Dominic Perri is a politician in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He has served on the Montreal city council since January 1, 2002, and was a member of the Saint-Leonard city council and chair of the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer.

Dominic Perri
Montreal City Councillor for Saint-Léonard-Ouest
Assumed office
January 1, 2006
Preceded byposition created
Montreal City Councillor for Saint-Léonard (with Frank Zampino and Yvette Bissonnet)
In office
January 1, 2002 – December 31, 2005
Preceded byposition created
Succeeded byposition abolished
Saint Leonard City Councillor, Ward Six
In office
1982–2001
Preceded byEduardo di Bennardo
Succeeded byposition abolished
Chair of the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer
In office
1984–1987
Preceded byAlfonso Gagliano
Succeeded byJoe Morselli
Member of the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer, District Eleven
In office
1994–1998
Preceded byredistribution[1]
Succeeded byposition abolished
Member of the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer, District Sixteen
In office
1990–1994
Preceded byposition created
Succeeded byposition abolished
Member of the Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer, District Thirteen
In office
1980–1990
Preceded byposition created
Succeeded byredistribution[2]
Personal details
Political partyMontreal Island Citizens Union/Union Montreal (2001-2013)
Independent (2013)
Équipe Denis Coderre (2013–)

Private career

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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

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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

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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 House of Commons of Canada.[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

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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 borough. 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

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Perri campaigned with Liberal Party candidate Nicola Di Iorio in 2015 federal election.

He did the same with Conservative candidate Ilario Maiolo in 2019 despite his colleague Patricia Lattanzio running for the Liberal Party.

Electoral record

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City council

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2009 Montreal municipal election: Councillor, Saint-Léonard-Ouest
Party Candidate Votes %
Union Montreal Dominic Perri (incumbent) 6,524 66.69
Vision Montreal Najat Boughaba 1,330 13.60
Action civique Montréal Rocco De Robertis 1,155 11.81
Projet Montréal Souad El Haous 773 7.90
Total valid votes 9,782 100
Source: Election results, 2009, City of Montreal.
2005 Montreal municipal election: Councillor, Saint-Léonard-Ouest
Party Candidate Votes %
Montreal Island Citizens Union (x)Dominic Perri 6,977 71.70
Vision Montreal Rocco De Robertis 2,462 25.30
White Elephant Party Milan Mirich 292 3.00
Total valid votes 9,731 100
Source: City of Montreal official results (in French), City of Montreal.
2001 Montreal municipal election: Councillor, Saint-Léonard (three members elected)
Party Candidate Votes %
Montreal Island Citizens Union Frank Zampino 20,279 26.29
Montreal Island Citizens Union Yvette Bissonnet 18,438 23.90
Montreal Island Citizens Union Dominic Perri 16,818 21.80
Vision Montreal Vincenzo Arciresi 7,555 9.79
Vision Montreal Basilio Giordano 6,417 8.32
Vision Montreal Louise Blackburn 6,190 8.02
White Elephant Party Denis Fournier 896 1.16
Independent Dolly N. Makambo 557 0.72
Total valid votes 77,150 100
Source: Election results, 1833-2005 (in French), City of Montreal.
1998 Saint-Leonard municipal election: Councillor, Ward Six
Party Candidate Votes %
Parti Municipal (x)Dominic Perri accl.
Source: Irwin Block, "Second acclamation in a row for Zampino," Montreal Gazette, 15 October 1998, A6.
1994 Saint-Leonard municipal election: Councillor, Ward Six
Party Candidate Votes %
Parti Municipal (x)Dominic Perri accl. .
Source: Mike King, "Voting results: the final count," Montreal Gazette, 8 November 1994, A4.
1990 Saint-Leonard municipal election: Councillor, Ward Six
Party Candidate Votes %
Parti Municipal (x)Dominic Perri elected
Source: Irwin Block, "St. Leonard votes for change as Cote St. Luc re-elects Lang," Montreal Gazette, 5 November 1990, A5.
1986 Saint-Leonard municipal election: Councillor, Ward Six
Party Candidate Votes %
Ralliement de Saint-Léonard (x)Dominic Perri 1,309 66.62
Unité de Saint-Léonard Luigi Tesolin 350 17.81
Rassemblement des citoyens et citoyennes de Saint-Léonard Paolo Gervasi 187 9.52
Équipe démocratique de Saint-Léonard Giovanni Sardo 119 6.06
Total valid votes 1,965 100
Source: "Results of council elections in 18 Montreal-area municipalities," Montreal Gazette, 3 November 1986, A8.
1982 Saint-Leonard municipal election: Councillor, Ward Six
Party Candidate Votes %
Équipe du renouveau de la cité de Saint-Léonard Dominic Perri 1,112 52.11
Union municipale de Saint-Léonard Eduardo di Bennardo
(incumbent)
631 29.57
Parti de l'alliance municipale Fiorino Bianco 391 18.32
Total valid votes 2,134 100
Source: Le Journal de Saint-Léonard, 9 November 1982, pp. 2-4.

School commission

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1994 Commission scolaire Jérôme-Le Royer election: Trustee, District Eleven
Candidate 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 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 Votes %
(x)Dominic Perri 1,076 50.40
Bob Mormina 884 41.41
Andre Blair 175 8.20
Total 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 Votes %
(x)Dominic Perri 1,457 79.40
Tony Parente 378 20.60
Total 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 Votes %
Dominic Perri 1,051 57.24
Joseph Lemieux 785 42.76
Total votes 1,836 100
Source "Winners of election for boards on island," Montreal Gazette, 14 June 1983, A4.

References

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  1. ^ Vincenzo Arciresi represented district eleven after 1994.
  2. ^ Fernando Barberini represented the thirteenth district following redistribution.
  3. ^ "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 Archived August 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Union Montreal, accessed 28 September 2011.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ "Board head may seek mayor's job," Montreal Gazette, 10 July 1986, p. 5.
  8. ^ "Board improves English services," Montreal Gazette, 23 January 1985, p. 2.
  9. ^ "St. Leonard OKs classes in English," Montreal Gazette, 24 July 1985, p. 3.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ Debbie Parkes, "Le Royer will increase teaching time of French," Montreal Gazette, 1 May 1986, p. 10.
  12. ^ "Scrap religious boards to save English education, meeting told," Montreal Gazette, 4 April 1986, p. 1.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ "Board may ignore order not to build wall to divide school," Montreal Gazette, 17 April 1985, p. 5.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ "4 alliances fight for control of Jerome Le Royer board," Montreal Gazette, 12 November 1987, p. 10.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ "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.
  19. ^ "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.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ Guillaume Picard, "Saint-Léonard : Dominic Perri écarté de la présidence du CCU", Progrès Saint-Léonard, 5 May 2010, accessed 28 June 2011.
  23. ^ Anne Sutherland, "St. Leonard eyes pit bull ban," Montreal Gazette, 12 January 2005, p. 9.
  24. ^ Joel Ceausu, "Wood stoves being phased out," The Suburban, 24 August 2011, p. 83.
  25. ^ Améli Pineda, "Dotation des arrondissements: avis partagés," Progrès Saint-Léonard 12 July 2012, p. 5.
  26. ^ Anne Laguë, "Les élus de Saint Léonard siégeront comme independants," "Progrès Saint-Léonard" 14 May 2013, p. 3.
  27. ^ Joel Ceausu, " Exit Union Montreal - Saint Leonard councillor urges new mayor, favors bilingual status for Montreal" The Suburban" 15 May 2013, p. 7
  28. ^ Peggy Curran, "Bissonnet among five more Team Denis Coderre candidates" Archived September 4, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Montreal Gazette, 9 August 2013, accessed 28 September 2013.
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