CMQ to review practices after Sévigny debacle

The Commission municipale du Québec (CMQ) said Wednesday it would "revise" its communication practices so that its decisions are transmitted more quickly to recipients while maintaining their confidentiality.

After being heavily criticised for the slowness with which it’s exoneration of Sherbrooke Mayor Bernard Sévigny following a complaint filed by Councillor Jean-françois Rouleau was communicated, the CMQ announced that it would review its ways.

Sévigny, who was hit with the complaint of ethics violations in mid-election, received notice that the complaint against him had been found to be groundless the day after he was defeated last Sunday.

The Commission says it wants to find the fastest way to deliver decisions while

preserving their confidentiality, although It did not specify the means by which it intends to improve its practices.

In a decision rendered on November 1, the CMQ ruled that outgoing mayor Bernard Sévigny had not breached any provision of the code of ethics for elected officials in the Well Inc. dossier. According to the Commission, Rouleau’s complaint was "manifestly ill-founded.”

The decision was not made public until November 6, however, the day after the municipal election, which resulted in Sévigny’s loss to Steve Lussier.

In addition to Sévigny’s entourage, several observers also criticized the fact that the Quebec Municipal Commission still sends its decisions by mail rather than electronically. The CMQ has cited the need to preserve the confidentiality of its decisions to explain sending them by mail.