Valérie Plante falsely claimed to have no knowledge of sexual assault allegations against elected official
CBC
After a wave of sexual assault and harassment allegations swept social media in Quebec last summer, Valérie Plante said she was unaware of any such claims against an elected official in Montreal. That turns out not to be true, according to documents obtained by CBC News.
In September 2018, Projet Montréal's then-interim director general, Marie-Dominique Giguère, responded to two demand letters sent by a citizen unconnected to the party. The citizen alleged an elected official sexually assaulted them in 2012 (the official was not part of Projet at the time).
In her response, Giguère wrote, referring to Plante, that the "mayor and I take note of your client's demand."
Included in the response was the final report, dated May 2018, of a mediation process involving the citizen and the Projet elected official, organized through the party but led by an independent mediator. Neither are named in the report.
"We are also sending you a copy of this confidential report which has been read by a small group of people including the undersigned and the mayor," Giguère writes to the citizen's lawyer.
The citizen at the centre of these allegations declined to comment. The elected official defended themselves, calling the allegations "unfounded and unsubstantiated."
CBC News was not able to confirm the nature of the allegations of misconduct, but did see documents that show police closed an investigation into the matter in February 2021.
Given the above, the citizen who made the allegations and the elected official are not being named by CBC.
Youssef Amane, director of communications for Plante, defended the mayor's response in an emailed statement sent to CBC News. Amane said Plante was "right" because the "case was then deemed closed."
On July 15, 2020, Plante was asked by reporters about the wave of sexual assault and harassment denunciations that were being made on various new Instagram accounts.
"To the best of your knowledge, are there elected officials from Montreal who are the subject of allegations, from your party or the opposition?" a reporter asked.
"Honestly, as the leader of the party, nothing has come to me," Plante responded, adding that future Projet candidates would be asked whether they faced such allegations.
WATCH | Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante denies knowing about sexual assault allegations:
"I like to know beforehand and I act then," she continued. "There will be no second chances."
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