Denis Coderre’s candidacy for Quebec Liberal Party leadership in limbo

QUEBEC CITY — Former Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre has still not submitted all the documents required to certify his candidacy in the Quebec Liberal Party leadership race, according to an anonymous source within the party.

Speaking to The Canadian Press on condition of anonymity because the person is not authorized to speak publicly about the issue, the source said that the documents in question relate to his financial situation.

In recent months, media outlets have reported that Coderre owes about $400,000 in provincial and federal taxes — more than $130,000 to Revenu Québec and over $266,000 to the Canada Revenue Agency.

Coderre went to the QLP office in Quebec City to file for candidacy in January and said that there were no issues with money owed to the two tax agencies.

“I can tell you today that everything I owe to both Revenue Quebec and Revenue Canada is secure,” the former mayor said at the time.

In a statement, Richard Généreux, Coderre’s lawyer, has said the former mayor’s tax issue was “the subject of a global settlement plan for all sums owed, and everything is secured by his federal and provincial assets.”

Last week, Coderre still maintained that his paperwork was in order, saying that he provided the party with the documents it had requested.

“The party asks me for things, and I give it to them,” he said.

Coderre did not respond on Friday to a request for comment.

The committee responsible for authorizing the candidacy of party leader hopefuls normally has seven days to accept or reject a candidate once the necessary documents have been submitted.

However, the source told The Canadian Press that the seven-day deadline has not been triggered because it has not received all the documents required.

On Friday, QLP President Rafaël Primeau-Ferraro issued a statement, saying the process is still “ongoing” as it relates to Coderre’s candidacy.

The nomination period closes on April 11. The new leader will be elected on June 14.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2025.

Thomas Laberge, The Canadian Press