When she unveiled her cabinet Tuesday, Quebec’s new premier, Christine Fréchette, pledged to “co-operate better” with cities across the province.

In fact, she vowed to be more of a “partner” to Ottawa, Quebec’s regions, Indigenous people, small- and medium-size businesses and community groups.

Her promise of a less adversarial style is surely welcome news at Montreal City Hall after nearly eight years of relations with a Coalition Avenir Québec government that often amounted to neglect and at times bordered on antagonistic.

But will Fréchette finally treat Montreal with the respect it deserves as a metropolis?

That is far from assured — even as Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada and Fréchette smiled for the cameras Wednesday, both sporting Habs jerseys while making history as the second woman elected to lead Montreal and the second woman to serve as Quebec’s premier sitting down for their first official meeting together.

The city’s list of things it needs from the provincial government is as long as it is urgent. And Martinez Ferrada has been expressing increasing frustration that Quebec isn’t giving the metropolis its due.

The mayor was literally reduced to tears a few weeks ago when two unhoused people died in less than 24 hours, despite her administration making the fight against homelessness a top priority.

“Montreal needs the other levels of government to be present … because otherwise we won’t make it,” Martinez Ferrada said, dabbing her........

© Montreal Gazette