Trois-Rivières mayor, who was on sick leave, resigns after 17 years
CBC News | Posted: December 27, 2018 2:24 PM | Last Updated: December 27, 2018
Yves Lévesque took a sick leave in October, under his doctor's recommendation
Trois-Rivières Mayor Yves Lévesque resigned Thursday morning, after being on sick leave for three months.
City spokesperson Yvan Toutant, a close associate of Lévesque's, delivered the news in an emotional appearance at city hall after council had gathered in a special meeting.
"It's for health reasons, so it makes the situation even more difficult," Toutant said, speaking to reporters through tears.
Toutant said he had worked with Lévesque during his entire career in politics. Lévesque served as mayor for 17 years and served as city councillor for seven years prior to that.
"Everyone recognizes the immense work he's done," Toutant said.
In October, Lévesque announced his leave, saying it had been a difficult decision but that doctors had urged him to take the time off.
He was supposed to return to work early in the New Year.
Toutant said Lévesque's doctor advised him that he would need more time off to recover, and that the mayor decided to resign instead of remain on sick leave with three years left on his mandate.
"It's not him to profit from the system. It was never a question [to remain on sick leave]," Toutant said, adding he would leave it up to the mayor to reveal he nature of his health problems.
"What I can say is that as soon as we started to talk about work, he started trembling, so he really is sick."
'Difficult and wrenching decision'
Lévesque was not at the meeting Thursday morning as he was heading to his son's home in the United States to rest, Toutant explained.
"It's with a soul filled with sadness that I inform you of the difficult and wrenching decision of leaving my post as [mayor] of Trois-Rivières," Lévesque wrote in a statement.
Deputy Mayor Ginette Bellemare, who has been filling in in Lévesque's place, is expected to continue taking over his duties until a byelection is held in the spring.
City council will designate her interim mayor at its next meeting Jan. 15, Toutant said.