Montreal mayor names Cathy Wong speaker of city council

Cathy Wong, a city councillor with the oppositionquipe Denis Coderre, is Montreal's new speaker in city council.

"It's with a lot of humility and pride that I accept this challenge," she said at a news conference on Friday along sideMayorValriePlante.

The decision to give Wong the speaker's position helps Planteaddress an early criticism of her administration lacking diversity.

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Wong is one of only fourminorities elected in this month's municipal election not one of them was onPlante'sparty, ProjetMontral.

"I think that this pressure is a healthy one, Ithink that it is important that when we come from different cultural backgrounds, that we must make sure those voices are represented," said Wong.

The move also makes Wong the first woman to be speaker of city council.

"To be the first woman to hold this position in 2017 shows all the workthat still needs to be done to ensure that municipal democracy becomes accessible," said Wong.

"And so that Montreal can be an example of citizen engagement."

Plante, for her part, said she is happy Wong accepted such an important role.

"It's a role where above all you have to ensure that debates are held openly and to be impartial. It's also a symbolic role.It's the person who represents elected officials and the city council of Montreal," said Plante.

Before joiningquipeDenisCoderre as a candidate, Wongheaded theConseil des Montralaises, a city halladvisory body on women's issues.

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She also served as president of the city's youth council, where she said she got her first taste of municipal politics.

The speaker'srole in citycouncilis similar to the speaker in Parliament and National Assembly. Wong will no longer be part of her party's caucus and is not allowed to vote in city council, except in the case of a tie.

In the last administration, the position was held byquipeDenisCoderre'sFrantzBenjamin.