Unfounded complaint against a councillor

Photo Chantal Poirier
Sophie Knight

Advisor To Sorel-Tracy

Matthew Payen

Friday, 13 October, 2017 19:14

UPDATE
Friday, 13 October 2017 23:11

Look at this article

The Commission municipale du Québec ruled unfounded the complaint for ethical breaches filed against the city councillor of Sorel-Tracy, Sophie Knight, in the framework of a possible purchase of houses by the City.

It is the mayor Serge Péloquin, who had filed the complaint. He felt that Ms. Knight had lobbied in 2016 on municipal employees to try to force the City to buy two houses while she was acting as broker on real estate.

Curve dangerous

The municipality of Sorel-Tracy wished for years to acquire the houses in order to redevelop the curve, are deemed to be dangerous, which joined the boulevard Fiset to Augusta street.

But according to the administrative judge, the comments made by Ms. Knight to employees of the City have been prudent.

“His efforts […] had for purpose to know if the City had an interest in buildings […], not to put pressure […], but in order to decide if she could accept the contract of brokerage in a way that does not harm the interests of the City,” wrote the judge in his decision.

In doing so, the counselor that represents the next elections has avoided putting themselves in a position of conflict of interest.

The judge also said that Ms. Knight did not use privileged information to their advantage, as the elected representative, since the City had no established plan.