The embattled mayor of Laval, Que.: I’m not quitting… yet

LAVAL, – A statement from the City of Laval, Que., says the municipality’s scandal-plagued mayor has not decided to resign.

At least not yet.

The statement from the city executive committee says Gilles Vaillancourt is still reflecting on his political future and will make an announcement when he decides what to do next. He has been on leave for unspecified medical reasons.

The statement today rebuts a news report that said Vaillancourt would resign on Tuesday or Wednesday, in the wake of recent scandals.

A witness at a public inquiry has accused Vaillancourt of pocketing kickbacks from construction contracts. He has also been accused, over the years, of offering provincial politicians cash bribes. Vaillancourt has angrily denied those accusations.

Police, however, have recently raided the mayor’s home and residences in Laval, a Montreal-area suburb that is Quebec’s third-largest municipality.

Meanwhile, another embattled mayor is back at work today. Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay had also taken time off at the end of last week.

Tremblay has never been accused of benefiting financially from corruption. But a witness at the iqnuiry last week testified that he was aware of, and indifferent to, illegal financing within his political party.