A QS MNA may even desk a movement within the Nationwide Meeting subsequent week asking the federal government to again down on its controversial funding.
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Québec solidaire will ask the province’s auditor common to analyze the $5-7 million supposed to draw the Los Angeles Kings to Quebec subsequent yr to play pre-season video games on the Videotron Centre.
In an interview with La Presse Canadienne, QS MNA for Rosemont, Vincent Marissal, was nonetheless surprised by the information the Coalition Avenir Québec authorities plans to make use of the Fonds de la région de la Capitale-Nationale, which normally funds tasks by neighborhood and non-profit organizations.
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Journalist Tommy Chouinard revealed on Saturday the fund had been elevated by the quantity crucial to draw the Kings and the expenditure can be unfold over two years, given licensed tasks normally can’t exceed $3 million.
“We realized in La Presse there have been every kind of tips to launch funds that had been under no circumstances supposed for that, that we did it by decree in secret, and that we’re doing it over two years for it to move,” mentioned Marissal, who’s presently absent from the Nationwide Meeting for convalescence.
The MNA didn’t hesitate to say the transfer “appears to be like like a misappropriation of public funds for non-legitimate functions.”
“It’s regarding when the federal government begins fidgeting with public funds on the whim of the premier who actually likes hockey,” Marissal mentioned.
Marissal alleged Quebec Metropolis Mayor Bruno Marchand “didn’t even appear to be conscious, as a result of it was carried out by decree.”
QS welcomed the few CAQ MNAs who additionally questioned the legitimacy of the transfer.
“I congratulate the elected officers who oppose it, and I urge them to specific their standpoint to the council of ministers,” he mentioned. “It takes braveness to problem Mr. Legault and to come back out in public.”
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Marissal doesn’t imagine the expenditure goals to end result within the return of the Nordiques to Quebec.
“It’s slightly an illustration the federal government is behaving like a beggar in the case of the NHL,” he mentioned.
Marissal is in favour of the return of knowledgeable hockey workforce within the province’s capital, however it may well’t be carried out utilizing public funds, he mentioned. “It should be carried out in a regulatory method, inside an accounting framework and inside the parameters licensed by the sound administration of public funds.”
QS MNA for Maurice-Richard, Haroun Bouazzi, may even desk a movement within the Nationwide Meeting subsequent week asking the federal government to again down on its controversial funding.
“It’s the one factor to do,” Marissal mentioned. “Frankly, it’s shameful, it’s inexplicable and it is mindless. Let the federal government again down — that’s the one factor to do. That is what the inhabitants is asking for. I gained’t quit.”
The Quebec Liberal Social gathering was additionally surprised by the transfer.
“There isn’t any extra room for manoeuvre within the state coffers. We realized this morning to subsidize the 2 NHL preparatory matches in Quebec, the Legault authorities is utilizing a regional fund for enterprise tasks and native non-profit organizations, the FRCN,” interim chief Marc Tanguay mentioned on X.
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“Quebec didn’t finance NHL video games on the Videotron Centre in 2017 and 2018. Lately, the federal government of Nova Scotia additionally spent nothing on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ go to to Halifax. By spending $7 million of Quebecers’ cash on this approach, do you take into account François Legault nonetheless on the cow’s area?”
The brand new MNA for Jean-Talon from the Parti Québecois, Pascal Paradis, additionally reacted to the La Presse report on X, mentioning the saga was getting worse and worse.
“With a purpose to give a present of $5 to $7 million to hockey billionaires, the federal government used a fund supposed for native non-profit organizations, short-circuiting the working guidelines,” Paradis wrote. “Is that this a ‘prudent use of public funds’? With the required transparency? Are we interesting to the intelligence of the folks of Quebec? It’s as much as them to evaluate.”
PQ Chief Paul St-Pierre Plamondon reposted the textual content on his personal X account.
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