City of Laval to clarify elected officials’ spending regulations after allegations
After being cleared of misspending allegations by a provincial commission overseeing municipalities, Saint-Vincent-de-Paul city councillor Paolo Galati says he is waiting to learn whether he will be reinstated into the Action Laval opposition party’s caucus.
In a recent ruling, the Commission municipale du Québec said the vast majority of personal expenses claimed by Galati comply with the law and regulations in place.
Report raised questions
The issue of his spending had been raised following an investigative piece published in the tabloid Montreal daily Journal de Montréal, which had focused on Galati’s claimed expenses while overlooking those of any other Laval city councillor.
Among other things, the Journal’s report found that Galati had submitted invoices for expenses that included computer equipment as well as refreshments and food items.
He later said the computer gear was work-related, while the other purchases were used during meetings he organized to touch base with residents of his district. The tabloid characterized the purchases as being potentially for household use – something Galati denied.
A subsequent investigation revealed that Galati wasn’t the only Laval councillor with research funding spending issues.
Councillor Warnet’s expenses
Mouvement lavallois councillor for Laval-des-Rapides Alexandre Warnet was also found to be potentially straying from existing protocols for how expenses funding from the city was supposed to be spent. It was revealed he submitted invoices for life coach training, which Warnet maintained was work-related,
The City of Laval has since then made a commitment to clarify in a more detailed way how councillors’ expenses are supposed to be accounted for and refunded.
In a statement Galati read out during the January 14 meeting of Laval city council, he said, “Today marks the conclusion of a thorough and rigorous investigation by the Commission municipale du Québec, which has unequivocally cleared me of any wrongdoing regarding the recent allegations about my spending.
Galati’s statement to council
“From the beginning, I maintained my integrity and my belief in the truth, and this outcome confirms what I have always known: that my actions were honest, transparent, and aligned with the trust the people have placed in me.
“These past few months have been challenging, not just for me, but for my family, my team, and the citizens I proudly serve,” he continued. “I want to express my deepest gratitude to those who stood by me, believing in my commitment to ethical leadership and public service.
“This experience has only strengthened my resolve. I will continue to fight for the values we share, to serve with accountability and transparency, and to ensure our community thrives. The trust of the people is sacred to me, and I will do everything in my power to honor that trust.
“Let this serve as a reminder: truth and justice prevail. I look forward to moving beyond this chapter and refocusing my energy on the important work ahead. Together, we will build an even stronger, united community.”
No wrongdoing, CMQ said
The CMQ’s findings concluded there was no wrongdoing by the councillors, although it emphasized that the City of Laval’s current regulations provide council members with too much discretion in assessing whether their expenses are admissible or not.
The report included recommendations for updating the regulations regarding reimbursement from the research and support expenses fund, while suggesting the city provide more precise guidelines for certain categories of admissible expenses, including computer supplies and meeting costs.
May run again for council
Given the uncertainty generated by the Journal de Montréal’s initial reporting, Galati (who was also chairman of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board) decided not to run for another term in last fall’s EMSB elections. As well, he decided to remove himself from the Action Laval caucus until the allegations were cleared up.
While saying that he still hasn’t made up his mind about his future in municipal politics, he is leaning towards running as councillor for Saint-Vincent-de-Paul again, even though the elections are more than nine months from now. In the meantime, he’s waiting to find out whether he’ll be reintegrated back into the Action Laval caucus.