The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) offered Friday to reimburse a controversial political contribution of $200 to a couple who remain hopeful of obtaining stricter rules against drunk driving of which their daughter was the victim in a car accident. the road.
The case of Antoine Bittar and Elizabeth Rivera raised an outcry this week in the National Assembly, where they recounted their participation in a fundraising cocktail with the Minister of Transport Geneviève Guilbault.
Mr. Bittar confirmed Friday that he had been contacted by the CAQ, which offered him a refund of their two contributions of $100 for their participation in the event last October. The general director of the CAQ, Brigitte Legault, then indicated that Mr. Bittar and Ms. Rivera accepted the reimbursement.
Faced with the controversy aroused by their situation, Mr. Bittar expressed fear that this would compromise the demand for tightening of the rules for which he is campaigning with Mr.me Rivera.
“We still have fears but following the commission and everything, I hope that Mme Guilbault and the government understand that our battle is not a political battle, he declared in an interview with Duty. This is a battle to save lives and I hope the opening is there. »
Petition
Mr. Bittar once again asked the government to lower the tolerance threshold for drunk driving to 50 mg per liter of blood, which is currently at 80 mg. He hopes that administrative sanctions of one week, namely the suspension of the driving license and the surrender of the vehicle of the offenders, be provided for before the application of the sanctions currently provided for by the Criminal Code from 80 mg.
Mr. Bittar was encouraged by noting on Friday an increase in the number of signatories to a petition on this subject on the National Assembly website. He estimates that around a hundred names have been added since Thursday, bringing their number to 690.
The Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) has committed to proposing an amendment which will bear the name of Jessica, in memory of the daughter of the Bittar-Rivera couple. The two parents demanded this modification in a parliamentary committee on Thursday, where their participation in a cocktail with Mme Guilbault attracted attention.
The minister said Thursday that lowering the threshold for punishing drunk driving is not one of the elements of her bill.
“Honestly, I don’t see any opening,” Mr. Bittar lamented on Friday.