Anne-France Goldwater is considering running for mayor of Montreal because she says she’s tired of how the city is run.
Never one to mince her words, the high-profile family lawyer said Wednesday she is upset about several issues, but Denis Coderre's recent trip to Iran has her seething.
“Our mayor thinks it’s nifty to lend his face and our good reputation as Montrealers, Quebecers and Canadians to this regime. I am stupefied,” she said.
Coderre said he was in Iran as part of his role as president of the World Association of Metropolises to talk, to build up public policies and to resolve issues.
“It's kind of a network, a good way to do it,” he said. “But that doesn't mean you support what's going on in that country. It has nothing to do with that. That's urban diplomacy.”
Goldwater also came out swinging over Coderre’s recent pit bull ban legislation.
“I think there's been a lot more hysteria then good sense,” she said.
Frustrated by how the city is being managed, she's consideringrunning for the top job.
“Well maybe I've reached an age where I should put my own money where my mouth is and see what I can do about mismanagement of public funds,” she said.
A lawyer by trade, perhaps one of Goldwater’s most well-known cases is the landmark ‘Lola,’which helped define rights of spouses once their relationship ended.
That case propelled her into the spotlight: She had her own show called l'Arbitre on the air for five years.
Coderre said if she decides to run, so be it.
“Good luck. I don't care. I'm running for the citizens. If citizens think I am on the one, so be it,” he said.
Goldwater will have to decide soon if she plans to run – the next Montreal municipal election will take place on Nov. 5, 2017.
