Former mayor running for Gatineau, Que. top job

A former mayor of Gatineau is looking to return to the top municipal job in the western Quebec city.

Yves Ducharme submitted his nomination papers on Tuesday to run in the mayoral byelection in Gatineau.

"This is an important mandate of only 17 months," Ducharme said in a statement. "This is why I am focusing on only three priorities: services to citizens, financial management and housing."

Ducharme served as mayor of Gatineau between 2002 and 2005, and previously was mayor of Hull from 1992 to 2001.

A byelection will be held on June 9 to elect a new mayor of Gatineau, following the surprise resignation of France Bélisle in February. Bélisle resigned after two-and-a-half years on the job, citing a "hostile climate" in municipal politics.

The other candidates running are independent candidates Stéphane Bisson, Mathieu Saint-Jean, Daniel Feeny, Remi Bergeron, former Carrefour-de-l ’Hôpital councillor Olive Kamanyana and Maude Marquis-Bissonnette of Action Gatineau.