Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon is the subject of a new investigation by the Ethics Commissioner regarding possible breaches of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for Members of the National Assembly.
The opening of this investigation, confirmed Friday by the commissioner, follows a request made earlier this week by the PQ MP for the Magdalen Islands, Joël Arseneau.
This is a fifth investigation involving Mr. Fitzgibbon.
Mr. Arseneau had written to Commissioner Ariane Mignolet earlier this week to request an investigation into the Minister’s authorization in November 2021 of a $ 24 million investment in the company LMPG, parent company of the manufacturer of products of Lumenpulse lighting, can we read in the letter from the commissioner sent to Mr. Arseneau, which was obtained by The Canadian Press.
In his request, the PQ member says he has “reasonable grounds to believe” that the minister has breached sections 15 and 16 of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for Members of the National Assembly.
According to what is described in the Commissioner’s letter, Minister Fitzgibbon authorized this transaction “while one of the shareholders and directors [de LMPG]Michel Ringuet, had a contractual relationship with the minister, acting as agent for his blind trust”.
In addition, the request mentions that the Minister “has himself been a director of the company between 2013 and 2017”.
The MNA for Îles-de-la-Madeleine is asking for an investigation “to determine whether the Minister’s actions and interventions in this matter have had or could have the effect of favoring the interests (of his mandatary) and whether the past functions of the minister within the company may have adversely affected his ability to make this decision,” reads the commissioner’s statement released on Friday.
Consequently, the Minister was informed of the opening of an investigation against him in writing, it is specified.
In accordance with the Code, the Commissioner will conduct her investigation in camera. A report setting out the reasons in support of its conclusions and recommendations will be sent to the President of the National Assembly, who will make it public by tabling it before the Assembly.