Quebec spends millions of dollars of your money every year on credit cards. Personal purchases with public funds, hidden contracts, interest charges for cards paid late, questionable expenses; our Bureau of Investigation discovered serious deficiencies in the management of these government cards.
Prime Minister François Legault spent $1,282 of taxpayers’ money to purchase an official Montreal Canadiens jersey bearing the name of Guy Lafleur and have it framed.
François Legault’s passion for hockey is costly to Quebecers. In addition to having subsidized millions for the arrival of the Los Angeles Kings in the Old Capital, the Prime Minister spent nearly $6,000 in 2021 on Montreal Canadiens jerseys, including one for himself, according to our Investigation office.
Photo Émilie Nadeau / taken from the Facebook page of L’Encadreur de Chandail
The Prime Minister refused to answer our questions about the relevance of such spending.
These purchases went completely under the radar because they were paid for with a government credit card. Our Bureau of Investigation discovered them by examining the purchasing records of Quebec government ministries.
For him and the other prime ministers
In March 2021, the Prime Minister’s Office used $4,828 in public funds to purchase 14 Guy Lafleur sweaters from the Bell Center store.
The Blonde Demon himself autographed all of these jerseys, paying $345 for each.
“To François, best wishes,” is written on that of the Quebec Prime Minister.
The jerseys were purchased with the aim of giving them as gifts to the prime ministers of Canada’s provinces and territories, as part of a virtual meeting of the Council of the Federation.
“The Premier of Quebec wanted to offer them to his counterparts. [Cet achat] also coincided with the end of Mr. Legault’s mandate as President of the Council,” indicates Cynthia Boissonneault, spokesperson for the Ministry of Executive Council.
Several elected officials proudly wore their jerseys or displayed them in their office. Ontario Premier Doug Ford even wore it in June 2021 after the Canadiens eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the playoffs, en route to the Stanley Cup Final.
François Legault has worn the sweater at least once, for a photo shoot in spring 2021.
François Legault with his sweater in June 2021.
Photo provided by Émilie Nadeau
A framer for $937
Then he had it framed to put in his office, again at the taxpayers’ expense.
In October 2021, the boutique L’Encadreur de Chandails published a photo of the Prime Minister with his frame on Facebook, thanking him for trusting them.
A few weeks earlier, an employee of the Prime Minister’s office made a $937 purchase in this Laval store, departmental credit card statements show.
It is with this framework that Mr. Legault appeared before the media on April 22, 2022, to pay tribute to the legendary Guy Lafleur following his death.