Saguenay Mayor Jean Tremblay to step down in 2017

SaguenayMayor Jean Tremblay, whowent to the Supreme Court to have the right to say a prayer at the beginning of municipal council meetings,has announced he won't run again at the end of his mandate in 2017.

Tremblaysaid today ina Facebook posthe made the decision after a long period of reflection.He said he believes he has "transformed" the city during his time in power.

• Jean Tremblay, Saguenay mayor, agrees to disagree with Supreme Court prayer ruling
• Mayor of Saguenay calls for action against Greenpeace, environmentalists
• Saguenay Mayor Jean Tremblay in hot water over use of pejorative term

By 2017, Tremblaywill have been the head of the city for two decades.

"The next two years are the most important for me,"he said.

"I want to leave the impression of amayorwho succeeded at all levels, of amayorwho proved that he worked for his constituents."

The Supreme Court ruled last April that the reading of a Catholic prayer at council meetings infringes on freedom of conscience and religion.

The ruling ended an eight-year legal battle that pitted atheist Alain Simoneau and a secular-rights organization against SaguenayMayorJean Tremblay.

Tremblay, 66, said at the time he would comply with the judgment even though he didn't agree with it.

He was electedmayorof Chicoutimi in 1997 and four years later becamemayorof the merged community of Saguenay, about 250 kilometres north of Quebec City.