Westmount mayor quits Montreal's finance commission, calls it a 'charade'

WestmountMayor Peter Trent has stepped down as vice-chair of the Montrealagglomerationcouncil's financial review commission, saying it has little input inspending decisions made by city hall.

Trent, who is also president of the Association of Suburban Municipalities, hasheld the position on the Finance and Administration Commission for the last six years.

He announced hisresignation from the commission during Thursday's meeting of the agglomeration council, which is made up of Montreal city councillors and mayors of all of the municipalities on the island.

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The council is responsible for island-wide services, such aswaste management, fire-fightingand police services.

While the finance commission is mandated to hold consultations onthe agglomerationcouncil's budget, Trentsaid its work is routinely ignored by Montreal'sexecutive committee, the powerful body that controls much of the city's spending.

Despite the finance commissionmaking spending recommendations annually since 2010,"not a single number or comma in the final budget numbers was changed," Trent said.

I liken the current budget process as us examining the ingredients of a cake that's already baked.- Peter Trent, Mayor of Westmount

The commission doesn't get advance access to the draft budget before it's released to the public.

"I liken the current budget process as us examining the ingredients of a cake that's already baked," Trent said.

He added that the finance commission's input was being ignoredlong before he took the vice-chair position.He has complained about the process multiple times to the city in the past, calling it a "sham" and a "charade."

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Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle is now the only suburban mayor on the finance commission.

Bourellesaid he understands Trent's frustration, butdecided to stay on in his role so suburban mayors are still represented.

"I totally support the fact that he is trying to get a messageacross by resigning from the commission."

The president of theexecutivecommitteePierre Desrochers ofquipe Denis Coderredenied itignoresthe finance commission's recommendations.

"With regards to therecommendations, the administration has responded favourably to a good number of them in the past and already acts in accordance with some of them,"Desrochers said in a statement to CBC News.