This article written in french by Stéphane St-Amour was automatically translated using AI
Four days after the disclosure of a reimbursement of approximately $5,800 for life coach training in 2023, municipal councillor Alexandre Warnet broke his silence. In a post on his Facebook page on September 24, the Laval-des-Rapides councillor shared his “version of the facts to set the record straight and make amends.”
From the outset, he acknowledged that “the past few days have been difficult,” which may explain his noticeable absence the previous day during the unveiling of the architectural concept for the cultural megacomplex and its groundbreaking in the heart of his electoral district.
Appearance of Conflict of Interest and Reimbursement
Mr. Warnet stated that he “immediately accepted” the request from his leader, Mayor Stéphane Boyer, to repay the entire amount to the City of Laval. “I do believe that no appearance of conflict of interest should remain, and I intend to demonstrate my integrity and good faith with this action,” wrote Mr. Warnet, who submitted a check for $5,820.61 to the city’s treasurer yesterday.
The appearance of a conflict of interest referred to by the councillor stems from his role as a “coach in professional and personal development” at a career and business coaching consultancy, where he also serves as vice-president and co-owner. This situation, uncovered by TVA Nouvelles on September 20, had prompted a reaction from the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Andrée Laforest. The minister and the Quebec Municipal Commission (CMQ) then agreed to expand their investigation into Alexandre Warnet’s expenses—opened 48 hours earlier—into opposition councillor Paolo Galati’s allegedly unjustified expenses from the research and support budget available to elected officials.
Explanation
Alexandre Warnet stated that the goal behind this $7,760 training was to “develop leadership and managerial skills as an elected official” and that he “never intended to use public funds for private purposes.” He clarified: “My intention was directly related to my work as an elected official, and only the training modules relevant to skills useful for elected officials were subject to partial reimbursement, as stipulated by Quebec law and its related regulations.”
In this regard, Mr. Warnet pointed out that “the knowledge gained and the skills developed during this training serve [him] every day in [his] work as a municipal councillor.” During the training, he said he developed “a strong interest in professional coaching, which made [him] want to nurture [his] potential as a personal and professional development coach. Therefore, [he] decided to offer professional coaching services outside of [his] work hours as an elected official.”
Alexandre Warnet declined our requests for an interview.
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