Expelled from Projet Montréal a year ago, councilor Julie-Pascale Provost brought a libel suit against Valérie Plante’s party.
The councilor of the Canal district accuses the mayoress of the borough of Lachine, Maja Vodanovic, of having “ordered a smear campaign” against her and of having made defamatory remarks against her during council meetings. district held in December 2020 and February 2021. In her pursuit, Ms. Provost mentions Ms. Vodanovic’s “crises” during working sessions, her “lack of respect” and “inconsistencies”.
Projet Montréal was “not very active” in trying to resolve the situation, the party being “very busy” with the files of Giuliana Fumagalli, mayor of Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension, and Sue Montgomery, mayor of Côte- des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, can we read in the continuation.
Ms. Provost posted a redacted version of her originating claim on her Facebook page on Saturday. According to Radio-Canada, the elected representative is claiming $ 80,000 from Projet Montréal and Maja Vodanovic.
Ms. Provost maintains that the day after the 2017 elections, labor relations problems began between her and Mayor Vodanovic who, according to the elected official, was acting without consultation and unilaterally without informing councilors. The advisor had a disagreement with Maja Vodanovic concerning the Lachine Marina file that Projet Montreal wanted to close in order to develop a park.
Julie-Pascale Provost considers that relations were also difficult between Ms. Vodanovic and the other elected officials. “Mayor Vodanovic was acting as a rival against the other councilors and the latter did not want to be associated with Vodanovic,” the lawsuit said.
The elected official claims to have filed a harassment complaint against Mayor Vodanovic in September 2020.
It was by text message, on October 23, 2020, that Projet Montréal informed her of her exclusion from the caucus. The elected representative also accuses Projet Montreal of having sent several journalists press releases containing “defamatory remarks” against her.
Julie-Pascale Provost asks the court for retractions from Projet Montréal and claims $ 80,000 in moral damages and punitive damages.
Remember that Julie-Pascale Provost had been recruited by Denis Coderre to run for mayor of Lachine under the banner of Ensemble Montréal in anticipation of the November 7 election. However, she withdrew from the race last September. Denis Coderre then demanded that all candidates of Ensemble Montreal be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Projet Montréal declined to comment on Ms. Provost’s allegations given the proceedings before the courts.