before they were approved by council, and Renaud and Zampino fought for dominance of the municipal government over the next two years.
Zampino defeated Renaud by about four thousand votes in the 1990 municipal election. Renaud did not seek a return to political life after this time.
Federal and provincial politics
Renaud actively supported the Quebec Liberal Party's victory in the 1985 provincial electionQuebec general election, 1985
The Quebec general election of 1985 was held on December 2, 1985, to elect members of the National Assembly of the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Quebec Liberal Party, led by former premier Robert Bourassa, defeated the incumbent Parti Québécois, led by premier Pierre-Marc Johnson.This election...
, arguing that the Liberals would be more amenable to supporting projects in Saint-Leonard than was the previous Parti Québécois
Parti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
government.
In the 1988 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
, Renaud supported the Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
candidate in Saint-Léonard
Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel
Saint-Léonard—Saint Michel is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988...
.