MONTREAL -- Montreal mayoral hopeful Denis Coderre is denying allegations he made a secret deal with the Quebec Federation of Labour while he was in federal politics.
The former Member of Parliament for the Bourassa riding was trying to introduced four more of his party's candidates Monday in Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, but spent most of his time trying to explain his relationship with Eddy Brandone.
Brandone is the FTQ's former secretary-treasurer, and has suspected mob ties.
A book by two former FTQ construction bosses, Richard Goyette and Jocelyn Dupuis, alleges Coderre reneged on a secret deal in 2000.
The agreement was supposed to have been to change the Employment Insurance Act – if the union called off a demonstration in Jean Chretien's riding of Saint-Maurice-Laflèche.Coderre said he met with Brandone and others but denies there was ever any deal.
“So there's no secret agreement. There are some people that we've met as a matter of fact that we said, ‘This is the kind of thing that I agree with, this is the kind I don't,’” said Coderre.
In the end, the then-Liberal government changed only two of four articles in the Employment Insurance Act to the dissatisfaction of the FTQ.
