Candidates challenge the 'lone ranger' incumbent of Trois-Rivières in mayoral race
Yves Lévesque's legacy, behaviour at heart of Trois-Rivières municipal campaign
He is beloved by some. He's been called a bully by others. The electoral campaign in Trois-Rivières is centering around the controversial and colourful incumbent Yves Lévesque.
His challengers, Jean-François Aubin and André Bertrand, are both taking aim at his personality and behaviour, as well as some of the big projects he brought to the community.
Lévesque maintains that he's a passionate man who has put the city of Trois-Rivières on the map during his tenure.
The former merchant marine and restaurant owner was first elected to council in 1994, before becoming mayor of the merged city of Trois-Rivières in 2001.
He has been the only mayor since the merger, and he wants a fifth mandate.
During his time in office, Lévesque pushed for big projects such as the $62-million outdoor amphitheatre that was opened in 2015 and another proposed $50-million indoor arena.
"I'm still passionate for this city. I still have projects. I still have a vision for this city. I still want to fight for our city through bad times and good times. And that's why I'm running," he said.
Citizens split
"The issue seems to be focused around whether or not we like our current mayor or we don't," Robert Huxley, a local teacher said.
At the Whitehead seniors' club Marie-Andrée Groarke said her opinion of the mayor has changed. "I used to be in favour of the [current] mayor, but I think now he doesn't listen enough to people."
"I compare him to Mayor Drapeau because he's a big dreamer," said George Hatley, now retired.
Hatley wants to see a change-up in town, but concedes the mayor is popular.
"People like him because he's doing stuff in Trois-Rivières."
Despite that popularity, his opponents see problems with both his leadership style and spending choices.
The challengers
He's running on a fiscal responsibility platform and said the city needs to stop spending on big projects and lower property taxes.
Bertrand said he plans to focus on issues such as snow removal and touts his own leadership style.
The other challenger is Jean-François Aubin, a social work teacher who served as a city councillor for the last four years.
He wants to freeze taxes and bring in more sustainable development, including a bike path system.
Aubin went so far as to describ incumbent Levésque as a "lone ranger," saying that he would like to see more of a team-oriented approach at city hall.
"We need to change that."
Intimidation allegations
Aubin's campaign has attracted the support of one the incumbent's most vocal critics.
Gilles Poulin, newly retired from his role as city clerk, wrote an open letter to the people of Trois-Rivières in which he said he was providing his last service to citizens "by telling them about the real Yves Levésque."
"The man behind the character, who does not apply himself to his job, who is almost always absent from the executive meeting which he has the duty to preside [over]," Poulin told CBC.
Poulin said Lévesque's behaviour can be arrogant, impulsive and that his approach to coworkers can be intimidating.
Lévesque responded by saying that Poulin had created a hostile work environment and questioned why the former clerk would raise these concerns during the campaign.
"After all the words he said, it was like, after the devil, it was me," said Lévesque.
"The question I would ask him, 'Why didn't you put a complaint down? And why did it take 16 years?' Why didn't he make a burnout, why didn't he quit his job if it was that bad?'"
Also during the campaign, Françoise Viens, an ex-councillor who quit politics in 2013 after almost two decades of service, wrote a letter to Radio-Canada accusing Levésque of intimidation.
She said he once squeezed her arm so tight she had to tell him to stop.
Lévesque denied the allegations and again, questioned why they were being raised only now during the election campaign.
Still, despite the allegations and criticism from opponents, the incumbent mayor maintains he's sticking to his guns.
"I'm not going to change. What you see is what you get. That's why people love me and hate me. It's like Patrick Roy. He's not a picture. He's authentic. People like him and people hate him," Levésque said.
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With files from Radio-Canada