The president of the Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM), Isabelle Beaulieu, should be fired on Tuesday, the Plante administration and the opposition indicated at city hall.
The two groups of elected officials agree to end the employment of Dominique Ollivier’s successor at the head of the municipal organization. Mme Beaulieu held more meetings in upscale restaurants and purchased $900 headphones at the city’s expense.
“The loss of trust is too great. Our goal is to move forward,” said administration official Robert Beaudry on Monday at a press briefing.
A few minutes earlier, opposition elected official Alan DeSousa had also assured that his group would vote in favor of the dismissal of Mme Beaulieu. “The bond of trust is broken,” he lamented. “The OCPM must be a credible body and the presence of Mme Beaulieu and others make this impossible. »
However, there remains one point of disagreement: while awaiting the appointment of a new president, will the OCPM be placed under the responsibility of the Director General of the City – as Valérie Plante wishes – or of an independent third party – as does the opposition want? Both camps promise to maintain their respective positions on this point.
Mayor Plante “protects her clique,” says the opposition
Valérie Plante is “ready to pitch anyone under the bus to protect his clique,” attacked opposition leader Aref Salem early in the afternoon, with his toughest charge yet. He criticizes the Plante administration for sparing the former president of the executive committee Dominique Ollivier and directing the spotlight towards the current leader of the OCPM, Isabelle Beaulieu.
“The mayor has completely lost control,” said Mr. Salem. “Why did the mayor end up punishing Mme Beaulieu without ever announcing anything to remove Mme Ollivier of his caucus or the executive committee of the Metropolitan Community of Montreal (CMM) – and the salary that comes with it? »
Valérie Plante responded by defending her action in the OCPM case.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Valérie Plante
“I have always said it: what matters to me is not to give the quickest answer, it is to give the right answer, the right solution,” replied the mayor. “I would like to remind the Leader of the Opposition that Mr.me Ollivier ensures that she can always represent with dignity all of her fellow citizens in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie. »
“I think it was important, in a legal society, to be able to give the floor to the people who are directly concerned, that is to say Mme Beaulieu and Mme Oliver. That’s what we did,” continued Mme Plant.