Gomery takes role in city politics

The retired judge who headed the inquiry into the federal sponsorship scandal, John Gomery, is getting involved in Montreal's municipal politics.

He will sit as honorary chair of a fundraising campaign by the Projet Montral party that sits in opposition to Mayor Grald Tremblay's Union Montreal.

Gomery, 77,made his official announcement Monday morning.

On CBC Radio's Daybreak, Gomery said he is worried about his city.

"I think that the city of Montreal is in decline, and I think that part of that decline is due to politics at the municipal and provincial levels, principally at the municipal level," he said.

"I think it is the duty of concerned citizens to see what they can do to try to arrest that decline, and clean up city hall a little bit," Gomery said.

Gomery said Projet Montral corresponds to his ideal of how municipal politics should be run.

The leader of Projet Montral, Richard Bergeron, said Gomery's involvement will help ensure that fundraising is transparent.

Gomery said the party will publish the names of each person who donates more than $100 to the party on its website within 48 hours.

Gomery's daughter Cym is running for a city council seat for Projet Montral in the municipal election Nov. 1.