In just four days Montrealers will know all the names of the people that will be running the city for the next four years. That leaves only three days for municipal candidates to convince undecided voters.
In the race to become Montreal's next Mayor it was time to name some of the people that will help the next administration move the City forward, with both Denis Coderre and Valerie Plante announcing their picks for the next head of the executive committee, the number-two job at city hall.
Projet Montreal leader Valerie Plante announced if all goes her way on Sunday, she would name Benoit Dorais executive committee chair.
Dorais is looking for a third term as Mayor of the South West borough, with his third party. He was first elected in 2009 with Vision Montreal, was re-elected as a member of Coalition Montreal in 2013 and later joined Projet Montreal this past May.
He holds a degree in philosophy and social ethics and has held a number of jobs at City Hall including vice-chairperson of the executive committee, vice president of the social housing committee and chairperson of the agglomeration council.
Denis Coderre held a private event on Facebook Live to announce his selection for the head of the executive committee. The incumbent said that Harout Chitilian would be named President.
Chitilian is an engineer specialized in telecommunications and was first elected as a city councillor in 2009 in Ahuntsic-Cartierville under Union Montreal. He was later named vice-president of the executive committee in charge of the smart city initiative by the Mayor in 2013.
Coderre also announced he would create a new deputy mayor post, which would be held by Russell Copeman who is currently the mayor of the CDN-NDG borough.
All of these selections depend on the outcome of Sunday's election.
On Thursday one of the main talking points of the election campaign got some new life, as the number of tickets sold vs. the number of freebies handed out was divulged.
With nearly half of those who went to see the Formula E race this past summer getting in for free, Projet Montreal leader Valerie Plante wondered how the Mayor can continue to call the event a success.
"Since the beginning Denis Coderre has been saying 'oh it's a big success, people are complaining for nothing.' Well, half the tickets were given away! That shows it was maybe not so much of a success or at least we need to do things different and this is where I'm coming in and saying wait a minute. Let's do things different. Let's open the book that will be the first thing and then we might make big changes," said Plante.
Denis Coderre was not available to the media on Wednesday as he prepared for a sit-down interview with the Gazette's editorial board.
Advance polling stations closed Wednesday at 2:00 P.M.
The next chance to have your voice heard will be on Election Day on November 5. Stations will be open from 10:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
According to Elections Montreal 7,98% of registered electors have voted early, compared to 7.75 per cent of voters in 2013.