Sue Montgomery joins Projet Montral, hopes to run for mayor of CDN-NDG

Former Montreal Gazette journalist Sue Montgomery is throwing her hat into the ring, hoping to become the new mayor ofCte-des-NeigesNotre-Dame-de-Grce.

She's aiming tosit on the ballot as the Projet Montral candidate who will challenge the current CDN-NDGborough mayor, Russell Copeman, for his job in the November 2017municipal election.

Montgomery announced her candidacy today.

"Municipal politics is the level where you are closest to the people," she told CBC.

"I would like to bring in more democracy. Iwould like to work together with the residents because I think we have incredible people living here that are very engagedand a lot of community organizations. I would like to tap into the energy and bring them in to be more involved."

This isn't the first time Montgomery has stepped into the political arena, running for the NDP nomination in the federalriding of Notre-Dame-de-GrceWestmount in 2015.

She ultimately lost to Jim Hughes in a hotly contested race to face off againstcurrent Liberal MP and federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau.

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Montgomery was most recently working as thesenior communications adviser tothe National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Her policy focus lines up with her background as a social justice advocate; her priorities, she says, areroadwork, local businesses, housing and more green spaces for families.

Projet Montralgathering strength

Montgomery's announcement comes a day afterSouthwest borough mayorBenoitDorais announced he`d be joining theProjetMontralticket.

He now joins the ranks of all the othercouncillors in the Southwestborough, who are with Projet Montralas well.

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Both Dorais and Montgomery have thrown their support behind Projet's leader,Valrie Plante, who was elected in December.

"I feel with this team, we have a real chance to make a difference," wrote Montgomery in a news release issued Thursday.

Over the past year, Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre has also been securing his ranks, adding two other high-profile city politicians, borough mayors Russell Copeman and Ral Mnard,to his party.

• Denis Coderre recruits another former rival ahead of municipal election