Western Quebec Mayor Steps Down Over Inappropriate Comments

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The leader of a municipality in Western Quebec has stepped down following an attempt by Quebec’s Municipal Commission to prohibit him from holding office due to "personal comments" he reportedly made to local government workers.

On Monday, Benoit Lauzon declared that he would be stepping down from his positions as the mayor of Thurso and the warden of the MRC region of Papineau.

" I have decided to retire," he posted on Facebook.

His statement comes after Quebec’s Municipal Commission (CMQ).
applying
To the Superior Court of Quebec on April 23, aiming to bar Lauzon from holding municipal office for five years.

‘Intimate remarks’

The CMQ claimed that Lauzon had misused his authority over municipal staff by making "personal comments" via the Messenger app and in text messages to at least seven employees.

Lauzon chose not to challenge the application.

"After discussing the supposed violation of the ethical conduct code for public officers with the city board, I informed them that there was no point in wasting time arguing about the alleged improper behavior or shortening the disqualification duration, considering my choice to step down permanently without intentions of coming back," he shared on Facebook, writing in French.

The CMQ submission did not include specifics about the comments at issue but concluded that Lauzon’s behavior “significantly deviated from what ought to be anticipated from someone functioning as both the warden of an MRC and the mayor of a town.”

The CMQ stated that his behavior had eroded confidence in both his official position within the municipality and in the municipal institutions as a whole.

At times during conversations, we utter statements, employ certain words, and include emojis in our messages without fully contemplating their consequences, yet they can influence others," Lauzon stated in his Facebook post. "I apologize for this.

He went on: "That’s precisely why I’m stepping down early, prior to completing my term. This decision aims to prevent this matter from becoming a diversion and ensures that the efforts of our elected representatives and team members at both municipal level and MRC continue to reflect their dedication to maintaining high levels of professionalism as well as their steadfast commitment to enhancing the quality of life for everyone in our community."

Lauzon did not reply to Radio-Canada’s request for comments.

Since 2013, Lauzon has been serving as the mayor of Thurso, and he has held the position of warden of the MRC de Papineau since 2017. Additionally, he presides over the Outaouais warden’s conference.

Thurso is a community home to approximately 3,000 people situated along the Ottawa River roughly 40 kilometers northeast of Ottawa.

In January,
Lauzon announced
He decided against running for another term as the mayor of Thurso, mentioning that the MRC of Papineau had implemented new regulations prohibiting him from holding both the positions of mayor and warden at the same time.

On Friday, the MRC of Papineau stated that Danie Tassé, mayor of Montpellier, Quebec, will take over as deputy warden after Lauzon left the position.

"The shift will not affect the organization’s operations," it stated.
statement in French
, adding that it would provide no further comments on Lauzon’s departure.