Line Hamel’s father charged with fraud

Michel Hamel, father of Line Hamel (city councillor for Saint-Henri, Pointe-St-Charles, and Little Burgundy), was arrested on Thursday morning by the Sûreté du Québec. He has been charged with three cases of fraud and is accused of taking money from a real estate developer in return for trying to obtain a zoning change. He has been released on a $10,000 bail with the strict conditions. He isn’t allowed to contact borough mayor Jacqueline Montpetit and councillors Ronald Bossy, Pierre Frechette and Jean-Yves Cartier, and borough staff. In addition, he is not allow to contact the developer’s he was associated with, nor can he contact former mayor of Cote-St-Luc Robert Lipman.

Here are some of the facts as of Friday September 14th, 2007:

• Vision Montreal’s Sud-Ouest arrondissement councillors, Hamel, Bossy, and Cartier were questioned by the Sûreté on Thursday (Gazette Sept 13).
• Line Hamel has resigned from Vision Montreal and will serve as an independent until the end of the judicial process. (La Presse Sept 14)
• As of Friday, Line Hamel has refused to talk to the media on this issue (La Presse Sept 15)
• City of Montreal’s general manager has is strongly encouraging the employees and elected officials of the Sud-Ouest Borough to cooperate with the Sûreté’s investigation (La Presse Sept 15)

To read more of the juicy news related to this story go to:

• City councillor’s father charged with fraud. The Gazette (online). September 13, 2007.
• Le père d’une conseillère municipale accusé de corruption. La Presse. September 14, 2007.
• Editorial: La corruption de proximité. La Presse. September 15, 2007.
• Line Hamel longuement interrogée. La Presse. September 15, 2007.