It took a long time, but Dominique Ollivier has finally seen the light: the number 2 of the City of Montreal has resigned.
Reminder of the facts: when she was boss of the Office de consultation publique de Montréal (OCPM), this organization allowed a clique of leaders to travel all over the world at the taxpayer’s expense, without accountability worthy of the name .
It was Quebecor media that revealed the existence of a huge candy dish within the OCPM.
Mme Ollivier was thus able to invoice travel expenses to the OCPM, which is not scandalous in itself. What was scandalous was that the OCPM was a sort of travel club for initiates: every excuse seemed good to get on a plane… While the very usefulness of the OCPM should have pushed its leaders show a little restraint and modesty regarding expenses, financed 100% by the Montreal taxpayer.
Mme Ollivier billed the OCPM for a $347 oyster dinner during a stay in Paris, for a colleague’s birthday. A drop of (salt) water on a budget of 3 million. An embarrassing symbol of free-for-all over which Mr.me Ollivier during his time at the OCPM.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Dominique Ollivier
Mme Ollivier defended herself with pugnacity… She refused to apologize, with great confidence, hoping that the political storm would eventually pass. The storm did not end up passing.
The Town Hall communications plan did not change anything essential: president of the OCPM, Mme Ollivier did nothing to prevent a clique of friends from spending without many safeguards, themselves contributing to these excesses.
These revelations stripped Dominique Ollivier, who had become guardian of the finances of the City of Montreal, on the eve of presenting a budget in the form of a tightening belt, of any credibility in talking about public funds.
Speaking of the communications plan… I quote the dispatch announcing the resignation of Mayor Valérie Plante’s “Minister of Finance”: Mme Ollivier explained his resignation by citing a significant quantity of “violent, misogynistic and racist” messages received in the last few days. “You understand that in this kind of context, while we have important meetings ahead of us […], it becomes absolutely impossible to allow the current controversy to undermine public confidence. »
After having reviewed on Mme Ollivier last week, I myself received racist messages questioning the elected official as a black woman. I am convinced that Mme Ollivier received these horrible messages. It cannot be said enough that women, and racialized women, are the targets of disproportionate attacks in the public sphere. It is reprehensible and it is reprehensible.
However, invoking these attacks to justify his decision to resign seems, once again, to me a denial of reality on the part of Mr.me Oliver.
What undermined Montrealers’ confidence in Mme Ollivier is this contradiction, for which she is solely responsible: we cannot manage public funds (as number 2 in the City) when we have allowed them to be spent at random (as president of the OCPM).
If Mme Ollivier does not see this untenable contradiction, it is willful blindness.
The rest is just spin policy.
I will also spare a thought for the Air Miles of all those who traveled on behalf of the OCPM of Montreal to spread the good word of “participatory democracy” (and for the $900 headphones of Ms.me Ollivier) when I notice the increase in my municipal tax bill this week.