Long-time Laval Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt has denied allegations he offered two MNAs cash bribes.
Liberal MNA Vincent Auclair said Tuesday morning he was offered a 'white envelope' from Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt, and that like Serge Menard, he turned it down.
Auclair made the announcement following a Radio-Canada interview with Menard, where Menard said that when he was first running for office as a Parti Quebecois MNA in 1993, Vaillancourt approached him and offered him a $10,000 cash donation.
Menard said he refused the offer, but regrets that he never reported the incident before.
Vaillancourt, who has been mayor for 21 years, called a press conference Monday afternoon, and called the statements untrue, adding that he has sent both men a lawyer's letter demanding a retraction.
"Never, never," said Vaillancourt. "I deny it strongly."
On Tuesday, Auclair said that in 2002 Vaillancourt offered him an envelope, but he never looked inside and refused it immediately.
Auclair said that he never reported the incident, but that he was called by the Surete du Quebec's Operation Marteau director Denis Morin after the Radio-Canada piece aired, and that he is co-operating with SQ.
"I've been contacted by the police and I'm going to be co-operating with them and talking to them and they'll decide what to do," said Auclair.
Menard says he was offered cash-stuffed envelope
In the interview, Menard said he was sitting in Vaillancourt's office, and that an open white envelope lay on the desk containing a large stack of bills of multiple denominations, including pink bills. Menard had the impression it held thousand-dollar bills.
Menard said that he immediately refused the cash, and told Vaillancourt that legal donations are limited to $3,000 and must be made by cheque.
According to the report, Menard said that the long-time mayor of Laval then became very nervous and angry, and started to sweat.
Menard was elected as a PQ MNA for the Laval-des-Rapides riding from 1993 to 2003 and served as Justice Minister among other portfolios. In 2004 he shifted to federal politics and currently sits as Public Safety critic for the Bloc Quebecois.
Laval mayor denies allegations
Vaillancourt said Tuesday Menard and he always had a good relationship and that Menard told him he admired him.
Menard approached the mayor of Laval for a sizeable donation in exchange for winning PQ sympathy, said Vaillancourt.
Vaillancourt said that he also wants to know why Menard is bringing up the subject now, 17 years after the events occurred.
Resignation required: opposition
Laval city hall opposition leader Robert Bordeleau called for Vaillancourt's resignation.
"I think it's time to do a clean-up. It's time for Vaillancourt to resign and (give) the place to others who have better ideas for the citizen, and especially guys like me who have no friends in construction or other things," said Bordeleau.
