Former city councillor speaks out

Alain Riel faces $750,000 defamation lawsuit

“I’m eager to proceed, to move on to other things and shed light on this case,” said Alain Riel, former Deschênes councillor, in reference to the court case against him by Mike Clemann, the British Hotel’s owner. “There are always two sides to a story and I think most people have heard only one side so far. My conscience is clear.”

Due to be heard this fall, the case was pushed back to February 2017 because key witnesses were unavailable. “That’s the only reason,” confirmed Riel, whose legal fees are covered by the city, since he was a city councillor at the time of the incident.

On October 22, 2013, Mr Clemann’s lawyer, Richard LeBlanc, filed a $750,000 defamation lawsuit against Riel.

The witnesses in question are current and former city employees. Most were with the city’s planning department in 2013 when Mr Riel described the destruction of the British’s west wall as a “criminal act”. The planning department has undergone a major reorganization in recent months, which could explain the staff’s unavailability.

Asked what he thought of the renovated British Hotel now, Mr Riel said that the final result is great for the city.

“We were vigilant during the  construction; there’s a cause and effect link. I say bravo to Mr Clemann and his team! I often go there; it’s a nice place on Aylmer’s rue Principale,” said Riel.