Peter B. Yeomans is a retired politician in the Canadian province of Quebec. He served as mayor of the Montreal suburban community of Dorval from 1982 to 2001, was a member of the Montreal city council from 2002 to 2005, and served on the Montreal executive committee from 2002 to 2004.
Early life and career Yeomans was a director of development for Bell Canada before his election as mayor.Montreal Gazette, 8 November 1982.
Dorval City Councillor Yeomans was elected as a councillor in Dorval in the 1978 municipal election, narrowly defeating incumbent Michel Rioux to win a seat in the city's east ward.Rodolphe Morissette, "Quatre nouveaux maires sur l'île de Montréal," Le Devoir, 6 November 1978, pp. 1-3. This source lists Rioux as Yeomans's opponent and incorrectly states that Rioux won the election by 1,449 votes to 1,227. Several other sources indicate that Yeomans was elected to council in 1978. The article in Le Devoir misspells Yeomans's names as "Yeomals." He served for one four-year term.
Mayor of Dorval
First term (1982–86) Yeomans was elected to his first term as mayor in the 1982 municipal election, replacing longtime incumbent Sarto Desnoyers, who did not seek re-election.Montreal Gazette, 8 November 1982, A6.
In 1984, Yeomans championed a municipal by-law to restrict abortion clinics, strip clubs, erotica shops, and tanning studios to a remote corner of the city. Council later introduced a further, supplementary by-law to require a "buffer zone" between areas reserved for abortion clinics and areas reserved for sex shops. Several feminist groups criticized the by-law for placing access to abortion on the same level as the purchasing of pornography."By-law restricting abortion clinics faces opposition," Globe and Mail, 22 October 1985, p. 5. Yeomans responded that the legislation was not intended to pass any judgement on the subject of abortion, but rather to ensure that any confrontations or disruptions near abortion clinics would be kept away from residential areas.Rachelle Henderson, "Dorval 'sex bylaws' clear last hurdle," Montreal Gazette, 10 January 1985, W5. The by-laws were approved by Dorval city council in January 1985 and came into effect two months later."Dorval's 'sex' bylaw adopted unanimously," Montreal Gazette, 24 January 1985, W1; Rachelle Henderson, "8 residents oppose Dorval sex bylaws," Montreal Gazette, 7 March 1985, W1.
Yeomans also helped ensure passage of a by-law prohibiting the establishment of new commercial and retail outlets for one block on either side of the Trans-Canada Highway through Dorval. He indicated that the intent of this law was to encourage the construction of new corporate headquarters and buildings for elite and well-established firms.Elizabeth Thompson, "Dorval may face court over zoning amendment," Montreal Gazette, 12 August 1986, I4; Elizabeth Thompson, "Dorval land owners miss their chance to register objection to zoning bylaw," Montreal Gazette, 23 October 1986, I3; Paul Delva, "Pointe Claire, Dorval team up on high-tech industrial park," Montreal Gazette, 21 May 1987, G6.
He defended Dorval's only English-language high school against efforts to close it and at one stage called for the creation of a new school board to oversee all schools in Dorval.Rachelle Henderson, "Yeomans issues call to arms in school fight," Montreal Gazette, 24 January 1986, W5Karen Janigan, "Boards don't want to be cast as villain if John XXIII/Dorval High is shut," Montreal Gazette, 30 January 1986, W1.
Yeomans was a vocal defender of the Dorval International Airport throughout his time in office. During the 1980s, he strongly opposed suggestions that the airport should either close or shift some of its air traffic to the rival Mirabel International Airport.Elizabeth Thompson, "Suburbs gear for airport battle," Montreal Gazette, 22 August 1985, W1; Shirley Won, "Losing jets disaster for West Island: report," Montreal Gazette, 11 January 1986, G1; Elizabeth Thompson, "Dorval airport profitable: mayor," Montreal Gazette, 8 May 1986, G7. In June 1986, he led the Conference of Montreal Suburban Mayors in promoting Dorval for air passenger traffic and Mirabel for cargo traffic,Elizabeth Thompson, "Use Dorval for passenger flights: mayors," Montreal Gazette, 5 June 1986, F7. and he welcomed the federal government's decision later in the same year to keep both airports open.Elizabeth Thompson and Nancy Wood, "Dore, business attack decision to keep 2 airports," Montreal Gazette, 5 December 1986, A1. Montreal Urban Community By virtue of serving as mayor of Dorval, Yeomans was an automatic member of the Montreal Urban Community (MUC), a regional governance body for the Island of Montreal. He became a member of the MUC's executive committee in 1983.Max Harrold, "Yeomans stands by his record," Montreal Gazette, 15 December 2005, F3.
During his first term with the MUC, Yeomans was often critical of operations at the Montreal Urban Community Transit Commission (MUCTC).Daniel Maceluch, "Hanigan promises to improve commuter service," Montreal Gazette, 3 January 1985, W1; James Mennie and Daniel Maceluch, "Crashed bus was speeding: official," Montreal Gazette, 18 June 1985, A1; Karen Janigan, "Fast buses worry commuters," Montreal Gazette, 18 July 1985, W1. He contributed to a report released in May 1985 that recommended sweeping changes to West Island transport.Daniel Maceluch, "MUC transit board to give to West Island needs priority," Montreal Gazette, 23 May 1985, W3. In the same year, he supported a plan for large-scale infrastructural improvements and welcomed MUCTC chair Louise Roy's proposal of a fee increase to improve services.Ingrid Peritz, "Transit fares to increase to $1 if MUC approves," Montreal Gazette, 17 October 1985, A3; Daniel Maceluch and Marian Scott, "$150-million pricetag put on train-line fixup," Montreal Gazette, 31 October 1985, W1.
Yeomans was named as vice-chair of the MUC public transit committee in December 1985.Ingrid Peritz, "Montreal North mayor seen as first transit chief," Montreal Gazette, 17 December 1985, A3. In late 1986, he argued that new revenues for transit should come from increased fees rather than a rise in taxation as proposed by newly elected Montreal mayor Jean Doré.Irwin Block, "Suburbs ready to clash with Dore over transit fares," Montreal Gazette, 12 November 1986, A3.
Second term (1986–90) Yeomans was re-elected without opposition in the 1986 municipal election. In both 1988 and 1989, he led the Dorval city council in postponing its annual budget as a protest against the Quebec government's approach to property tax assessments."Dorval delays budget once more," Montreal Gazette, 19 January 1989, G1. During the 1988 protest, he was quoted as describing the existing tax system as "regressive, anti-social and a disincentive to owning a home."Stephanie Whittaker, "West Islanders spearhead drive to reform municipal tax take," Montreal Gazette, 7 January 1988, G3.
In June 1988, he joined with the mayors of Beaconsfield and Pointe-Claire to inaugurate a new sewage pumping plant, the function of which was to divert raw sewage from Lake Saint-Louis and contribute to the lake's eventual cleanup.Stephanie Whittaker, "Dream of a clean Lake St. Louis nearer to reality," Montreal Gazette, 16 June 1988, G3.
In December 1986, Yeomans added his signature to an Alliance Quebec advertisement that endorsed the use of bilingual English/French signs in Quebec and called on anglophone store owners not to post unilingual English signs.Marian Scott, "200 people back Alliance-Quebec ad urging ban on English-only signs," Montreal Gazette, 13 December 1986, A3. During the 1990 Oka Crisis, Yeomans welcomed Mohawk families fleeing the threat of violence at the Kahnawake reserve; he also condemned "marauding" anti-Mohawk mobs that prevented these families from docking their ships at Dorval and Lachine. The Dorval Hilton Hotel was used many times during the crisis for negotiations between indigenous protesters and representatives of the government."No amnesty for stone-throwers; Stain of racism must be erased" [editorial], Montreal Gazette, 30 August 1990, B2; Aaron Derfel, "Mohawks welcome here: Dorval mayor," Montreal Gazette, 30 August 1990, G1.
Montreal Urban Community Yeomans was promoted to chair of the MUC's public transit committee in November 1986.Lewis Harris, "City, suburbs split power on new MUC council," Montreal Gazette, 27 November 1986, A3. Shortly thereafter, he called for the province to finish delayed renovations on the Dorion–Rigaud commuter line and expressed disappointment when the government instead allocated the money for a road link to Mirabel Airport.Paul Delva, "Stalled renovation of commuter line attacked by mayor," Montreal Gazette, 2 April 1987, G5; "Road links to Mirabel are OKd," Montreal Gazette, 10 April 1987, A3. Yeomans later opposed the provincial government's plan to extend Highway 440 to the Trans-Canada Highway, arguing that it would create more urban sprawl and reduce investment in Montreal.Liz Metcalfe, "Area mayors divided over beltway plan," Montreal Gazette, 7 July 1988, E1. He did, however, strongly support the province's plans to renovate Montreal's Deux-Montagnes Line.Charlie Fidelman, "Modernization work to begin by 1991 on Two Mountains line," Montreal Gazette, 28 September 1989, G9.
In June 1987, Yeomans attempted to introduce a demerit points system for Montreal Urban Community cab drivers who failed to obey a code of conduct. Several drivers complained the system unfairly targeted them, and Yeomans ultimately dropped the proposal on the grounds that it was unduly punitive.Lewis Harris and James Baxter, "MUC plans demerit system to keep cabbies in line," Montreal Gazette, 11 June 1987, A7; "Demerit-system plan to get axe: Yeomans," Montreal Gazette, 21 August 1987, A3. He instead oversaw the introduction of a team of cab inspectors, who were charged with ensuring drivers were properly dressed and did not reject customers without valid cause.Lewis Harris, "MUC's new taxi inspectors aim to weed out bad apples," Montreal Gazette, 1 December 1987, A3.
On January 1, 1990, Yeomans's committee introduced a new fare structure based on a system of regional zones, in which travellers from outlying areas on the Deux-Montagnes and Rigaud lines were charged higher rates.Janet Torge, "Transit fares to soar for passengers from outlying points," Montreal Gazette, 11 December 1989, A4.
A Montreal Gazette ran an editorial in early 1990 that was strongly critical of the public transit committee's direction under Yeomans's leadership, arguing that it had become "preoccupied with secondary matters" and was avoiding "serious examination of crucial issues" such as declining ridership."Face the harsh facts" [editorial], Montreal Gazette, 21 January 1990, B2.
Following the 1989 Quebec provincial election, Yeomans replaced Sam Elkas as vice-president of the Montreal Urban Community executive committee.Jill Offman, "Some Rigaud line commuters to pay less in January," Montreal Gazette, 2 November 1989, G3; "Ten people to watch in 1990," Montreal Gazette, 10 January 1990, G1. Union des Municipalités du Québec