Jean Drapeau
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Jean Drapeau CC (February 18, 1916 – August 12, 1999) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Montreal from 1954 to 1957 and 1960 to 1986. During his tenure as mayor he was responsible for the construction of the Metro system and the Place des Arts concert hall, for conceiving Expo '67, and for securing the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Although a visionary, his mishandling of the construction of the Olympic Games facilities resulted in massive cost overruns and left the city with a debt that citizens are still paying.
In 1967, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. In 1987 he was made a Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec.
On his passing in 1999, Drapeau was interred in the Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges in Montreal, Quebec.
One of the biggest parks in Montreal, composed of Île Notre-Dame and Île Sainte-Hélène in the middle of the Saint Lawrence river, was named in his honor, as was the Metro station serving the park.
Quotation
"The Olympics can no more lose money than a man can have a baby." Jean Drapeau after Montreal won the right to host the 1976 Olympics. Following the Olympics the city was left with a debt of $1 billion.
| Preceded by: Camillien Houde | Mayor of Montreal 1954-1957 | Succeeded by: Sarto Fournier |
| Preceded by: Sarto Fournier | Mayor of Montreal 1960-1986 | Succeeded by: Jean Doré |