Liberal MNA thinks Coderre disqualified from leadership race due to tax issues

Former MP and Montreal mayor Denis Coderre walks to a news conference with his life partner Annie Pare Friday, June 21, 2024 in Quebec City. Coderre announced his decision to run for the Quebec Liberal leadership for the next election. (Jacques Boissinot, The Canadian Press)

Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre has disqualified himself as a candidate for the Liberal leadership by not paying his taxes, according to the MNA for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Désirée McGraw.

"Anyone who doesn't pay their taxes disqualifies them as a candidate. Sorry, but in Quebec, we pay our taxes," she said on the sidelines of the Quebec Liberal Party caucus in Gatineau on Wednesday. "I'm not the one who makes these decisions, but I hope that the rules (of the race) will be very clear that people pay their taxes as a matter of course."

McGraw has already decided to support federal Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez in the leadership race, even though he is not yet an official candidate.

Coderre's troubles with the taxman are mounting. On Wednesday morning, FM 93 reported that the former federal minister owed an additional $68,000 to Revenue Québec. This amount is on top of a further $66,000, which was already reported by several media outlets two weeks ago. The leadership candidate, therefore, owes $134,000 to the taxman.

Asked for comment, the candidate directed The Canadian Press to his Facebook page, where he wrote: "This matter is under control and will be settled shortly."

Frédéric Beauchemin, who is mulling his own leadership bid, hopes that Coderre will quickly settle this matter.

"I think it's important that we have a debate of ideas, and the debate of ideas comes with people who don't have this kind of situation," he said.

Interim leader Marc Tanguay reiterated on Wednesday that it was important for everyone to pay their taxes in Quebec.

"In the Quebec Liberal Party, it is clear that the laws must be respected, particularly the Income Tax Act," he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 4, 2024.