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The final week of Chelsea, Quebec’s election campaign has deteriorated rapidly into Referendum Redux, with accusations of dishonesty and deception circulating in emails and former ‘No’ campaigner Doug Griffin distributing a provocative flyer about the community centre’s funding.
Oct. 28 front page
Griffin, who’s running against incumbent Luc Poulin in Ward 1, released a flyer entitled ‘Candidates Green and Poulin are Still Skating After the Clock has Run Out’ on Oct. 26.
The principle concern is the $6.1 million in federal-provincial funding for the centre that is tied to its completion by March 2010, an impossibility at this point.
In an email written Oct. 26 to an acquaintance, but circulating among other candidates and forwarded to the Low Down, Griffin writes that: “Luc Poulin and (mayoral candidate) Caryl Green have participated in a cover-up of the fact that there is no agreement in place that would give Chelsea the $6.1M of the $9.8M”, referring to promised federal and provincial grant money. He accuses the two of a cover up and adds that the Low Down has “been quiet” about this, which he also finds “scandalous”. He asks the recipient for advice as to how to get the mainstream media to pay attention to this story.
When contacted by the Low Down Oct. 27, Griffin said he’s not accusing Green or Poulin of a coverup, but he objects to their claims that the funding is secure.
“I am saying that there is a possibility of a coverup because this is info they should have shared and didn’t. I can’t speak to their motives, whether it was ignorance or deception. So I’m not trying to interpret their motives but I am very confident that this info should have been shared.”
As for the March 2010 construction deadline, Bruce Devine, Director of Chelsea’s Recreation and Culture Department, acknowledged in a story printed in the Aug. 5 edition of The Low Down that, “it’s very obvious we won’t meet that deadline.”
Devine said a request for an extension would be placed to Quebec’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Chelsea spokesperson Charles Cardinal confirmed Oct. 26 this was made in late August, although there has been no response.
Cardinal wasn’t concerned about the extension, echoing outgoing mayor Jean Perras’ assurances at the Sept. 14 council meeting that there was no “gamble” vis a vis the $6.1 million.
Gatineau MNA Stephanie Vallee reinforced this sentiment. She said delays with projects such as the Meredith Centre aren’t uncommon and as long as the reasons are legitimate - in this case a referendum on the borrowing bylaw - they can be worked out.
“I will, should there be a need, I will address the minister (of municipal affairs) and ask that an additional (extension) be granted to the municipality,” she said.
Vallee said both she and Pontiac MP Lawrence Cannon, who couldn’t be reached at press time, believe in the project.
“It’s not fair to scare people off,” she said, addressing rumours about the funding falling through.
Mayoral candidate Caryl Green expressed a similar sentiment, regretting what she called “misinformation” that could confuse voters.
“I want people to vote with the facts, not vote with emotion only,” she said.
Building contract
Another item of concern is the $215,500 contract with project manager CIMA+. Cardinal said the contract is being paid with temporary financing - municipal money that is put toward a project once a borrowing bylaw has been approved, to be reimbursed when the money becomes available.
Some are claiming the contract was never signed but Poulin said that the resolution’s adoption at council, which took place Aug. 4, is the de facto signing.
Griffin raised alarms about no money being borrowed yet and no construction line of credit being applied for, which he links to the uncertainty of the $6.1 million.
“I guess he’s never worked in municipal council, that’s for sure,” said Poulin, adding that he had never seen construction money transferred prior to construction.
A question from the floor at the Oct. 21 debate asked all 13 candidates in attendance to state whether they would go ahead with the project. While several qualified their affirmations with funding “ifs” and “buts”, four candidates - Griffin, Geoff Bleich, Richard Herron and Liam Fitzgerald - said they would not go ahead with the existing plan if elected.
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Ms. Green wants people to vote on facts not emotion.
The lack of facts and the municipal manipulation of figures is what gives rise to emotion. People, myself included, don’t feel they are being told the truth.