General

Two Quebec politicians allege Laval mayor offered them cash

Gilles Vaillancourt has denied the allegations

Two Quebec politicians have come forward saying they were offered illegal campaign donations by Gilles Vaillancourt, the longtime mayor of Laval. On Monday, Radio-Canada revealed that Serge Ménard—a Bloc Québécois MP in Ottawa and former Parti Québécois MNA for Laval-des-Rapides—was offered $10,000 in cash stuffed in a white envelope by Vaillancourt. That was in 1993, when Ménard was running for the Parti Québécois. Taken aback, Ménard told Vaillancourt that Quebec’s party financing law limits donations to $3,000, which must be made by cheque and the donor’s name must be published. A spokesman for Vaillancourt denied the charge. On Tuesday, Vincent Auclair, the Liberal MNA for the Laval riding of Vimont, said Vaillancourt made him a similar offer in 2002 (when he ran unsuccessfully in a by-election), allegedly telling Auclair, “Political campaigns are tough and you are probably going to need this.” Auclair refused the offer. “I’ve never been buddy-buddy with Mr. Vaillancourt,” he said. Quebec’s chief electoral officer, responsible for enforcing the party financing law, is investigating. Because the statute of limitations on breaches of the financing law is three years, the mayor could not be charged.

Montreal Gazette

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