(Quebec) The Ethics Commissioner opens an investigation at the request of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) about the CAQ training on “media planning and buying” for future elections. According to the Liberals, this is “partisan training” paid for with public funds.
On Thursday, the constituency office staff of the 125 Members of the National Assembly received by email the content of a training course intended for CAQ constituency teams only. The information was sent by an employee of the office of the chief government whip.
The document sets out the rules to be followed in order to place advertising in the electoral context in order to “reach out to voters” and “to facilitate their participation in the poll”. It explains how to use the platform that centralizes information from Caquist voters, called the “Coalist”.
The training, in the form of a webinar, was presented on Wednesday by two party employees.
The problem in the eyes of the Liberals is that the operation “leaves a partisan role attributed to the staff of the county offices” as well as to the resources used by the office of the chief government whip. We also note that each page is adorned with the logo of the National Assembly.
“It is a presentation from A to Z which is partisan, denounces the liberal deputy Marc Tanguay. There are very clear rules. It is known in all the county offices: you cannot be partisan with the National Assembly. […] The resources are there to serve the people and not to serve the party. “
The member for LaFontaine on Friday asked the ethics commissioner, Ariane Mignolet, to examine the case. Mme Mignolet confirmed that she was opening an investigation the same day. His decision was also transmitted to the Chief Government Whip, Eric Lefebvre.
The Liberals also point out that the document asks constituency teams to submit their advertising plan before February 15. “My first instinct is that it’s early for a campaign in the fall,” says Mr. Tanguay.
According to him, this suggests that “it is clearly an option” for the government to call the general elections before October 3. At the microphone of Paul Arcand, on October 25, the Prime Minister had ruled out this option. “We will not touch that,” he said.
Not “partisan”, assures the CAQ
At the office of the chief government whip, it is assured that it was “not a partisan training”, but rather a “training on good practices concerning media placement for our teams in constituency for s’ ensure that all rules are followed ”.
“As an election year approaches, we wanted to remind everyone of the differences between the work and communications of our elected officials and what is partisan,” says on the contrary the press secretary of the parliamentary wing Marc Danis in a declaration sent by email to Press.
It was agreed, however, that an error occurred in sending the information to the constituency offices.