By Canadian Press

Montreal Irish groups not giving up fight over light-rail station name

Jun 24, 2020 | 12:47 PM

MONTREAL — Members of Montreal’s Irish community say they aren’t giving up their opposition to the city’s decision to name a new light-rail station after a controversial former premier.

Mayor Valerie Plante announced this week that a station southwest of downtown would be named Griffintown-Bernard Landry, saying the name highlights both Landry’s economic vision and the traditional Irish neighbourhood where the station will be located.

But Fergus Keyes, a member of the city’s Irish community, says Plante ignored the wishes of the many community groups who had clearly asked that the station’s name be chosen to honour the area’s Irish history.

He says the groups are considering a variety of ways to keep up the opposition including demonstrations, letter writing, lobbying other levels of government and even legal action.

Landry, who died in 2018, was known for his passionate dedication to Quebec sovereignty and his sometimes blunt criticisms of Canada, which made him a divisive figure in some circles.

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But Keyes says the opposition to the name isn’t based on language or politics, citing instead Landry’s lack of connection to the Griffintown neighbourhood, which was long the centre of Montreal’s Irish life.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 24, 2020.

The Canadian Press