The Liberal Opposition believes that Judge Charles-Olivier Gosselin’s appearance of independence is tainted by his friendship with Minister of Justice Simon Jolin-Barrette, who personally appointed him to the Court of Quebec at the beginning of the month.
Interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay said Tuesday that this appointment is problematic.
“The Minister of Justice appoints his boyfriend,” he said at a press briefing. There is a problem in the perception that people may have of the independence of judicial administration. »
Mr. Tanguay nevertheless remained cautious about the duties exercised by Judge Gosselin in the criminal division of the Court of Quebec, where he was appointed on May 3.
“The perception is tainted, but on the person of Judge Gosselin, nothing allows me to believe that he will not be a good judge, he said. It’s about process and about perception. »
The interim Liberal leader did not want to say if Mr. Gosselin can stay in office. Mr. Tanguay recalled that the Ethics Commissioner of the National Assembly opened an investigation into this subject at the request of the Liberals last week.
“We’ll see, we asked the Ethics Commissioner to look into it, we’ll see what she says about it, but for us there was a big problem,” he said. explain.
Commissioner Ariane Mignolet has agreed to investigate under the Liberals’ complaint, which alleges an appearance of favoritism and a breach of section 16 of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
The minister studied law with Mr. Gosselin. They see each other two or three times a year. In 2015, Mr. Jolin-Barrette celebrated his marriage.
More details will follow.
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