The Minister of Housing, France-Élaine Duranceau, committed a “breach” of the code of ethics for elected officials by meeting in December 2022 with a lobbyist friend who was also her business partner, concludes the Ethics Commissioner of the National Assembly in a report tabled Thursday.
The commissioner, Ariane Mignolet, concludes that Minister Duranceau “acted, with regard to the organization of the meeting and her participation in it, in such a way as to improperly favor the personal interests” of Annie Lemieux , a lobbyist with whom she was involved in business.
“My conclusion is based on the significant close bond that unites the Minister and Ms.me Lemieux, in particular because of their friendship and the business relationship that still unites them at the time of the meeting and the fact that the analysis of other factors demonstrates privileged access to ministers,” continues the commissioner. She adds that this is “contrary to article 16 of the Code” of ethics and professional conduct of members of the National Assembly.
Although she identifies a “breach” of the code, Me Mignolet does not recommend sanctions for Minister Duranceau. “I do not believe that the breach committed by the Minister is minor,” she wrote. However, “the minister acknowledges having acted recklessly”, “admits and now understands her error” and “was collaborative and demonstrated good faith throughout the process”, she adds. For this in particular, the commissioner “does not consider it appropriate” to recommend a sanction.
The Ethics Commissioner of the National Assembly opened an investigation in June to shed light on a meeting between Minister France-Élaine Duranceau and a lobbyist friend, Annie Lemieux, who is also her business partner in the real estate sector.
The investigation was opened following a request from the Liberal Party of Quebec, which alleged that this meeting, in which the Minister for Health and Seniors, Sonia Bélanger, also participated, constituted a breach of ethical rules. .
More details will follow.