The Official Opposition unveils its spokespersons - An opposition on the lookout for promises coming to fruition

MONTREAL, Nov. 29, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - The Leader of the Official Opposition at Montreal City Hall, Mr. Aref Salem, today announced the members of his caucus who will act as spokespersons, as well as the responsibilities assigned to the elected members of his party.

With 12 years of experience in municipal politics, Chantal Rossi will assume the role of party leader in council. She will be assisted by Ms. Alba Stella Zúñiga Ramos, a lawyer by training and City Councillor for Louis-Riel District, who will act as Deputy Leader. Regarding the party, Mr. Benoit Langevin, City Councillor for the District of Bois-de-Liesse since 2017, will chair the Ensemble Montréal caucus while Ms. Stéphanie Valenzuela, elected City Councillor for the District of Darlington, will serve as Vice-Chair.

"I am very proud to see a mix of experience and youth at the helm of the Official Opposition and the Ensemble Montréal caucus. Chantal, Alba, Benoit and Stéphanie have an excellent grasp of municipal issues and are not afraid to take the lead in defending the interests of Montrealers. With them, both the caucus and the party will be in good hands," Salem said.

While Montreal is faced with several major challenges, Ensemble Montréal expects the Plante administration to live up to its responsibilities regarding public security, housing, and homelessness as well as rigorously manage the finances of the City of Montreal in order to give it the means to meet its ambitions. In recent years, Projet Montréal has repeatedly blamed other levels of government. The Official Opposition will make sure that the ruling party assumes its leadership role, implements its commitments and seriously considers the proposals by elected officials of Ensemble Montréal in order to advance municipal matters.

"Gaining the trust of Montrealers is one thing and knowing how to represent them with dignity is another. Our political party, made up of experienced, attentive, pragmatic, hard-working and empathetic elected representatives, will be equal to the mandate it has been given. I have full confidence in their ability to collaborate with the administration while taking it to task when necessary to better respond to citizens' concerns," added Aref Salem. 

Members of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet and their respective responsibilities include:

Aref Salem:	Official Opposition Leader
Chantal Rossi:	Leader, Universal Accessibility and French language
Alba Zúñiga Ramos:	Deputy Leader, Active Transportation, BIXI, Self-Service Vehicles (SSV), Youth and Legal Affairs
Benoit Langevin:	Caucus Chair, Combating Poverty and Homelessness, Family Policy, and Reconciliation
Stephanie Valenzuela:	Caucus Vice-Chair, Environment, Sustainable Development, Gender Diversity and Equality
Abdelhaq Sari:	Public Safety, Combating Racism and Systemic Discrimination, and Information Technology
Alan DeSousa:	Finance and Human Resources
Angela Gentile:	Business Development
Catherine Clément-Talbot:	Seniors
Christine Black:	Public Transit and Mobility
Dimitrios (Jim) Beis:	Urban Planning, Sports and Physical Activity, 311/Customer Experience, Snow Removal and Procurement
Dominic Perri:	Water and Road Infrastructures, Electrical Services Commission, Rolling Stock
Effie Giannou:	Council Vice-Chair
Giovanni Rapanà:	International Relations
Josué Corvil:	Libraries and Intercultural Relations
Julien Hénault-Ratelle:	Economic Development
Laurent Desbois:	Animal Control and Cleanliness, Co-spokesperson, Finance and Human Resources
Mary Deros:	Integration of Newcomers
Michel Bissonnet:	Government Relations
Serge Sasseville:	Culture, Design, Space for Life and Heritage
Sonny Moroz:	Housing, Participatory Democracy and Organizational Evaluation
Stéphane Côté:	Large Parks and Greening
Vana Nazarian:	Work-life/remote working balance and Communications
Alain Wilson:	Co-spokesperson, Sports and Physical Activity
Annie Gagnier:	Co-spokesperson, Housing and Urban Planning
Arij El Korbi:	Co-spokesperson, Combating Racism and Systemic Discrimination, Water and Road Infrastructures , and Rolling Stock
Caroline Braun:	Co-spokesperson, Reconciliation, Legal Affairs, Procurement, Participatory Democracy, International and Government Relations, Work-family/remote working balance and Organizational Evaluation
Chahi Tarakjian:	Co-spokesperson, Business Development
Danielle Myrand:	Co-spokesperson, Family Policy, Gender Diversity and Equality
Jacques Cohen:	Co-spokesperson, 311/Customer Experience, Snow Removal, Animal Control and Cleanliness
Jean-Marc Poirier:	Co-spokesperson, Economic Development
Louise Leroux:	Co-spokesperson, Public Transit, Mobility and Homelessness
Marie Potvin:	Co-spokesperson, Libraries, Design and Space for Life
Nathalie Pierre-Antoine:	Co-spokesperson, Contaminated Soil Management, Waste, and Air Quality
Philippe Thermidor:	Co-spokesperson, Youth, French language, Integration of Newcomers and Intercultural Relations
Richard Bélanger:	Co-spokesperson, Bureau of Ecological Transition and Resilience, Climate Change, Large Parks and Greening
Suzanne De Larochellière:	Co-spokesperson, Public Safety, Heritage, Communications, and Information Technology
Suzanne Marceau:	Co-spokesperson, Universal Accessibility and Seniors

SOURCE Ville de Montréal - Opposition officielle à l'Hôtel de Ville de Montréal

Source : Marc-Antoine Audette, Directeur des communications, Cabinet de l'Opposition officielle; Renseignements : Guillaume Pelletier, Attaché de presse, Cabinet de l'Opposition officielle, 438-821-2278

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