The City of Brossard is a victim of the media, according to its mayor

Photo Matthieu Payen
The mayor Paul Leduc was Thursday before the Commission municipale du Québec in the framework of a public inquiry in ethics.

Matthew Payen

Thursday, 27 July 2017 22:05

UPDATE
Thursday, 27 July 2017 23:35

Look at this article

Accused of having published a declaration-partisan in a local newspaper, the mayor of Brossard said to have wanted to defend his City, a victim of hard media.

“The mayor has had to defend the City against a smear campaign “, says Joël Mercier, a lawyer for the mayor, who argued on Thursday in the framework of a public inquiry in the conduct of the Commission municipale du Québec (CMQ).

Me Mercier made reference to several articles published by The Journal in 2015 and 2016.

The facts that was discussed on Thursday at the CMQ go back in the spring of 2016, when the city councilman, Claudio Benedetti, has left the party of the mayor Paul Leduc to sit as an independent. The mayor then produced a statement sent to employees of the City and the media, and then published in the form of advertising in the local newspaper Brossard Flash.

According to the defence of Mr. Leduc, this statement was not for the purpose of defend the personal interests of the mayor, which would be contrary to the code of ethics of elected officials, but to preserve the image of Brossard.

Many business

Joel Mercier is income, Thursday, on some cases involving the mayor and his City, including the purchase of Italian furniture at $ 12,000 for the creation of the office of the mayor, the 99 000 $ affected in 2015 by the son-in-law of Mr. Leduc as a municipal councillor, the departure of six executives of the City and the setting-off disease of two others.

“It is the persistence of a journalist,” loose Me Mercier, who says he is slightly irritated by what he described as “sensationalism” and ” bad journalism “.

“It shows the context in which the statement was made, that of a campaign look bad in the City of Brossard “, he adds.

Photo Courtesy Of Sarah-Maude Lefebvre

Jean-Marc Pelletier

Ex-mayor of Brossard

An analysis that disputes the ex-mayor Jean-Marc Pelletier, who will be in the next municipal elections. “It’s too easy as an answer,” he said. This is not the City that is referred to, but Mr. Leduc himself. “

The latter speaks of a set of evidence against the mayor for two years. “Mr. Leduc is responsible for what happens to him “, according to him.

If the rivalry election seems evident behind these words, it is not sure yet that Mr. Leduc will be the opponent of Mr. Pelletier this fall. When asked about his possible candidacy, the mayor has indicated that he would respond to the question ” time and place “.

►The judge Manon Savard took the causeen deliberate.

►Paul Leduc has to appear in front of the CMQ from the 12th of September in another case, that of the Italian furniture.