A Blainville city councilor took part in votes concerning a major builder in the region, who says she has owed him tens of thousands of dollars for years.
“She says she’s not coming. It is her problem. That she pays us and that’s it […] it’s been since 2018 that I try to have agreements [avec elle]. »
These words are those of Sylvain Mathieu, co-owner of Groupe Mathieu, one of the most important residential construction companies on the North Shore of Montreal.
His firm, via a related company (Les habitations NB inc.), Owns the building rented by city councilor Marie-Claude Collin, who operates the Aqua Némo daycare there.
Photo QMI Agency, Joël Lemay
The firm that owns the building that houses the Aqua Némo daycare, run by Marie-Claude Collin, says in a lawsuit that the Blainville city councilor owes him money since 2018.
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In early June, the owner filed a formal legal action to claim $ 143,753.46 from the chosen one, in particular for unpaid rent and tax payments for the years 2018 to 2020.
This conflict did not prevent Ms. Collin from voting twice in the municipal council on resolutions concerning the Mathieu Group, including the approval of plans for the construction of homes, without mentioning her link with the developer.
Until our Bureau of Inquiry asked questions last week, no one in the City was aware of the quarrels between the councilor and this firm.
Appearance of conflict of interest
The internal conflict of interest management policy of the city of Blainville clearly stipulates that each elected official “is required to manage their personal affairs in such a way as to avoid being in a situation of conflict of interest in the exercise of their functions” .
It is also “forbidden” for an elected official to take part in decisions if he is in a situation of “conflict of interest or appearance of conflict of interest”.
According to municipal ethics experts, Ms. Collin may have violated this policy (see text opposite).
Former candidate of the Liberal Party of Quebec in the 2014 elections, Marie-Claude Collin is far from being a neophyte of politics. She has been acting as a municipal councilor for about fifteen years.
The one who also chairs the Coalition of Unsubsidized Private Day Care Centers in Quebec has been in embarrassment twice during her political career.
In embarrassment twice
In 2013, the Office of the Complaints Commissioner of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs responded to a complaint about an alleged conflict of interest concerning her.
Commissioner Marc-André Thivierge concluded by expressing “doubts” about two situations where Ms. Collin should have declared her interest when the City voted on the establishment of its daycare on its territory in 2010.
She also received a statement of offense from the Chief Electoral Officer in 2014 for exceeding the maximum permitted limit of $ 1,000 in donations to a political party by $ 150. Ms. Collin was ordered to pay a fine of $ 500.
Through her lawyer, Councilor Collin refused our interview request.
The mayor of Blainville, Richard Perreault, limited himself to commenting on the situation in writing, indicating that according to an initial analysis of the City’s legal services, Ms. Collin would not have placed herself in a conflict of interest situation.
The City asks for an opinion
Blainville, however, decided to take its analysis of the case further.
“We learned last week that Ms. Collin is in litigation with the Mathieu Group (…). As we do not have all the information on this case and that we always take seriously all questions related to the ethics of elected officials or employees, we requested a legal opinion from an external lawyer to shed light on it, ”commented Mayor Perreault.
The two votes in which the councilor participated
Last January, Marie-Claude Collin voted on two resolutions concerning the Mathieu Group without declaring her conflict with the company, according to the minutes of the municipal council meeting.
- Resolution 2020-01-013 on a site planning and architectural integration plan (SPAIP) for the Station 56 project. This is an urban condo project by Groupe Mathieu in Blainville. The PIIA aims to regulate the appearance of a project and is a step prior to the issuance of a building permit.
- Resolution 2020-01-038, however, on compensation that Les Associés du Nord will have to pay to the City of Blainville, in connection with land located in a conservation zone. Les Associés du Nord is the company that manages the businesses of the two co-owners of Groupe Mathieu.
– With the collaboration of Diane Meilleur and Marie Christine Trottier
A situation that resembles a conflict of interest
The situation in which the Blainville municipal councilor Marie-Claude Collin finds herself has “all the ingredients” of an apparent conflict of interest, believe two experts consulted by our Investigation Office.
Ms. Collin should have reported her situation to the City of Blainville at the start of her conflict with Groupe Mathieu and then refrained from participating in any decision concerning him, believes Danielle Pilette, professor at UQAM and expert in municipal management.
“Even though the lawsuit had not yet been served on her, she still knew she owed money. [au Groupe Mathieu]. He had been asked for this money. She knew that one day or another, sooner rather than later, it would turn into a remedy [juridique] if she did not pay, ”analyzes the latter.
Contribute through your vote
“She shouldn’t give the appearance of contributing by her vote to getting favor with a group just because she owes them money. [C’est le principe de] the appearance of fairness in participating in decisions, ”continues Ms. Pilette.
