Coderre says unpaid tax issues will be resolved by January

The former mayor of Montreal and former federal minister Denis Coderre is a candidate for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party. Photo taken in Quebec City on 21 June 2024. (The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot)

Denis Coderre still hasn't sorted out his tax problems. More discreet for some time now, the former mayor of Montreal insists that his situation will be resolved before the start of the Liberal leadership race in January.

Several media outlets have reported that Coderre owes approximately $134,000 to Revenu Québec. He has always remained tight-lipped about the details surrounding this story, citing a "confidentiality agreement."

"It's coming. It will be done by January. I still have to finalize things, but everything is going very well," he said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

At the Quebec Liberal Party caucus in September, MNA Désirée McGraw - who is supporting Pablo Rodriguez for the leadership - said that Coderre had disqualified himself as a candidate for the Liberal leadership by not paying his taxes.

McGraw is not the only elected official who has given her support to a candidate. Her colleagues André Fortin, Madwa-Nika Cadet and Virginie Dufour have chosen to support Charles Milliard.

Sona Lakhoyan Olivier, the MNA for Chomedey, has given her support to the MNA for Marguerite-Bourgeoys, Frédéric Beauchemin.

But there is still no support for Denis Coderre. The former mayor isn't too bothered.

"Some people can't take a stand because they have an official position. Relations between myself and several members of the caucus are very good," he said.

Tax lawyer Marc Bélanger also has no support within the caucus.

The former mayor of Montreal justified his recent secrecy by saying that he was working on his political programme, which he plans to unveil in January, and in which he wants to give more power to municipalities.

"I want municipalities to be able to deal directly with the Government of Canada (...) The municipal level should be on the same footing as the provincial and federal levels," he said.

The Montarville Liberal Association submitted a proposal, to be debated at the party's next convention in November, aimed at reducing the influence of young people in choosing the next leader.

Coderre said he is against it. "You don't put toothpaste back in the tube. I completely agree with that, and we're staying the way we are," he said.

The Liberal leadership race officially begins in January 2025. The new party leader will be chosen in the summer of that year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 16, 2024.