A Liberal government led by Denis Coderre would let his ministers participate in his party’s fundraising cocktails.
This was indicated by the potential candidate for leadership of the PLQ, in the midst of controversy over the financing methods of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ).
According to him, a fundraising cocktail is an “extraordinary platform” for being better informed and making contact with citizens.
For almost three weeks, the opposition has accused the CAQ of having dangled access to ministers during cocktails in exchange for a $100 donation to the party fund.
However, the law allows any person to contribute to the fund of a political party up to a maximum of $100 per year, but without compensation.
Last Thursday, new controversy: in October the CAQ invited a bereaved couple who were on a crusade to lower the alcohol limit while driving to pay $100 per person in order to speak for two minutes to the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault.
At the end of January, PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said that if he took power, he would prohibit his ministers from taking part in fundraising activities, to avoid any conflict of interest.
But a PLQ led by former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre would not follow this path.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, he said that if he was elected leader of the PLQ and formed the next government in 2026, he would continue to let his ministers take part in fundraising activities.
“I don’t think a journalist can be bought for $100, much less an elected official. If you are purchasable for $100, we have a damn problem,” he said, which echoes what François Legault maintains as an argument, that his ministers are not purchasable.
If people come to approach him at a cocktail “to talk about their issues, they are there to raise your awareness, that’s correct,” argued Mr. Coderre.
According to him, it is normal for people holding public office such as elected officials to be in contact with citizens, business people or other elected officials who will discuss with them issues that concern them or issues that need to be advanced.
“I am not a civil servant, if I am elected, I am there to represent a population, so if we have functions, people come to talk to us, not just about the Canadian and the victory of the day before, or the expansion of the National Baseball League, they come to talk to us about their issues and raise awareness. »
What’s more, according to him, an elected official makes a better decision if he is better informed by the interested people, the stakeholders.
“Knowledge is power. By knowing one thing, you will take into consideration what people tell you. [Une activité de financement], it’s an extraordinary set. »
Mr. Coderre is expected to announce in June whether he is entering the race for leadership of the Liberal Party.
Last week, a Léger poll commissioned by Quebecor media suggested that a PLQ led by Mr. Coderre would obtain 21% of the votes in a ballot, compared to 15% currently with interim leader Marc Tanguay.
27% of respondents think that Mr. Coderre would make a better leader of the PLQ.