Targeted by a formal notice, Québec solidaire affirms that it will not be intimidated by an oil company and refuses to retract for having accused the company Ressources Utica of illegal acts. There will be “consequences”, assures the owner.
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The hydrocarbon company, Utica Resources, on Tuesday, put Quebec Solidaire co-spokesperson Manon Massé on notice, arguing that she “falsely” insinuated that the company had perpetrated several illegal acts.
She demands a public apology and threatens to sue the MP.
“clear” message
“I want to be very clear, Quebec solidaire will not retract. No way. Then I have a very clear message this morning: Quebec solidaire will never stop playing its role in Quebec politics, that of being the watchdog of the influence of money in politics,” said Gabriel Nadeau-Dudois during a press scrum on Wednesday morning.
“Since Amir Khadir set foot in the National Assembly, this is what Québec solidaire has been doing, and we will continue to play this role tirelessly. »
The owner of Utica Resources, Mario Lévesque, assures that there “will be consequences” for Québec solidaire.
“If that is their reaction, we will reconsider our actions. It’s not true that we’re going to get dirty like that, ”said Mr. Lévesque, assuring that the lawsuit was in the cards. “They use us and they smear our name following polls that are not necessarily favorable to them. »
The entrepreneur feels he has to defend his reputation. “We don’t deserve to be dragged through the mud like that,” he said.
Survey
On March 21, Utica Resources published a poll it had commissioned from the Mainstreet polling firm and in which Éric Duhaime’s Conservative Party would collect 24% of the voting intentions in Quebec. Following this publication, Québec solidaire filed a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer, arguing that the hydrocarbon company had transferred the survey to Éric Duhaime several days before making it public.
QS believes that it would be illegal funding from a company.
On social media, M.me Massé called out Éric Duhaime and said that Utica Resources “buys politicians. »
“We have some news for Éric Duhaime: getting help under the table from an oil company is illegal! […] Companies that secretly fund political parties have a name: it’s corruption,” she said.
According to the law firm BCF, which represents the company, “these publications knowingly spread false, misleading and erroneous information, which damages the reputation of our clients. In addition, the name of Utica Resources is specifically mentioned in the journal articles attached in support of these publications”.