Mayor Coderre to host meeting of world mayors to address safety and openness

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre uploaded this image of himself with his Parisian counterpart Anne Hidalgo to his Twitter account Monday.

Mayor Denis Coderre plans to invite mayors from around the world to a meeting designed to address the balance between openness and safety, following terrorist attacks around the world, including in Paris and in St. Jean just south of Montreal.

“The aim of the conference will be to see how we can find a balance between openness and vigilance, to talk about one as much as the other and to explore what can be done to cover all angles,” he said.

Coderre plans to take advantage of the upcoming Montreal Economic Conference in June to confer with fellow mayors from all continents in Montreal, notably from Brussels, Berlin, Los Angeles Barcelona, Chicago and Boston.

Coderre announced the plan Monday while on a visit to Paris where he was met by French President Francois Hollande and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.

Hidalgo said that she will attend. “Our cities are refuges, they’re inclusive, creative places where safety must be assured. Security is non-negotiable but we also have to make our cities cosmopolitan places as much as possible so we can enjoy diversity without confrontation.”

Coderre said that the challenge of remaining both open and safe is one that must be prioritized.

“We don’t want to stigmatize communities. We’re generous but not naive. There are realities that must be acknowledged. Terrorism is the work of individuals. Can we organize a common strategy to prevent, administer and protect? “

Coderre said that he would consider creating an anti-terrorist group for Montreal, such as already exists in New York City.

Coderre was met with much fanfare, not unlike a head of state on his visit to the French capital. President Hollande spent about half an hour with Coderre and Mayor Hidalgo was also effusively friendly towards Coderre and both used the informal “tu” while conversing.

Coderre already met with Jean Todt, an important figure in electric transportation and on Tuesday Coderre will visit with Vincent Bolloré to discuss a car sharing service known as Autolib, as Coderre seeks to learn more about the possibilities of electric vehicles.

There were also talks about Montreal's 375th anniversary, taking place in 2017, and France's participation in the festivities.

President Hollande was in Montreal last November at the end of his visit in Canada.

When asked by reporters on Monday about Montreal’s controversial imam Hamza Chaoui, Coderre appealed for people to maintain a balance of tolerance and vigilance, while condemning radicalization.

Coderre was accompanied by Canadian ambassador to France, Lawrence Cannon, and Montreal’s commissioner of international relations Dominique Poirier.