Small Quebec Town Stunned by Resignation of Three Town Councillors

Originally stemming from a disagreement regarding an alcohol expense requested by a library volunteer in Ste-Pétronille, Quebec, a political crisis has emerged, causing turmoil in the small village east of Quebec City and impacting its governing body.

The recent resignations of three members of the Ste-Pétronille town council mark the latest development in the ongoing conflict between residents and elected officials, leading to investigations by provincial authorities and the municipality issuing legal notices to a portion of its population.

When Mayor Jean Côté announced the departures of councillors Claude Archambault, Alain Laroche, and Lyne Gosselin during a town council meeting on Apr. 2, he did not disclose specific reasons for their resignations. However, the news was met with cheers from the audience at Ste-Pétronille town hall.

“It’s not easy to be a municipal elected official,” Mayor Côté expressed, acknowledging the challenges faced by his former colleagues. “We can understand their decision.”

With the departure of these councillors, the town council is now left with only four remaining members.

Mayor Côté outlined the events that have led to heightened tensions in the town during the council meeting on Apr. 2. The conflict traces back to last summer when a library volunteer’s alcohol expense reimbursement request was denied.

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Amidst ongoing reprisals from the library’s former volunteers, tensions escalated in Ste-Pétronille since August, sparked by their refusal to adhere to the council’s instruction against incurring expenses on its behalf without authorization.

Subsequently, residents began scrutinizing the town’s manager, Nathalie Paquet, especially her past employment in Val-des-Lacs. This scrutiny led to a petition requesting an investigation into her hiring, citing a letter allegedly from Val-des-Lacs’ mayor obtained through an information request, deeming the decision “incomprehensible.”

In response to the petition, a significant number of Ste-Pétronille residents, around 97 individuals out of the town’s population of slightly over 1,000 in 2021, received legal warnings demanding they refrain from defaming Paquet’s character and privacy. The local newspaper, Autour de l’Île, also received a notice.

This sparked public outrage, prompting the municipality to ask Quebec’s Municipal Affairs Department to investigate Paquet’s hiring. Mayor Côté reaffirmed the town’s confidence in the integrity of the hiring process despite the controversy surrounding it.

In March, residents circulated another petition calling for elected officials to engage more positively with citizens, encourage open discussions in council meetings, and ensure transparent use of public funds, contrasting the utilization of legal fees to silence citizens and the newspaper, among other demands.

This petition garnered 512 signatures, with Francois Martin presenting it to the town council on Apr. 2. Martin, in an interview, safeguarded the anonymity of other signatories to prevent potential backlash from the municipality.

During the town hall meeting, Mayor Côté addressed each point from the petition, indicating that the council had already implemented measures to address the concerns raised.

“We are deeply disappointed,” Martin expressed on Apr. 5, highlighting the need for necessary changes in response to citizen concerns. Both Mayor Côté and Martin acknowledged the troubling nature of the situation in the village.

Reflecting on the developments, Municipal Affairs Minister Andrée Laforest voiced her concern over the resignations of the three councilors, emphasizing the importance of a healthy working environment for elected officials and attentiveness to citizen feedback.

Mayor Côté, in an interview, described his colleagues’ resignations as part of a broader issue of municipal officials in Quebec facing challenging work conditions, leading to a significant number of resignations post the 2021 municipal election.

An ongoing investigation by Quebec’s municipal commission delves into the hiring process of Nathalie Paquet, adding another layer to the complex situation in Ste-Pétronille.