Denis Coderre awarded contracts to former lawyer and donor, opposition says

A lawyer who worked for Montreal Mayor Denis Coderreanddonated to his campaign has received contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars without tender, the city's opposition claims.

Projet Montral says lawyer Raphal Lescop and his firm, Irving Mitchell Kalichman, have been awarded $345,000 in seven contracts since Coderre was elected.

Lescop was Coderre's lawyer between 2005 and 2010 when the mayor was a federal MP. He also helped Coderre's party raise funds to the mayoral election.

Opposition councillor Alex Norris says this is just the latest in a series of contracts going to people close to the mayor.

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"There's a pattern we're seeing emerging whereby friends and close associates of Mayor Coderre, people who've raised money for his campaign, campaign donation solicitors, end up getting juicy contracts with the City of Montreal," Norris said.

The executive committee member responsible for infrastructure, Lionel Perez, says Lescop was hired for his expertise in commercial litigation and municipal law.

"The firm was given a mandate because of the experience of Mr. Lescop and it's based on the information and the experience in his previous files. At no moment was the mayor or the mayor's office involved in this decision," he said.

Perez also said the city sometimes has to hire outside firms.

Coderrevehemently denies wrongdoing

These accusations, made during a city council sitting on Tuesday, drew a sharp response from the mayor, who sat up several times to deny it.

"I don't accept this attack on my integrity. Mr. Lescop was at the time at another lawfirm, I haven't seen him since, and you just taught me what firm he's working for now," Coderre said.

"This has nothing to do with the way we award contracts once again, everything is getting mixed up to try to make the news."

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The opposition says it wants the contracts with Lescop rescinded and given to the city's own legal department.

At the beginning of February, Projet Montral asked the city's inspector general to look into the awarding of contracts to four of Coderre's friends and fundraisers.