Four years earlier, the tone was different.
Mayor Coderre has nothing to hide and has always been transparent
, said then, in October 2017, the communications manager of the outgoing mayor.
The latter, like his opponent Valérie Plante, had unveiled his last tax return. An exercise that he had already agreed to do in 2013.
Despite several reminders from Radio-Canada in recent weeks, Denis Coderre’s entourage has refused to open his books this year. No details have either been provided regarding his various activities and financial interests in the private sector since his departure from City Hall.
This is an error in judgment, believes UQAM political scientist Caroline Patsias. Citizens now expect a more transparent democracy. We no longer govern as before.
It is good to know the state of fortunes of the people who represent us. This does not mean that only saints have the right to exercise public office.
Learn about Denis Coderre’s recent commitments in the private sector is completely legitimate
, insists Philippe Dubois, member of the Political Communication Research Group at Laval University.
It is healthy, democratically, that we know what elected and aspiring mayors have done, he says. Politics is also an exercise in perception.
Nearly 200 000 $ income for Valérie Plante
The outgoing mayor, Valérie Plante, provided Radio-Canada with her last tax return. An employment income of $ 195,800 is noted there, that is to say the remuneration provided for his elective position. Valérie Plante also owns, with her spouse, a building in the Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie borough. She said in 2020 that she had $ 28,740 in rental income.
Also a candidate for mayor of Montreal, Balarama Holness refused to reveal his assets. I was a student and unemployed [avec] very low income
, he told us.
For his part, the chef of Montreal 2021, Luc Ménard, sent us all of his income tax returns, as well as the land documents for three properties. In 2020, he reported total income of $ 303,029.
Close to the FIA and businessmen wanting the return of baseball
After his surprise electoral defeat in November 2017, Denis Coderre had decided to leave the political world. Invited to various media forums, he claimed to need to take care of himself and spend time with his family.
What did he do next?
On social networks in particular, Denis Coderre exposed, publicly, part of his activities, while remaining discreet about his real mandates. And he hasn’t been idle.
Less than 5 months after leaving City Hall, he joined Stingray, a Montreal music and video services company, as special advisor on business strategy and international development.
Denis Coderre and Eric Boyko, in June 2017, during an announcement regarding the expansion of Stingray’s head office in Montreal.
Photo : Stingray
This firm, listed on the stock exchange, was founded by Eric Boyko and Alexandre Taillefer, who was the honorary president of Formula Electric races in Montreal. The latter told Radio-Canada that he did not not at all
played a role in Denis Coderre’s arrival at Stingray.
According to our information, the mandate of the former mayor was to find clients and participate in the development of the company.
Stingray president Eric Boyko, who publicly backed Denis Coderre in 2017, declined our interview request. Like Denis Coderre, the company refused to give details on the remuneration of the former mayor, but also on his specific activities.
Eric Boyko is one of the businessmen, members of the Montreal Group, who insist on bringing a professional baseball team back to Montreal and who want a new stadium built in the metropolis. A project that Denis Coderre had publicly supported when he was mayor of Montreal, before being more cautious in recent months.
In the eyes of political communication expert Philippe Dubois, Denis Coderre should put your card on the table
. baseball, les gens se poseront des questions","text":"Sinon, à chaque fois qu’on parlera du baseball, les gens se poseront des questions"}}">Otherwise, every time we talk about baseball, people will ask questions
, he believes.
It can become a stone in Mr. Coderre’s shoes. It can be damaging to him, because transparency has imposed itself on the municipal scene.
Denis Coderre has always pleaded for the return of the Expos to Montreal, as during a stay in Arizona in March 2019.
Photo: Twitter / Denis Coderre
Liberal federal deputy between 1997 and 2013, Denis Coderre also founded his company in April 2018, a numbered company which, according to the register of companies, is a management and consulting company
.
From 2018, the name of Denis Coderre also appears in various documents of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), which organizes multiple events, including Formula 1 and Formula E, including the Montreal race, during the summer 2017, precipitated the fall of the former mayor.
Denis Coderre has been appointed urban mobility advisor
by the FIA. He has notably participated in conferences in Rome, Mexico City, Stockholm and Sun City, South Africa, sometimes acting as a moderator of discussion workshops. He was also a member of a road safety panel, alongside various personalities, including the president of the Olympic committee, Thomas Bach.
There is nothing to indicate, however, that Denis Coderre worked directly with those responsible for Formula E, who were, at the same time, in a legal dispute with the City of Montreal, following the breach of contract decided by Valérie Plante.
Denis Coderre was with FIA boss Jean Todt (to his right) in Sun City, South Africa at the end of April 2019.
Photo : Twitter / Jean Todt
From Eurostar to lobbyist
In November 2018, Denis Coderre obtained a place on the board of directors of Eurostar, the company managing high-speed trains connecting London, Brussels and Paris. This is partly held by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ).
This appointment was decided by the CDPQ because of the impressive track record
of the former politician, she said at the time of the announcement. The Caisse is also responsible for the arrival of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) in Montreal, and its development in eastern Montreal is a key issue for the coming years.
Eurostar redirected our questions to the CDPQ. And this one refused to answer us and to reveal the remuneration granted to Denis Coderre.
The latter was also registered in the registers of federal and Quebec lobbyists on behalf of Felix & Paul Studios, an entertainment studio, between February 2020 and March 2021. His mandate, according to these registers, was in particular to make representations [auprès de différents ministères] in order to obtain a grant
.
At the same time, Denis Coderre was employee of the Jewish General Hospital Foundation (FHGJ) as an ambassador
from May 1, 2018, wrote to us the Foundation.
His role? Mr. Coderre has worked closely with members of our Board of Directors and staff to advance our mission of providing essential funding to the hospital.
, we were told, stressing thatCoderre was paid for his services “,” text “:” M.Coderre was paid for his services “}}”>Mr. Coderre was paid for his services.
Like all of Denis Coderre’s other activities, this mandate ended in March 2021.
Denis Coderre visiting a Eurostar maintenance center, near London, in January 2019.
Photo: Twitter / Denis Coderre
For UQAM professor Caroline Patsias, this vagueness can increase a form of suspicion that harms democracy
. There is, she judges, a principle of the appearance of impartiality
.
Elected officials, like Mr. Coderre, who are coming out of their municipal careers, are like everyone else. They have to work. Companies will want to take advantage of their experience and their networks. But transparency is important, especially for people who have a lot of networks
, she believes.
According to Philippe Dubois, there may also be a strategic interest
from the team around Denis Coderre, who surrounded himself with political strategists. ” Speak [des emplois et liens précédents] would open the door to questions about the links that have been developed. It may serve the candidate. “
With the collaboration of Daniel Boily
