The day after announcing he would join Quebec mayor’s party, councilor Jean-François Gosselin broke his silence. In his opinion, this change in political leadership will not change his stance on the tram project, he explained at the microphone of the Première Heure program. He will continue to express his opposition to it, but from now on in private.
I will continue to be able to express myself. The difference is that I will do it privately, I will do it at the table, in the party caucus or in the executive committee. As the mayor said, this is important to him, assures Mr. Gosselin. The Sainte-Thérèse-de-Lisieux city council will continue to stand behind its new party despite its disagreements in the vote.
You won’t hear me talking about trams again, that’s for sure. Others take over, it’s no longer my job, he adds.
City Council of Quebec City
| Local parties | Number of consultants |
|---|---|
| Quebec strong and proud | 12 |
| First Quebec | 7 |
| Priority Quebec | 2 |
| Quebec crossing | 1 |
Source: Quebec City
The mayor and his party therefore form the majority in the municipal council. The support of the two former Quebec 21 advisers, who became strong and proudly independent in Quebec, is not surprising. The political future of Bianca Dussault and Jean-François Gosselin has been fueling rumors since the dissolution of their former party.
“They were right when we said we saw it coming, it was enough to set the date of the wedding,” admits the former head of Quebec 21. In addition, he already had a place on the Executive Council.
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The members of the new municipal team stood behind the mayor.
Photo: Radio Canada
“The model as an associate member of the Executive Board had its limits, I was not there when several of my dossiers were discussed, for example when we talked about technology in a sports infrastructure project,” says Jean-François Gosselin.
He is positive about the teamwork that awaits him now that he has fully taken on the role of sports and leisure manager. I like working in this team, I like working in a team that is diverse and where not everyone thinks the same. The consultant argues that it is important to stand up for the citizens and to do this in the best possible way.
Betrayed voters?
With his change of camp, what does he say to the voters in his district who voted for his vice president Manouchka Blanchet and his anti-tram positions? I trust people’s intelligence. Voters know me in Sainte-Thérèse-de-Lisieux to solve many municipal problems. “Now that I am part of the mayor’s team, it will be easier to move forward with a lot of files,” defends the advisor.
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The importance of abandoning the tram project was not so clear in the election results of the Sainte-Thérèse-de-Lisieux district. When compiling these numbers, it can be observed that the majority of voters voted for streetcar parties such as Québec Strong and Proud and Équipe Marie-Josée Savard – now Québec first.
Jean-François Gosselin refutes the assumption that he joined the mayor’s team to make money. I’m not the district president. I won’t be either, it’s not a position that interests me. Money doesn’t matter, I’m already on the board, he assures me.
He still receives a significant raise and becomes a full-time member of the management team. He will then be entitled to a salary of $107,792. His previous salary as an associate member was $89,190 per year.
From opponent to partner
Two years ago, at the start of the local elections, the context was very different. At that time, Jean-François Gosselin himself took part in the fight for the office of mayor of the only party that spoke out against the tram project in Quebec.
Bruno [Marchand] and I met in 2021 during the election campaign. “We were always opponents, never enemies, we always got along well and there was always mutual respect,” says the former mayoral candidate.
He’s an open person, just like me. We respect being part of a group, a family, where we don’t always agree, but at some point we discuss. Everyone brings in their point of view, their argument. Of course he is the mayor, he has the final say and I am a team player and support the decision.
He harbors no bitterness toward his former opponents and is ready to move on. “I would have liked to win the town hall, of course I would have made different decisions, but now we are here and I really like the way we work,” emphasizes Jean-François Gosselin.
With information from Alex Boissonneault and Julien Fontaine-Doray