WESTMOUNTHOMEPAGE
To:DavidNicholson
HereisaletterthatIwrotetoTheGazettethedayafterthemeetingatCity
Hall.
EditorTheGazette
250St.AntoineStreetWest
Montreal,Quebec
H2Y3R7
DearSir;
YourreporterHazelPorterwrites"Westmountcouncilyieldstocrowdatmeeting."(May6,1997)WasshereallyattheWestmountCityCouncilmeetinglastnight?IwasthereandIwatchedthemayor,PeterTrentandhiscouncilstanduptoalargeandvociferouscrowdandnotbudgeaninchontheirconvictionsthatpartitioniswrong.Peoplemightnotalwaysagreewiththeirelectedleaders,butatleastMayorTrentandhiscouncilshowedthattheyareleaders.NobodyyieldedasMs.Porterstates.Peopletalkedandpeoplelistened.TheresultwasthepassingofaunityresolutionthatcapturesthespiritofWestmounters'overwhelmingsupportoffederalismanddoesnotespousepartition.
Yourstruly,
BrianPuddington
370LansdowneAvenue
Westmount,Quebec
May6,1997
Unitymotionpasses
Westmountcityandmayorwins
editedfromHazelPorter,TheGazette
WestmountmunicipalcouncilcavedintotheWestmountUnityCommittee'sdemandslastnightandadoptedaresolutioncallingforprovincialandfederalelectedofficialstostartdefendingtheirrightstoremainCanadian.
Theresolution,presentedbymunicipalcouncillorJimWright,wasmore
inkeepingwithMayorPeterTrent'sviewsontheissue.Whilethemayor
hasoftensaidunityresolutionspersearepartitionistanditisnotthe
roleofcounciltoprotecttheconstitution,heyieldedtothecrowdof
about125peoplewhocrammedintothecouncilchambers.
Pandemoniumbrokeoutwhenthecouncillorvotedunanimouslytopass
theunityresolution.TheaudiencecheeredandPeterMargo,headofthe
WestmountUnityCommittee,whichsponsoredtheoriginalresolution,congratulatedthemayor.
Themeetingwasoftenacrimonious,andearlyintheeveningTrentwas
loudlybooedwhenhetoldthecrowd:"Wewillbediscussingwhatwe
feelwecando."
AllenNutik,amemberoftheunitycommittee,retorted:"Passa
simpleresolutionorwewilldemandyourresignation."
Trentwaschallengedrepeatedlytoacceptthewillofthepeopleand
adoptapro-unityresolution.
MembersoftheWestmountUnityCommitteeremindedthemayorthat650
peopleattendedaunityrallyThursdayatWestmountHighSchool,andthe
suburb'sresidentshavevoted95percentinfavoroffederalismintwo
provincialreferendums.
ResidentJohnAntony,sayinghewasspeakingonbehalfofyoungerWestmounters,
saidtheywantedtoknowwhatthecouncilwaspreparedtodoforthem.
Trentreplied:"Wedon'tliketoseeouryouthleave.Weneedto
tellthemthat.Thequestionishowtodoit."
TheaudiencecheeredloudlywhenWestmountresidentRichardBaylisreferred
tothewarmemorialoppositetheentrancetocityhallandsaid:"These
areourCanadianideals.Dowelackthecouragetosaywhatwewanttobe
inourhomesandourtown?"
TheWestmountunityresolutionreads,inpart:"Whereasthemandate
ofaCanadianmunicipalityclearlydoesnotencompassconstitutionalor
issuesofnationalboundaries,beitresolvedthatthecouncilofthecity
ofWestmountcallsuponthegovernmentsofQuebecandCanadatotakeall
necessarymeasurestopromoteandprotectthelegal,constitutionaland
democraticrightsofallcitizensresidinginthecityofWestmountand
theprovinceofQuebec."
Thefinalstatement"callsuponourelectedprovincialandfederal
representatives,JacquesChagnonandLucienneRobillard,andallthecandidatesinthepresentfederalelectioncampaigntoactivelyandopenlysupport
thewishesofthecitizensofWestmountassetoutbythisresolution."
theanswerlettertotheGazette
thetopoftheGazettestory
SpeachtotheWMAbyStephenJarislowskyonWestmountPeterF.TrentonAmalgamation
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