In a mysterious and confusing turn of events, elected official Rosannie Filato announced her departure from her position as head of public security issues and will not be running for re-election in the future with the city council … these decisions thus raising questions of both concern and confusion amongst the community
So many plans were being made by Filato in recent months and her announcement surely brings up some questions across the board—the burning question on the minds of many in Park Extension, St-Michel and Villeray is no doubt the simplest one: Why, Rosannie? Why?
The work done so far
A lawyer, Filato resigned from her position as head of public security issues last Tuesday, wanting only to focus on her arrondissement of Villeray – Saint-Michel – Parc-Extension—a position she will also be vacating in a year’s time when she will return to a job with a sizeable union. In her time in the aforementioned position, she worked closely with the police and on a matter of issues including finding herself debating in a myriad of avenues, on the overall definition of the police, on systemic racism within the police and on discrimination in arrests—an issue that has gained prominence all over North America in recent months.
What the resignation means
And in giving up her responsibilities (as per her position entailed) on the executive committee, she is also ridding herself of $ 50,000! This info was made public by the City and reported on by numerous news sources. This little tid-bit of information only adds to the confusion and the seemingly hasty decision on her part.
Already replaced
And for the position of head of public security issues, she was replaced by Caroline Bourgeois, who is the mayor of the Rivière-des-Prairies and Pointe-aux-Trembles boroughs, elected under the banner of Projet Montréal in 2018, as has been already reported by other news outlets.
The lasting resonance amidst all the confusion
And as is always the case when someone in her position steps down for whatever reason, a lot of noise can be heard out there, both in the legitimate press and in social media. Unlike the amateurs out there, we can’t speak on why she vacated her position and plans on moving on from her work within the city council as well, and we won’t pretend to know, because she hasn’t made an official statement at what her reasons are yet, but rest assured, we will be on it, even if she so chooses to come to us to speak her mind and leave the position answering a few questions on the way out. We will be there and help tell her side of the story if and when she’s interested.
And in the end, her job wasn’t an easy one, whether you were a supporter of hers or not, and things were done along the way, things she sought after as an elected official, and no, her motion in favor of “Renovictions” wasn’t at all a popular war to fight and one that garnered her very few supporters out there, on the streets of Park Ex, but amidst the calamity that has been and will be her exit from office, we are all left to wonder what happened. Why now? Why before all she worked for was complete?
If in fact, her work could have ever really been complete. For an elected official, is it ever?
Of course, in politics, these questions are never answered. She refused comment to many news outlets, but we can only hope that a few questions are answered in time, when the time is right. If not, her departure and the work she did will be clouded in mystery, and at the end of the day, that’s no way to end a career.
We wish her all the best.
