Dominic Perri is a politician in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He has served on the Montreal city council since January 1, 2002 and was previously was a member of the Saint Leonard city council and chair of the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer.
Private career
Perri holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a master's degree. He is a high-school science teacher in private life.[3]
Saint Leonard city councillor
Perri was elected for Saint Leonard's sixth council district in the 1982 municipal election as a candidate of mayor Antonio di Ciocco's Équipe du renouveau de la cité de Saint-Léonard. The party fragmented after Di Ciocco's death in 1984, and Perri joined the Ralliement de Saint-Léonard under successor mayor Raymond Renaud. He considered running for mayor of Saint Leonard in 1986, saying that he had been approached by local politicians such as Michel Bissonnet. When Renaud announced that he would seek another term, however, Perri decided against challenging him and was instead re-elected to council.[4]
In 1988, Perri joined with Frank Zampino and six other Saint Leonard councillors in resigning from Renaud's party. Charging that Renaud's administration was undemocratic, the rebels established new municipal committees to oversee policy and increase civic participation in government.[5] The group coalesced as the Parti municipal, and Perri was re-elected under its banner in 1990, 1994, and 1998.[6]
School board commissioner
Perri was elected to the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer in 1980 and re-elected in 1983. He became chair of the board in 1984, succeeding Alfonso Gagliano, who had been elected to the Canadian House of Commons.[7]
- Language issues
Perri welcomed the creation of an English-language educational services department in early 1985, saying that it would permit the board's anglophone students to access a full range of services. A single department had previously overseen both French and English services.[8] Later in the year, Perri announced that his board would start providing recreational and crafts services in English.[9]
Perri supported measures to increase bilingualism among his board's students. He promoted a voluntary pilot project for francophone students to receive English-language instruction as early as the first grade.[10] He also oversaw an expansion in French-language education for anglophone students, saying, "I'd like our kids coming out of English school completely bilingual."[11]
Perri opposed efforts to replace Quebec's denominational school system with a language-based system, arguing that the shift would be detrimental to English schools.[12]
- Other issues
In 1985, Perri supported a plan to shift 450 French-sector seventh grade students to a local comprehensive school in order to create space for an equal number of younger students. Some parents opposed this plan, arguing that the comprehensive school was too large and that the seventh graders would be exposed to the bad habits of older students.[13] As a compromise, the board proposed constructing a wall that would divide the comprehensive school into two units; it was refused permission to do this by the province's education department.[14] The student transfer ultimately did not take place.[15]
- After 1987
When running for re-election in 1987, Perri called for an increased focus on English, French, maths, and sciences, and a reduction in the number of elective courses.[16] His political partnership with fellow commissioner Joe Morselli dissolved during the election, and, although Perri was himself re-elected, only one other member of his governing alliance was returned to the board.[17] The new board chose Morselli to succeed Perri as chair and discontinued Perri's pilot project of teaching English to first-grade francophone students.[18]
Perri was re-elected to the board in 1990 and 1994.[19]
Montreal city councillor
Saint-Leonard was amalgamated into the City of Montreal in 2001. Perri was elected to the Montreal city council in that year's municipal election as a candidate of Gérald Tremblay's Montreal Island Citizens' Union and was re-elected in 2005 and 2009.[20] He has served on the board of the Montreal Transit Corporation and has chaired its subsidiary, Transgesco LP, since its creation.[21]
By virtue of serving on the Montreal city council, Perri also serves on the Saint-Leonard borough council. He chaired the borough's planning advisory committee from 2002 until 2010.[22] In 2005, he introduced a motion for Saint-Leonard to ban pit bull dogs.[23] He also initiated a ban on wood burning in Montreal which led to a municipal bylaw forbidding wood burning in new constructions.[24]
On July 3, 2012, at the Saint-Leonard borough meeting, Perri said that he was not convinced that Saint-Leonard was getting its fair budget share from the City of Montreal as it was promised before the merger with Montreal. He added that he was going to bring it up with the president of the Executive Committee.[25]
Following the departure of Gerald Tremblay as mayor of Montreal, Perri did not support Michael Applebaum as interim mayor principally because he saw him as a centralizer, someone who does not best represent the interests of Saint Leonard borrough. On May 8, 2013, Perri resigned from Union Montreal to sit as an independent Montreal city councillor. He continues promoting the extension of the metro blue line towards Saint Leonard.[26] In addition, Perri urges new mayor and favors bilingual status for Montreal.[27] He joined Équipe Denis Coderre in August 2013.[28]
Federal politics
Perri campaigned with Liberal Party candidate Massimo Pacetti in a 2002 federal by-election.[29]
Electoral record
- City council
- School commission
1994 Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer election: Trustee, District Eleven
| Candidate |
Total votes |
% of total votes |
| (x)Dominic Perri |
accl. |
. |
| Source: "List of winners in Montreal Island board elections," Montreal Gazette, 21 November 1994, p. 6. |
|
1990 Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer election: Trustee, District Sixteen
| Candidate |
Total votes |
% of total votes |
| (x)Dominic Perri |
elected |
|
| Source: "More school board vote results," Montreal Gazette, 21 November 1990, p. 3. |
|
1987 Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer election: Trustee, District Thirteen
| Candidate |
Total votes |
% of total votes |
| (x)Dominic Perri |
1,076 |
50.40 |
| Bob Mormina |
884 |
41.41 |
| Andre Blair |
175 |
8.20 |
| Total valid votes |
2,135 |
100 |
| Source: "Winners of election for boards on island," Montreal Gazette, 16 November 1987, p. 6. |
|
1983 Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer election: Trustee, District Thirteen
| Candidate |
Total votes |
% of total votes |
| (x)Dominic Perri |
1,457 |
79.40 |
| Tony Parente |
378 |
20.60 |
| Total valid votes |
1,835 |
100 |
| Source: "Winners of election for boards on island," Montreal Gazette, 14 June 1983, A4. |
|
1980 Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer election: Trustee, District Thirteen
| Candidate |
Total votes |
% of total votes |
| Dominic Perri |
1,051 |
57.24 |
| Joseph Lemieux |
785 |
42.76 |
| Total valid votes |
1,836 |
100 |
| Source: "Winners of election for boards on island," Montreal Gazette, 14 June 1983, A4. |
|
References
- ↑ Vincenzo Arciresi represented district eleven after 1994.
- ↑ Fernando Barberini represented the thirteenth district following redistribution.
- ↑ "Who is running for seats on eight school boards," Montreal Gazette, 14 November 1987, p. 16; Adelia Cellini, "Inventive student; Looking for sponsor to develop portable diagnostic device," Montreal Gazette, 4 October 1995, C4; Dominic Perri - Saint-Léonard-Ouest District, Union Montreal, accessed 28 September 2011.
- ↑ "Board head may seek mayor's job," Montreal Gazette, 10 July 1986, p. 5; "List of mayoral candidates may grow," Montreal Gazette, 31 July 1986, p. 7; "Five new candidates join St. Leonard mayor's slate," Montreal Gazette, 2 October 1986, p. 8; "Results of council elections in 18 Montreal-area municipalities," Montreal Gazette, 3 November 1986, p. 8.
- ↑ "Eight St. Leonard city councillors quit mayor's 'undemocratic' party," Montreal Gazette, 5 May 1988, p. 3; "St. Leonard councillors aim to inform residents," Montreal Gazette, 19 May 1988, p. 8.
- ↑ Mike King, "Zampino, 8 councillors acclaimed in St. Leonard," Montreal Gazette, 18 October 1994, p. 6; Irwin Block, "Second acclamation in a row for Zampino," Montreal Gazette, 15 October 1998, p. 6.
- ↑ "Board head may seek mayor's job," Montreal Gazette, 10 July 1986, p. 5.
- ↑ "Board improves English services," Montreal Gazette, 23 January 1985, p. 2.
- ↑ "St. Leonard OKs classes in English," Montreal Gazette, 24 July 1985, p. 3.
- ↑ "Look at English class alternatives: Perri," Montreal Gazette, 20 November 1986, p. 1; "Plan to expand English teaching causes a storm," Montreal Gazette, 30 April 1987, p. 4; Debbie Parkes, "English offered in Grade 1 despite bid to block move," Montreal Gazette, 11 June 1987, p. 7; Debbie Parkes, "Board firm: no retreat on English in Grade 1," Montreal Gazette, 9 July 1987, p. 1; Catherine Buckie, "Quebec silent: English project is set," Montreal Gazette, 13 August 1987, p. 4; Jeannie Stiglic, "Grade 1 English classes set to begin - without Education Department's OK," Montreal Gazette, 1 October 1987, p. 8.
- ↑ Debbie Parkes, "Le Royer will increase teaching time of French," Montreal Gazette, 1 May 1986, p. 10.
- ↑ "Scrap religious boards to save English education, meeting told," Montreal Gazette, 4 April 1986, p. 1.
- ↑ "Decision on fate of 900 students due next month," Montreal Gazette, 20 February 1985, p. 6; Debbie Parkes, "School transfer is going ahead despite protests," Montreal Gazette, 20 March 1985, p. 1; "Parents win major battle in school-transfer fight," Montreal Gazette, 22 May 1985, p. 1; "Angry parents plan to protest school decision," Montreal Gazette, 12 June 1985, p. 1.
- ↑ "Board may ignore order not to build wall to divide school," Montreal Gazette, 17 April 1985, p. 5.
- ↑ Debbie Parkes, "Placing Grade 7s divides school board," Montreal Gazette, 6 March 1986, p. 7; "Grade 7 switch a dead issue - Jerome Le Royer chairman," Montreal Gazette, 5 June 1986, p. 6.
- ↑ "4 alliances fight for control of Jerome Le Royer board," Montreal Gazette, 12 November 1987, p. 10.
- ↑ "Anjou candidates blame their loss on mayor's letter," Montreal Gazette, 19 November 1987, p. 15; Debbie Parkes, "Municipal alliances show in school vote," Montreal Gazette, 26 November 1987, p. 7.
- ↑ "Morselli elected to head Jerome Le Royer; Former foes back new chairman in exchange for policy support," Montreal Gazette, 26 November 1987, p. 7; "English instruction in Grade 1 in jeopardy," Montreal Gazette, 3 December 1987, p. 11; "Enrolment boost sought through immersion plan," Montreal Gazette, 3 March 1988, p. 6.
- ↑ "More school board vote results," Montreal Gazette, 21 November 1990, p. 3; "List of winners in Montreal Island board elections," Montreal Gazette, 21 November 1994, p. 6.
- ↑ Jane Davenport, "Let prosperity reign: Many in St. Leonard believe merger can only enrich the lively town," Montreal Gazette, 6 October 2001, p. 6; "'We showed who's boss': Team Tremblay captures the east," Montreal Gazette, 5 November 2001, p. 7.
- ↑ James Mennie, "Transit subsidiary's contracts a tender spot," Montreal Gazette', 17 September 2004, p. 6; "Scotiabank branches out to Metro McGill," Canada Newswire, 20 April 2009.
- ↑ Guillaume Picard, "Saint-Léonard : Dominic Perri écarté de la présidence du CCU", Progrès Saint-Léonard, 5 May 2010, accessed 28 June 2011.
- ↑ Anne Sutherland, "St. Leonard eyes pit bull ban," Montreal Gazette, 12 January 2005, p. 9.
- ↑ Joel Ceausu, "Wood stoves being phased out," The Suburban, 24 August 2011, p. 83.
- ↑ Améli Pineda, "Dotation des arrondissements: avis partagés," Progrès Saint-Léonard 12 July 2012, p. 5.
- ↑ Anne Laguë, "Les élus de Saint Léonard siégeront comme independants," "Progrès Saint-Léonard" 14 May 2013, p. 3.
- ↑ Joel Ceausu, " Exit Union Montreal - Saint Leonard councillor urges new mayor, favors bilingual status for Montreal" The Suburban" 15 May 2013, p. 7
- ↑ Peggy Curran, "Bissonnet among five more Team Denis Coderre candidates", Montreal Gazette, 9 August 2013, accessed 28 September 2013.
- ↑ Hubert Bauch, "Gagliano's former riding a Liberal bastion," Montreal Gazette, 12 May 2002, p. 4.
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