The race is heating up in Côte Saint-Luc with clashing personalities battling it out for mayor.
Incumbent Mitchell Brownstein is seeking a second term.
He’s being challenged by former mayor Robert Libman who is trying to get his old job back.
WATCH BELOW: Mayoral candidates from Côte Saint-Luc face off in debate
Libman is an architect and is listed on the Quebec Registery of lobbyists.
At at least one of his clients, Olymbec, does business with Côte Saint-Luc.
Libman promises to recuse himself from any deals involving Côte Saint-Luc if elected mayor, but he stresses that he’s not legally required to stop practicing as an architect — insisting there is no conflict.
“You wear a hat as a mayor, you wear a hat as an architect or an urban planner. When you’re meeting with mayors, if you’re meeting them as an architect, you wear that hat,” Libman said.
“If you’re meeting them as a colleague you don’t bring up any other issues and that to me is clear.”
However, Brownstein said even if it is perfectly legal for Libman to remain on the lobbyist register — the perception of a conflict of interest exists.
“I think there’s a very fine line and it’s going to be very hard for him to separate them.”
The potential of conflict of interest isn’t a major campaign issue for voters, instead they’re more interested in knowing where the candidates stand on the issues.
WATCH BELOW: Residents of Côte Saint-Luc have questions for their candidates
The measure of which candidate is best able to sell his message will be determined when voters go to the polls on November 5.
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