Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre acknowledged Monday that he accepted a $25,000 cheque from prominent Laval businessman and former Liberal fundraiser, Jean Rizzuto, while he was a federal MP.
However, he insists there was nothing illegal about taking the money.
Coderre says Rizzuto, who has no familial relation to members of the Montreal Mafia, gave him the money to pay for legal expenses incurred during a 2007 lawsuit between him and hockey player Shane Doan — what became known as the Shane Doan Affair.
At the time, Coderre had publicly said Doan should not be be named captain of Team Canada after allegations surfaced that the right-winger had shouted anti-francophone slurs on the ice.
Both parties accused the other of defamation and settled out of court in 2010; Coderre accepted Rizzuto’s cheque in 2012.
“The House of Commons wasn’t paying for my legal fees and you know, he felt it was a good thing to give me a hand,” Coderre insisted.
Speaking outside a press conference for the city’s 375th anniversary, Coderre insisted the cheque went towards legal fees and that he accepted it because, up until that moment, he was paying out of his own pocket.
He also added that Rizzuto currently has no financial dealings with the city.
On Monday, opposition party Projet Montréal argued that accepting the cheque was improper, and raises a red flag concerning accountability and transparency at city hall.
“It is very troubling to find out that the actual mayor of Montreal, a former federal MP, accepted a cheque for $25,000 from a businessman,” said Valérie Plante, Projet Montréal leader.
The party is demanding for increased scrutiny and better accountability.
Also on Monday, Conservative MP Sylvie Boucher asked Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson to launch an investigation into the matter to determine whether the money could have influenced “Coderre in exercising his functions”. Boucher’s letter points out that Coderre did not declare the gift, even though it was much higher than the $500 limit prescribed in the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons.
Montreal police, Quebec’s anti-corruption squad and the RCMP would not comment on whether they were investigating the matter.