Plante to reimburse $540 for Vienna wine bill covered by Montreal taxpayers
Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante is reimbursing more than $500 in wine bought at taxpayers' expense.
The wine was purchased during a dinner for 12 in Austria last spring, when Plante led a delegation on a mission to Vienna in April to learn how that city handles social housing.
Dinner for 12 people totalled $1,900, including $540 for eight bottles of wine. The bill didn't appear on any expense forms.
The expenses were discovered by French media outlet the Journal de Montreal through an Access to Information request.
City officials said they saw the dinner as a meet and greet "event" and, therefore, part of the mission and not a meal. Plante now admits that was a mistake, and the bill has been reimbursed.
While she wouldn't give an interview to CTV News, her team said in a statement: "This was an exceptional error made in good faith, which has now been corrected."
City hall opposition leader Aref Salem said it shows the mayor is too loose with tax dollars.
"She was trying to hide it for sure," he said. "The ethical code of the elected officials at the city - and we had courses about that - it's not allowed to reimburse alcohol, and it's clear at the city. Everyone knows about it."
On Monday, the president of the city's executive committee at city hall resigned following allegations she abused her expense account while at the head of the public consultation office. Now, the mayor is coming under scrutiny.
"The expense is not large, but it's the context," said Michel Seguin, an ethics and governance professor at UQAM.
Given that the city is saying finances are tight and taxes are expected to go up, spending taxpayer money on wine shows a lack of sensitivity, he said.
The mayor's team said it has made efforts to tighten spending on international missions.
The Quebec municipal commission said it is investigating the alcohol purchases.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Security guard shot, critically injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.