(Quebec) The Ethics Commissioner of the National Assembly is investigating a second member of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ).
After Sylvain Lévesque, it is the turn of the deputy for Rousseau, Louis-Charles Thouin, to be targeted by an investigation concerning his financing methods, Ariane Mignolet said in a press release on Monday afternoon.
In a message obtained by The Canadian Press last Tuesday, the CAQ member invited the mayors of his constituency to “combine business with pleasure” in a cocktail where, in exchange for a contribution to the electoral fund of $100, they could meet the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, on February 8 in Saint-Jacques.
The CAQ informed The Canadian Press on Monday that the activity had been “postponed”.
“Each MP must, every year, raise funds for the next elections, however this year I have decided to offer you a new formula,” he wrote in his message.
“Geneviève and I will be delighted to welcome you and to be able to discuss with you on various subjects that concern you, including road and public transport issues,” we can read.
MP Vincent Marissal, from Québec solidaire, asked the commissioner to investigate because he considered that the CAQ elected official was contravening several articles of the MP’s code of ethics. He even mentioned a “financing scheme”, in his words.
“The mayors of his constituency who would agree to help him in this enterprise following his own requests would find themselves rendering him a service which would then put Mr. Thouin in a position of obvious accountability placing him in a situation where his personal interest could influence his independence of judgment in the exercise of his office”, which would contravene one of the articles of the code, Mr. Marissal wrote.
In her press release, the commissioner specifies that the MP concerned has been informed of the opening of the investigation and that it will take place behind closed doors.
The general director of the CAQ, Brigitte Legault, wanted to contest Mr. Marissal’s claims.
“These are not activities with targeted clienteles,” such as municipal elected officials, but “these are large-scale activities” with many activists, she said in an interview with The Canadian Press on Monday.
The fundraising event scheduled for February 8 was ultimately “postponed,” she revealed, due to the controversy.
“The MP is a little affected by the thing, his name has been put several times [paraît dans les médias]. We could hold the event, but we are going to postpone it, because Louis-Charles does not feel not really. »
Two weeks ago, Radio-Canada revealed another controversy over the financing of the CAQ which affected the member for Chauveau, Sylvain Lévesque.
A citizen who wanted her MP to advance her file was offered to meet the Minister of Finance, Eric Girard, in exchange for a contribution of $100 to the party fund.
Mme Mignolet announced last week that it was undertaking an investigation into Mr. Lévesque’s case.