Vrai changement party misses report deadline
Electoral officer likely to levy fine for each day paperwork was filed late
Mélanie Joly’s tardy financial report is on its way, the former mayoral candidate’s party said.
Vrai changement pour Montréal-Groupe Mélanie Joly was the only party in Montreal to miss the April 1 deadline for municipal parties in Quebec to file their annual financial statements and a list of individuals who made contributions during the past year.
However, the party was set to hand in the report on Friday, three days late, Vrai changement general director Frédéric Lepage said.
“Our report was ready, but to file it with the city, it had to be filed with a report from an external auditor who examined the statements,” he said. “Our official agent prepared the report a little late, and it didn’t give sufficient time to the external auditor to file her report on Tuesday.”
Lepage said he expected Quebec’s chief electoral officer to levy a fine against the party of $50 a day for each day the report was delayed, as prescribed by the province’s municipal elections law when such reports are filed late.
Joly finished second in the mayoral race.
Her party pulled in $132,622 in personal contributions in 2013, Lepage said.
And because the party will receive a reimbursement of a portion of its election campaign expenses, it will have enough to repay the $112,811 in bank loans it took out to help finance the fall election campaign, he said. Vrai changement should even have a small surplus, he added.
Mayor Denis Coderre’s party collected $454,000 in individual contributions, more than any other Montreal party.
Even so, Équipe Denis Coderre ended the year $346,000 in the red.
Projet Montréal, the official opposition party at city hall, ended 2013 with the smallest shortfall — $21,000.
The coalition that backed Marcel Côté, who finished last in the mayoral race, reported it culled $323,000 in individual contributions. Coalition Montréal, meanwhile, had a shortfall of $174,614.