(Quebec) Sonia LeBel claims not to have “deliberately” deleted text messages exchanged with her federal vis-à-vis over the past four years.
Posted at 12:17 p.m.
The President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Canadian Relations was sharply criticized in the National Assembly on Thursday.
The opposition parties criticized him for his lack of seriousness in his relations with Ottawa, after Radio-Canada revealed the disappearance of his correspondence with Minister Dominic LeBlanc.
According to Liberal MP Marc Tanguay, Sonia LeBel “escaped it”.
PQ MP Véronique Hivon for her part denounced the “very great superficiality” and the “pathetism” of the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) in its relations with Canada.
Alexandre Leduc, of Québec solidaire (QS), also said he was surprised that the minister had not written more official letters to leave traces.
Mme Hivon suggested Minister LeBel deleted his text messages because they were too “embarrassing, humiliating.” Stung to the quick, Mme LeBel accused M.me Hivon to lack height.
“What she is trying to insinuate, Mr. President, is that I deliberately destroyed these texts so that they would not be seen. This is not the case,” said Mr.me LeBel at the Blue Room, Thursday.
“That being said, there are several ways to interact with the federal government, whether through administrative matters, cabinets, deputy ministers […] and she knows it full well,” she added.