The mayor of Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs, who faces five theft charges for allegedly stealing bottles of Bacardi rum from a Quebec liquor store, has resigned. John Dalzell is stepping down as mayor and from his seat on the Pays-d’en-Haut MRC council, effective immediately, the municipality announced Friday afternoon in a news release. Crown prosecutors charged Dalzell, a former Montreal police officer, earlier this week with theft under $5,000 for alleged offences at the SAQ in Saint-Sauveur on Oct. 28, Nov. 11, Nov. 22 and Nov. 29, 2025, as well as Feb. 3, 2026. The charge sheet claims he stole a bottle of Bacardi rum from the liquor store on each occasion. He has pleaded not guilty on all counts and is due back in court on Jan. 22. In the release, Dalzell did not directly refer to the charges, but said he recently committed an act he “deeply regrets” and for which he takes “full responsibility.” “Citizens have the right to expect irreproachable conduct from their elected officials,” he said. “In good conscience, I can no longer carry out these duties with the credibility and serenity they demand.” Dalzell said the act was linked to a health problem he failed to recognize, and that he has begun to seek help. “I must now dedicate myself entirely to my recovery and to my loved ones,” he said. He apologized to residents, municipal and MRC council members, and municipal staff. He said he is proud of what the town accomplished during his tenure, including completing preparatory studies, the imminent launch of a town hall renovation project and the recovery of municipal finances. The municipality said its administration will continue to serve residents and will announce details on the interim arrangements and a byelection shortly. Dalzell said he would make no further comment and asked that his privacy and his family be respected. Dalzell won a city council byelection in 2024 and ran unopposed for mayor in 2025. He was the assistant director of the Montreal Urban Community Police Service from 1990 to 1997 and was appointed to the Canadian Advisory Council on National Security in 2005. Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs is about 80 kilometres north of Montreal with a population of 4,100. With files from CTV News Montreal’s Daniel J. Rowe
