CHANDLER: Minister of Municipal Affairs questioned in the Godbout case
Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist
Chandler is calling on the Minister of Municipal Affairs to force the resignation of councillor Bruno-Pierre Godbout, who faces multiple serious criminal charges.
Mayor Gilles Daraîche has already publicly called for the Newport councillor’s resignation, but so far, nothing has happened. Mr. Daraîche is asking the Bonaventure Member of the National Assembly (MNA), Catherine Blouin, to intervene with Minister Andrée Laforest.
“I have already spoken to Ms. (Catherine) Blouin’s political attaché, who is to send a message to Ms. Blouin so that she can intervene with the Minister of Municipal Affairs,” Mr. Daraîche emphasized.
Beforehand, the mayor asked the councillor’s lawyer about his intentions. “He may not have access to his emails. I spoke to his lawyer, who needs to talk to him about it before I can send my message. We’d like this to happen as quickly as possible to take the burden off everyone’s shoulders, even him. At some point, we have to disassociate ourselves from Mr. Godbout,” the mayor stated.
Furthermore, the municipal council filed a notice of motion at a special meeting in April to stop the remuneration of a councillor who is absent from the municipal council. “The gentleman is no longer being paid as of today’s meeting (May 5),” the mayor noted. In Chandler, a councillor receives $2,171 per month.
Bruno-Pierre Godbout was arrested on April 15 by the Sûreté du Québec. The 36-year-old faces 12 charges related to sexual assault, assault with a weapon, assault, unlawful confinement, and criminal harassment following an arrest warrant. The events allegedly occurred between 2010 and 2025 in Bonaventure, Gaspé, Newport, Saint-Nérée de Bellechasse, and Montreal. A publication ban was issued to protect the victims’ identities.
At the time of his arrest, the Sûreté du Québec alleged that Godbout allegedly used his notoriety to contact his victims. On April 25, the court ruled that the accused would remain in custody for the duration of the proceedings. After deliberating, Judge Denis Paradis ruled for the Crown, finding that the accused’s release would undermine public confidence, that he faces a sentence of between five and 10 years in prison, and that the evidence presented during the bail hearing appeared credible.
On April 29, his lawyer, Ariane Cayer, asked the court to postpone the case until May 13 due to the amount of evidence in the file.
In addition to being a municipal councillor, Mr. Godbout was employed by the Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) as a physical rehabilitation therapist.
The accused is charged with fraud, forgery, and using, possessing, or trafficking of a document. The charges were filed following a UPAC investigapro-mayor of Chandler during the suspension of former mayor Louisette Langlois in 2021.
UPAC estimated the fraud at approximately $10,000.
By mutual agreement with the Municipal Commission, he stepped down from council a year ago with pay while the case was being resolved in court. It was agreed that the councillor would reimburse the Town for the salary and legal expenses if found guilty.
Another case involving an illegal lottery dating back to 2021 is also under review by the Office of the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions.
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