Opening day of the brand new Nationwide Meeting session was marked by tense exchanges between the Legault authorities and the opposition events.
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QUEBEC — The Parti Québécois is asking on the federal government to tighten up Quebec’s political financing guidelines, making it unlawful for cupboard ministers to attend fundraising occasions, following allegations that two Coalition Avenir Québec MNAs tried to promote entry to ministers for a $100 donation to the social gathering’s electoral fund.
Thrown on the defensive on the opening day of the legislature’s winter sitting, the federal government stated Tuesday that Quebec’s ethics commissioner is already investigating the allegations involving these MNAs: Rousseau driving’s Louis-Charles Thouin and Chauveau’s Sylvain Lévesque.
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Firing again on the PQ, CAQ home chief Simon Jolin-Barrette stated social gathering chief Paul St-Pierre Plamondon ought to look in his personal yard as a result of certainly one of his MNAs, Pascal Bérubé of Matane-Matapédia, used to tour Quebec ridings when he was tourism minister in a PQ authorities, promoting his presence at fundraisers to fire up donations.
“Ought to Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon ask Mr. Bérubé to apologize for having participated in financing cocktails, for saying he was joyful to go within the ridings of his colleagues to lift funds?” Jolin-Barrette requested reporters.
He deflected questions concerning the CAQ’s personal MNAs by saying fundraising cocktails are allowed underneath the legislation and all Quebec’s political events participate. The federal government awaits the report from the ethics commissioner on the 2 CAQ circumstances, he stated.
“If there is a matter, we’re open (to appearing),” Jolin-Barrette stated.
The problem roared again to life later in the course of the first query interval of the season, when Québec solidaire ethics critic Vincent Marissal requested the federal government to elucidate a Presse Canadienne report that Quebec mayors have contributed a complete of $100,000 to the CAQ social gathering fund since 2021.
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He then raised one other doable ethics case, saying he has a replica of a display seize displaying an alternate of messages between a North Shore enterprise particular person and the CAQ MNA for René-Lévesque driving, Yves Montigny, by which he says Montigny seems to hunt a contribution of $100 for a gathering with a minister.
Within the alternate, which was launched to the media, Montigny tells the enterprise particular person: “I do know we didn’t all the time do what you needed, however this can be a superb event to talk to a minister.”
“Ought to Quebecers be frightened to see the CAQ cost for entry to ministers?” Marissal fired throughout the ground at Jolin-Barrette. “With every passing day, it’s an increasing number of clear {that a} system exists.”
Hopping to his toes, a livid Jolin-Barrette accused Marissal of “slinging mud” and discrediting the political class for no purpose.
“There isn’t any technique,” Jolin-Barrette stated. “I discover this unhappy that the MNA raises this in the home. Residents are allowed to contribute to any social gathering they need, however on no account was anybody subjected to affect for $100.”
The talk marred the CAQ’s first day of making an attempt to get again on observe politically within the new session.
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Whereas Premier François Legault didn’t converse to the media Tuesday, he tried to place a lid on the controversy final week at a celebration caucus. He stated no person in Quebec has to pay to satisfy a minister, including that if there’s a downside with the wording of invites to cocktails, they are going to be modified.
On Tuesday, deputy premier Geneviève Guilbault, who was talked about because the minister focused within the Thouin case, did reply and tried to quash the story.
“I personally all the time observe the foundations,” she stated. “All politicians have to lift cash — the PLQ, the PQ. All of us do the identical.
“I need to be very clear on the actual fact no person has to pay to speak to me,” Guilbault stated. “No mayor in the entire nation of Quebec has to pay to speak to me. I’ve met with greater than 100 mayors within the final 12 months. I discuss to mayors very often. The concept they must pay to speak to me is absurd.”
However the opposition has different concepts and needs to maintain the story alive.
St-Pierre Plamondon kicked off the day with a information convention by which he referred to as on the federal government to use Article 57 of the 2011 Charbonneau Fee on the development business, which might ban ministers and their personnel from soliciting political contributions from suppliers who profit from authorities contracts and support.
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Conceding the allegations involving the 2 CAQ MNAs should not the identical because the scenario again in 2011, St-Pierre Plamondon however stated: “We don’t need to return to the Charest period” — a reference to allegations concerning the Liberal social gathering’s fundraising system again then.
“I perceive they’re $100 donations, which isn’t what the Charbonneau Fee found,” St-Pierre Plamondon stated. “But it surely’s the identical downside: cash for affect, linking political financing with entry to elected officers or advancing information, and that is unacceptable.”
He introduced that if elected, a PQ authorities wouldn’t permit ministers to attend fundraising cocktails.
After query interval, St-Pierre Plamondon tabled a movement calling on the federal government to place in place Article 57 of the Charbonneau Fee. The movement was adopted unanimously by all MNAs.
Different opposition events waded in. QS co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois dismissed the CAQ’s place on the alleged circumstances involving their MNAs.
“Mr. Legault pleads these are coincidences,” Nadeau-Dubois stated. “I’m discovering there are beginning to be lots of coincidences.”
Liberal home chief Monsef Derraji was cautious in his remarks, saying he desires to see what the ethics fee guidelines. However he stated he finds the studies of questionable ethics “very alarming.”
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