The constituency offices of Quebec MPs were in for quite a surprise on Friday when a letter from the government informed them that they had thousands of additional dollars to distribute within five days among organizations in their sector.
“We are announcing that your constituency budget for the period leading up to the election call is increased by $13,445,” reads one of the letters, obtained by The duty.
The amounts vary from riding to riding. The smaller ones received $6,000; the largest, $14,000. At the end of the message, “the program team” adds that the deadline for submitting applications was August 10, that is, this Wednesday, five days later.
Anything offered a few days before the campaign can be perceived as electoral
On Tuesday, the parliamentary leader of the Parti Québécois, Joël Arseneau, demanded an explanation from the government in this regard. “Why do these amounts change a few days before the start of the electoral campaign? he asks, pointing out that all deputies, including those of the CAQ government, have access to it.
“Is this a political or administrative decision? Everything that is offered a few days before the campaign can be perceived as electoral. We need explanations. »
The funds in question come from the Support for Volunteer Action (SAB) program, which comes under the Ministry of Education and the Minister Delegate, Isabelle Charest. In March, the latter announced that it was doubling the program’s budget this year due to “economic impacts related to COVID-19”. Its funding has thus increased from 10.4 million to 20.4 million dollars.
However, the department had already distributed the money to the members. Why this last minute addition? Joint Tuesday, the ministry confirmed that it had decided to give a greater part of the funds to the elected officials, that is to say 58% of the envelope rather than 50%.
Why ? And why now? “In order to meet the needs and considering the delays between the start of the electoral period and the proclamation of the elected candidates”, replied the ministry in writing, without providing more details on the said “needs” and “deadlines”.
The launch of the Quebec election campaign must take place between August 25 and 29. The ballot is due to take place on October 3 and, according to the 2018 timeline, MPs will be sworn in two weeks later, six months before the end of the fiscal year.
An “administrative” decision
In response to the ethical questions raised by the PQ MP from the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Minister Charest’s office says the decision was strictly administrative. “It’s not a political decision at all,” said press secretary Alice Bergeron. “It is 100% administrative. »
Remember that to have access to this type of fund, organizations must submit “projects”, such as holding activities, purchasing “light” equipment or “supporting community assistance projects”.
In most cases, the MP divides the envelope into small amounts in order to support as many initiatives as possible. This is the case of MP Joël Arseneau, for example, who says he never gave more than $2,500 at a time, often $250 and sometimes $100.
Therefore, distributing several thousand dollars in a few days can be complex. Especially right now, says the elected Madelinot. “My colleague Sylvain Gaudreault is currently out of the country, and I have another colleague, Méganne Perry Mélançon, who gave her staff a day off last week. »
The money that will not be distributed will not be lost, assured the Ministry of Education on Tuesday. “Amounts that are not spent by the deadline may be carried over after the elections. »