MONTREAL -- Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre said there was no favouritism shown him when Quebec Minister of Health Christian Dube's office helped Coderre book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment for his parents.
Coderre took to Twitter to thank the minister for helping him set up an appointment for his 90-year-old father and 83-year-old mother, who will accompany him.
"There was a computer problem to make an appointment for the vaccination of my parents and they resolved the situation," Coderre wrote. “Bravo and thank you, Christian."
Reaction was swift to suggest the former mayor and federal immigration minister from Joliette, Quebec was boasting about being shown favouritism due to his political connections.
"I understand using his contacts, but a little shame about bragging about it would have been in order," responded Twitter user Maxime Sauriol.
After being accused of receiving special treatment, Coderre snapped back at the suggestion.
"It's true that helping to solve a computer problem for thousands of people is special treatment," Coderre wrote with an eye-rolling emoji to hammer home the point.
Coderre said he did not contact Dube directly, but just noted a problem on the site that was resolved.
Dube said in a news conference Thursday that the government received thousands of calls on the first day when citizens over 85 years old could book appointments.
"You should see the number of calls that I have received this morning asking questions,” Dube said. “What we told them (all is), ‘This is the way you should do it.’ There is no favouritism at all."
