The Ethics Commissioner, Ariane Mignolet, will investigate the actions of the PQ MP for Matane-Matapédia, Pascal Bérubé.
In a press release sent Friday, she indicates that she agrees to follow up on a request made by the president of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) caucus, Mario Laframboise.
He affirmed last month that he had reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Bérubé had committed a breach of article 36 of the Code of Ethics which relates to the use of state goods and services.
In the middle of a by-election in Jean-Talon, Mr. Bérubé sent a partisan message to citizens from his National Assembly email address.
Admitted error
He also acknowledged the facts at a press briefing on September 19, ensuring that the error had been quickly corrected.
“Those who complain about this use state resources in a considerable way, political employees, ministerial limousines” to campaign in Jean-Talon, he replied.
The message sent by Mr. Bérubé invited citizens to lend a hand to the Parti Québécois (PQ) to elect its candidate in Jean-Talon, Pascal Paradis.
Mr. Laframboise was outraged that “not only is the MP sending an email to a large number of people to solicit their partisan involvement in a by-election, he is also asking them to send him names and contact details on his email address of the National Assembly”.
The commissioner announced on September 22 that she was postponing the analysis of the complaint against the PQ MP, explaining that the response to the request for an investigation risked having repercussions on the by-election.
Friday, Mme Mignolet indicated that Pascal Bérubé had been informed in writing of the opening of an investigation into him. As usual, this will be conducted behind closed doors.
“No comments will be made during the investigation process. Once completed, a report […] will be transmitted to the presidency of the National Assembly who will make it public,” she explained in the press release.