In the early seventies she became a founding member of the progressive Montreal Citizens' Movement, also known as Rassemblement des citoyens et citoyennes de Montréal (RCM) in French.
Daviau was elected to Montreal's City Council in 1974 over opponents Civic Party incumbent Aime Sauve with 17 other MCM candidates, and represented the district of Saint-Michel, but was defeated in 1978 when Mayor Jean Drapeau's Civic Party of Montreal took nearly all the seats at City Hall.
Daviau is the mother of Geneviève Bergeron, one of the 14 victims of the École Polytechnique massacre of December 6, 1989.
[4] The citizen of the year award recognizes an individual who has distinguished themselves through their work in social development, sports and leisure, or culture, creating a significant contribution to improving the quality of life of Montrealers, or to advancing municipal democracy.
Daviau was noted for these qualities over more than a quarter century, by defending the interests of Montrealers in municipal politics.