Quebec’s chief electoral officer has launched an investigation into allegations of corruption in the borough of Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (CDN-NDG). A group of residents is also calling on the province’s anti-corruption unit (UPAC) to probe into reports that a city councillor was offered a job last summer if he pulled out of the electoral race.
City Coun. Marvin Rotrand has gone on the record twice this year, claiming that the former CDN-NDG borough mayor Russell Copeman made him an offer last summer to pull out of the electoral race in exchange for a job as the city’s ombudsman.
“Mr. Copeman approached me and made me an offer that if I accepted to not be a candidate, he would appoint me as ombudsman,” Rotrand told Montreal’s city council on Jan. 22.
Global News has learned that the following day, an investigation was launched by the chief electoral officer.
When residents questioned Rotrand at an CDN-NDG borough council meeting on March 12, he admitted that he never reported the offer to authorities.
“I still cannot honestly say 100 per cent that there was a corrupt intent by Russell Copeman when he approached me,” Rotrand said at the council meeting. “I still feel he should have never said that and I still feel it was wrong.”
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A group of residents has called for an investigation, considering the borough’s history of corruption and collusion.
“This is a type of collusion and corruption as was identified in the Charbonneau commission, that’s why we made a complaint to UPAC,” CDN-NDG resident Alexander Montagano said.
The residents received a letter from the chief electoral officer on Tuesday, confirming that an investigation was launched on Jan. 23.
Rotrand did not accept Global News’ request for an interview but over the phone on Tuesday, he claimed that he wasn’t aware of the investigation. Copeman was reached over the phone in Florida and he said he had no comment.
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“I’m not gonna comment on allegations,” city Coun. Lionel Perez said. “Mr. Rotrand made those allegations — it’s for him to explain why he made them now, and if they were to be made before, why he didn’t.”
Perez also mentioned that there could be serious legal consequences for Rotrand if the allegations aren’t true.
“In this municipal council, there’s absolutely no parliamentary privilege and people can be sued for defamation,” Perez said.
“These accusations are serious and troubling,” the chair of Montreal’s public security committee Alex Norris said at Monday night’s council meeting before adding that for now, it’s just hearsay. “It’s not up to elected officials to judge other elected officials.”
Meanwhile, residents are eager to get answers to their ongoing questions from both sides.
“If Copeman did not make the offer even better, at least he can get a chance to clear his name,” CDN-NDG resident Neal Mukherjee said. “But if he made the offer, at least the voters know, let’s have some transparency here.”
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