Québec solidaire (QS) is calling for the National Assembly’s ethics commissioner, Ariane Mignolet, to be summoned to a parliamentary committee in order to hear her, in particular, on the process to be put in place to establish the remuneration of deputies.
The whip of the second opposition group and solidarity deputy Ruba Ghazal wrote this week to the president of the Committee on Institutions, André Bachand, to remind him that Ms.me Mignolet had still not been invited to participate in the study of its most recent five-year report, which contains several proposals to improve the provisions of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
The QS whip pointed out that in an interview with Duty published on Monday, the Ethics Commissioner noted this situation. “Mme Mignolet herself said publicly this week that she wanted to be heard and to have her report called for consideration,” she wrote. Mme Ghazal pointed out that Article 114 of the Code specifically provides for her to be heard, which has still not been done since this document was filed in 2019.
“Considering the importance of this request, and the accumulated delay in processing this file, we ask you to respond to this request as soon as possible”, wrote the deputy in the document, co-signed by her colleague Sol Zanetti, member of the Committee on Institutions.
Avoid Conflicts of Interest
Among other elements submitted in the report, Ariane Mignolet recommends the establishment of an independent body to establish the remuneration of deputies.
Last week, elected members of the National Assembly mandated two former deputies and a human resources specialist to make a proposal concerning the remuneration of elected officials, an initiative from which QS has dissociated itself.
In his letter, Ruba Ghazal insists in particular on this theme which is elaborated by Mr.me Mignolet in his report. “We have to hear it, particularly with regard to the measures to be put in place to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest concerning the remuneration of the deputies”, affirms the deputy of QS.
On the side of the parliamentary wing of the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ), André Bachand did not respond to a request for an interview. “We still intend to study his report in committee,” said spokesman Marc Danis, however, without specifying a date.
On the side of the Minister responsible for Democratic Institutions, Jean-François Roberge, his cabinet asserted the independence of the legislative power in the matter. “It’s not up to the cabinet to decide that, it’s up to parliamentarians,” said spokesman Thomas Verville.
The Liberal and PQ parliamentary wings, for their part, assured QS of their support for his request.
In addition to the way of establishing the remuneration of elected officials, the report proposes flexibility to manage the assets of ministers and the extension of the provisions of the Code to the election period, which is not currently the case.