Two candidates vie for job as Montreal's interim mayor

Two Montreal city councillors are waiting to see how their colleagues vote to elect one of them as the city's new interim mayor.

Only former Union Montral councillor Michael Applebaum and current Union Montral candidate Richard Deschamps will be on city hall's secret ballot Friday morning.

Vision Montreal leader Louise Harel told reporters Thursday afternoon that her party will not present its own candidate for the post of interim mayor.

Councillors had until Thursday at 4:30 p.m. to present their candidacy.

Harel said her party is ready to choose a replacement for former mayor Grald Tremblay.

At a news conference Thursday afternoon, interim mayor candidate for Union Montral Richard Deschamps said he would ask the provincial government to assign an auditor to the city if he wins Friday's secret ballot vote.

His proposal comes after Municipal Affairs Minister Sylvain Gaudreault announced he will hire anauditor to oversee the finances of the City of Lavalfollowing its mayor's resignation.

Applebaum said Montreal would not need an auditor to keep track of its finances.

"Mr. Deschamps may not have confidence in the elected officials, but I have all the confidence necessary to make sure that the members that are therethat will be on the executive committee... will be able to look at all different contracts and make sure that the city is properly run," said Applebaum.

On Tuesday, Gaudreault said the government wouldnot need to send an auditor to Montrealbecause of the strong contingent of elected opposition councillors at city hall.

Union Montral has recently seen a slew of members leave the party to sit as independents.

Leader of Union Montral leaves party

City councillor Marvin Rotrand announced his departure from Union Montral and his support for Michael Applebaum as interim mayor Thursday.

Rotrand said he was not happy to leave Union Montral, but he felt it was the right decision given the circumstances.

"My main desire is to maintain credibility for the institution of city council," he said.

"I gave Richard Deschamps a chance to prove himself and I think he has been out-campaigned by Michael Applebaum," Rotrand said. So far, nine city councillors have quit Union Montral. Rotrand is the latest in a wave of councillors to leave the party in the wake of Mayor Grald Tremblay's resignation.

As caucus leader and councillor for Snowdon, Rotrand's departure from the partyis a major blow to Union Montral.

Union Montral member and fellow councillor Claude Trudel said he was sad and disappointed that Rotrand was leaving. Trudel said that he understands it was a difficult decision for Rotrand and he respects his choice.

Wave of councillors leave Union Montral

Word spread on Thursday that Ginette Marotte, councillor for Verdun, and Pierrefonds councillor Christian Dubois will also be leaving the party.

Dubois said he will quit Union Montral before Friday morning.

He also said he will support Michael Applebaum as mayor.

Applebaum quit Union Montral on Wednesday, along with councillors Alain Tass, Frank Venneri, Frantz Benjamin, Lionel Perez and Susan Clarke.

Union Montral has lost its majority in city hall as a result of the recent shift.

Dubois said there are other Union Montral councillors thinking about leaving the party.