Harel not worried about loss of 3 Vision Montreal candidates

Mayoral candidate Louise Harel said she's not worried about people leaving her party even though three high-profile members of Vision Montreal quit this week.

Former Vision Montreal leader Franois Purcell announced Thursday afternoon hell join Mayor Grald Tremblays Union Montreal party.

Ville-MarieCouncillor Karim Boulos said Thursday morning he's leaving Vision Montreal to run as an independent in this fall's municipal election. And on Monday, Vision Montreals vice-president, Oksana Kaluzny, quit the party as well.

The resignations cameafter party leader Benoit Labont decided not to runfor mayor and turned the candidacy over to Harel, a former Parti Qubcois cabinet minister. Party members accused Labont of not consulting with them about his choice of mayoral candidate.

All three politicians have said they have problems with Harels leadership. They said her sovereigntist past and her role in forcing municipal mergers has made her a divisive figure.

"A lot of people are saying the same things: shes never worked at a municipal level; she created this monster known as the agglomeration; and her stance on sovereignty and so on," Boulos said. "But at the end of the day, my people want to make sure that their voice is heard like it has been over the last four years."

Kaluzny also expressed skepticism at Harel's ability to represent a diversity of views.

"We are of different views," she said. "She's uni-dimensional, and mine are multicultural ... I couldnt picture myself working with her."

Kaluzny said shehas not decided yet whether or not she will join Tremblay's Union Montreal party.

Harel refuted claims shes hard to work with and said its time to break down barriers in Montreal between Anglophones and Francophones.

She said Montreals diversity is its greatest strength and she promised that future electoralcandidates to be announced in the coming weeks would demonstrate that diversity.

Her choice of candidate for the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough, announced Thursday afternoon, didnt exactly do that. Bloc Qubcois MP Ral Mnard will be running forthe spot of mayor in theeast-end borough.

As for the threecouncillors who left her party, Harel said they left for various reasons, not just because of her. She said shes still the best alternative to Tremblay, whose party has been weighed down by ethics scandals in recent months.