Pamela Mattock Porter, wife of Arthur Porter, hides from the cameras June 14, 2013 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
December 13, 2013 - 9:51 AM
MONTREAL - The wife of former hospital boss Arthur Porter wants to escape Quebec's deep freeze for sunnier skies in Florida pending the next stages in her legal case.
Pamela Porter's lawyer filed a motion on her behalf this week requesting she be allowed to live outside Canada.
Porter faces one charge of conspiracy as well as another related to the alleged laundering of more than $22 million in the construction of Montreal's English-language superhospital.
She is accused of helping her husband, Arthur Porter, launder the money. Several people face charges, including another high-ranking hospital official and two former SNC-Lavalin executives.
Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for 2015.
Arthur Porter, the former head of the Security Intelligence Review Committee and of the McGill University Health Centre, faces several charges related to alleged scams in the awarding of a $1.3-billion Montreal hospital contract, one of Canada's largest public works projects.
He remains detained in a Panamanian prison while Canada tries to have him extradited to stand trial.
Pamela Porter was initially ordered detained at the end of June, but her lawyer successfully argued before Quebec Superior Court to have her released on $250,000 bail.
Under the conditions, she had to remain in Quebec and check in regularly with police.
This week's motion says Porter wants to live with her daughter and is prepared to agree to any conditions, including handing over her passport to Canadian authorities when she arrives in the United States.
Lawyers were in court Friday.
The motion will be debated on Dec. 19.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013