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Commission calling for 120-day suspension of CDN-NDG Mayor Sue Montgomery

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The Quebec Municipal Commission wants the mayor of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce suspended for 120 days after she was recently found guilty of ethical violations.

Sue Montgomery remained defiant, though, as the municipal commission argued for a tough sentence.

She was found guilty of failing to show respect and courtesy to staffers, and for trying to suspend borough director Stéphane Plante.

The commission said it didn't want to simply reprimand Montgomery, saying that would be a pointless punishment.

The commission also argued the mayor has never admitted to wrongdoing, that she caused hardship for her fellow councillors and staffers, and, that not only she refused to change her attitude, but was likely to reoffend.

It recommends a suspension of 317 days, even though she has less than half of that remaining in her term as borough mayor. Some of those days would be concurrent, for a total of 120 days. 

Speaking to CTV News after the hearing, Montgomery continued to dismiss the commission's work.

"This is not justice, what's happening here," she said. "It's revenge."

Montgomery said she's been under attack for trying to dismiss her director, following a long-standing clash with her cabinet chief, Annalisa Harris.

The conflict took such proportions that Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante eventually kicked her out of Projet Montreal.

Despite repeated calls to resign, Montgomery not only refused to do so, she's also running again in the upcoming municipal election, this time surrounded by a new slate of candidates.

"I stand up for justice and I do the right thing and the right thing was to stand up for my chief of staff," Montgomery said.

The commissioner is expected to issue his ruling in the coming weeks, but Montgomery has already made it clear she will appeal whatever sentence is handed to her, meaning that she could remain as borough mayor until at least the election in November.

Correction

A previous version of the article stated the recommendation was for a 10-month suspension. While the recommendation would be for 317 days, some of that would be concurrent, resulting in a total of 120 days.

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