Updated

Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay has cancelled two public appearances this week, after an emergency meeting of his political party — Union Montreal.

He won't appear before the Metropolitain Montreal Board of Trade on Friday and he also cancelled an appearance at an arts announcement set for this afternoon.

Tremblay was supposed to make a speech Friday about his economic achievements for the city but president Michel Leblanc said the mayor called him in the morning to cancel his appearance. Three hundred people had already bought tickets which will now be refunded.

"He said he did not feel that he had the listening of the media and the population regarding his economic accomplishments and therefore he preferred to cancel the event,: Leblanc told CJAD News.

This week's deadline is also looming for mayors to bow out to avoid a byelection. CJAD political analyst Jean Lapierre said the storm of allegations and calls to resign may be weighing heavily on the mayor.

"He's got make his intentions very clear. But those are his two options: go now or go in a year," Lapierre said.

The cancellations come after yesterday's announcement from Union Montreal city councillor Frantz Benjamin that he was leaving caucus based in part on the allegations against the mayor at the Charbonneau Commission.

Photo: Canadian Press