The mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, assures that she had nothing to do with the suspension of Philippe Pichet from his position as police chief in 2017 after a devastating report.
“I had no role [dans la transaction] because I am neither a lawyer nor human resources,” assured Valérie Plante Thursday morning at the Montreal courthouse.
Since Monday, Philippe Pichet has been trying to demonstrate that he was the victim of a “disguised dismissal” when he was suspended from his position as head of the Montreal City Police Service (SPVM) following a devastating administrative investigation into the police force in 2017.
He had been appointed head of the police force two years earlier.
The former big boss of the Montreal police was suspended with pay before finally officially relinquishing his position in June 2018, following an agreement with the City.
“I had no role [dans la transaction] because I am neither a lawyer nor in human resources,” argued Valérie Plante during her testimony.
Under the agreement, Mr. Pichet remained employed by the police force, but was on sick leave for many months, before finally retiring last November.
Multiple springs
The one who says he was “humiliated” and “thrown under the bus” has since multiplied legal appeals in order to “seek the truth”.
Mr. Pichet, represented by Me Daniel Rochefort, currently relies on the Police Act, which allows him to be heard “as a last resort” by three judges of the Court of Quebec.
If he wins his case, this would open several doors for him, certainly facilitating the search for compensation.
At the same time, Philippe Pichet filed a $2.9M lawsuit in 2021 against the City of Montreal. However, there was no follow-up as the former number one of the police in Montreal had not respected administrative deadlines.
The former head of the SPVM also filed two complaints of psychological harassment with the Administrative Labor Tribunal against the City of Montreal. Valérie Plante, who had to testify there, was then satisfied with answers similar to those heard on Thursday.
The trial is scheduled for another week. Other influential figures from the municipal world, including the former mayor of the metropolis Denis Coderre and the deputy director general of the City of Montreal, Martin Prud’homme, should possibly be heard in the coming days. However, several have already indicated that they will try to quash the subpoena.
More details will follow…
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