A Montreal elected official circumvents municipal parking regulations with a diplomatic license plate, has learned The Press.
Posted at 7:00 a.m.
Serge Sasseville, who represents the west end of downtown Montreal on the city council, drives a car with a plate normally reserved for consuls who represent foreign countries in Quebec. Beginning with the letters “CC” (for “consular corps”), this license plate allows him to use the parking spaces reserved for diplomats.
During Monday’s city council meeting, for example, Mr. Sasseville parked his car a stone’s throw from the entrance to Montreal’s temporary city hall, in a space reserved for diplomats on ceremonial visits.
Joined by The Press, the councilman explained that his late spouse – the lawyer and philanthropist François Dell’Aniello – was an honorary consul of El Salvador and was therefore entitled to a diplomatic plaque. Me Dell’Aniello died in July 2018.
“The automobile belongs to the estate of my late spouse,” argued Serge Sasseville, also a lawyer, by email. “I am the universal legatee of his estate. The succession is not yet settled. »
“We destroy the plaque”
However, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) indicated to The Press that the resignation or death of a diplomat normally resulted in the loss of his diplomatic license plate.
“When an official loses his title (end of contract, death), he must notify the Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie (MRIF) and give him the plaque,” said spokesperson Gino Desrosiers by email. The MRIF then notifies us in writing of the end of its contract and returns the license plate to us. Upon receipt of this information, we terminate the right to drive with the “CC” prefix plate, and we destroy the plate. »
Mr. Desrosiers did not comment on the particular case of Mr. Sasseville, but rather explained the general rules that apply to this category of license plates.
According to the SAAQ, 234 vehicles bearing plates intended for members of a “consular corps” are currently in circulation. Other vehicles carry plates for members of a “diplomatic corps” or the International Civil Aviation Organization (prefix “CD”).
Individuals who obtain a consular plate “are exempt from paying the tax on the insurance contribution, registration fees (including additional registration fees for luxury vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles) as well as the contribution to public transit,” said Mr. Desrosiers. “Note, however, that as of May 26, 2022, this exemption no longer applies to honorary consular officials,” he added.
Elected in opposition
Serge Sasseville spent more than 30 years in the senior administration of Quebecor. He notably held the position of Senior Vice President of Corporate and Institutional Affairs for 10 years, until 2019.
He ran for municipal politics in the 2021 elections, alongside Denis Coderre. He was elected councilor of Peter-McGill. After a few months with Ensemble Montréal (Mr. Coderre’s political party), Mr. Sasseville chose to sit as an independent.
“I ran with a team of so-called ‘star’ candidates and if you look closely, I’m the only one of those big candidates who was elected in the last election. In a way, I found myself an orphan”, he had explained to The Press leaving his party.
Mr. Sasseville also said he felt “discomfort” with the way Ensemble Montreal assumed its role as official opposition.