Ready to his party in 2013: the mayor of Laval found guilty

File Photo Martin Alarie

QMI agency

Thursday, 22 march, 2018 23:21

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Thursday, 22 march, 2018 23:21

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LAVAL – The mayor of Laval, Marc Demers, was found guilty of having lent a sum of $ 28 000 to his party, in 2013, when the law set the limit to 10 000 $.

In the judgment delivered on Wednesday before the Court of Québec, judge Caroline Roy wrote that “all the evidence shows, beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant made a loan to the [Movement Laval] knowing that he exceeded the maximum threshold of $ 10,000 fixed by the LERM”, that is, the Act respecting elections and referendums in municipalities.

It is the result of a statement of offence issued in march 2017 by the Director general of elections of Quebec (DGEQ) that this affair has been made public and has resulted in a trial.

The lawyer of Marc Demers argued that the Crown had not demonstrated that his client knew if it exceeded the maximum amount provided by law.

The judge wrote that the “Court considers that the wording of article 618 of the LERM does not, by implication, a defence based on ignorance of the law”.

Observations on the sentencing will take place on 18 April. If he is found guilty, Marc Demers could be hurt by a fine ranging between $ 5,000 and $ 10,000, according to Elections Quebec.

Marc Demers, who is an ex-policeman, was re-elected for a second term as mayor of Laval in November last year.

Resignation demanded

The leader of the opposition in the city hall of Laval, Michel Trottier, demanded Thursday the resignation of the mayor Demers, who has lost all credibility in his eyes.

“It is so disheartening, then, that the election of 2013 was to allow Residents to turn the page with the difficult years of fraud and embezzlement of funds, it is learned today, that even before being elected, Marc Demers was involved in the political financing illegal,” said Mr. Trottier, by issuing a press release.