Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante collapsed during a news conference on Dec. 5, but she has since returned to work after consulting her doctor and taking a week off to recuperate. Video footage from the day shows Ms. Plante struggling to answer a question in English before stating she didn’t feel well and sinking to the floor. She explains that she began feeling dizzy and experienced blurred vision before deciding to sit down to prevent herself from falling and getting injured.
The mayor attributes her health scare to fatigue after a taxing fall session that involved presenting a budget, addressing a homelessness crisis, and dealing with a spending scandal at the city’s public consultation office. Ms. Plante says that taking time off to rest, do light yoga, and spend time with her family has rejuvenated her, and she is now feeling “up and running” again. She shares that she has learned to listen to her body and recognize when she needs to prioritize her health and well-being.