![Former Chambly, Que. mayor Denis Lavoie arrested by UPAC](https://i.cbc.ca/1.4918761.1680086328!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/denis-lavoie.jpg)
Former Chambly, Que. mayor Denis Lavoie arrested by UPAC
CBC
Denis Lavoie, the former mayor of Chambly, Que., was arrested on Tuesday by agents of Quebec's anti-corruption unit (UPAC) for obstruction of justice and breach of trust.
Lavoie was accused of having voluntarily attempted to obstruct, divert or thwart the course of justice at the Chambly Municipal Court between January 2016 and May 2019.
He was released on a promise to appear on May 10 at the Longueuil courthouse.
Lavoie was mayor of Chambly from 2005 to 2019 and had a tumultuous term.
In November 2018, Radio-Canada's Enquête exposed his authoritarian style. According to testimonies, the use of threats, lawsuits and abuse of power were frequent under his administration.
The very day the report was broadcast, Lavoie had ordered the demolition of the Boileau bicentennial house, an important heritage building.
In February 2019, UPAC conducted searches at Chambly town hall. A few weeks later, at the beginning of April 2019, Lavoie resigned from office, citing health reasons.
The Quebec government then placed the City of Chambly under trusteeship for a period of two years. The Minister of Municipal Affairs, Andrée Laforest, said the decision followed audits by the Quebec Municipal Commission (CMQ) regarding the management of the city and allegations of ethical breaches.
"Glad to see that the whistleblowers have been listened to, that we have searched the file to the end and that there are consequences," the current mayor of the municipality, Alexandra Labbé, said after Lavoie's arrest.
In 2020, Lavoie was also accused of committing three offenses against the electoral law during the municipal election of 2017 for having made partisan advertising in polling stations.