(Quebec) Despite the opening of a sixth investigation concerning him, Pierre Fiztgibbon persists and signs: the Ethics Commissioner will conclude that “there was no problem” with his participation in a hunting party pheasant on a private island. The minister even makes an astonishing prediction: there will be other investigations into him.
The Minister of Economy and Energy was delighted Friday that the Commissioner for Ethics and Professional Conduct, Ariane Mignolet, confirmed Thursday that she will investigate the events. The day before, Mr. Fitzgibbon had invited him to do so. “I asked for it, I’m happy,” he said on his way to question period on Friday at the National Assembly.
The Journal of Montreal reported Thursday that government superminister Legault took part in a hunting party this fall on Province Island, located on Lake Memphremagog, which is owned by people linked to companies that receive government subsidies.
“She will do her job and say there was no problem,” added Mr Fitzgibbon, who refuses to reveal who he hunted with at the time. “It’s none of your business, it’s private. […] It’s my private life. I will speak to the ethics commissioner, ”he repeated on Friday. Thursday, he also said he had “paid what he had to pay”.
Prime Minister François Legault briefly assured Friday that Mr. Fitzgibbon would collaborate in the commissioner’s investigation.
This is the sixth investigation by the Ethics Commissioner in four years targeting Minister Fitzgibbon, but the principal concerned is far from worried: “There will be others […] I don’t mind, ”he told reporters. “There is no conflict [d’intérêt], there has never been a conflict and there will not be. The day there is a conflict, I will leave”, concluded the minister, without any hesitation.
The Ethics Commissioner will investigate possible breaches of Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for Members of the National Assembly following requests made by the Liberal Party of Quebec and Quebec solidaire. They say they have “reasonable grounds” to believe that Mr. Fitzgibbon “would have breached section 15 of the Code regarding conflicts of interest and sections 29 to 33 of the Code regarding gifts, benefits and other marks. of hospitality. »
The case has further reacted to the opposition parties on the last day of parliamentary work before the holiday break on Friday. “We will never accept that, even if it is the sixth, the seventh or the eighth breach by Pierre Fitzgibbon of the rules of ethics of the National Assembly,” lamented the parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. .
“Repetition must not become a pretext for trivialization,” he added.
The interim leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec, Marc Tanguay, said that the situation “raises very important questions for the basis of our democracy” and that François Legault and Pierre Fitzgibbon do not seem to be concerned about it.