QUEBEC CITY — Just as Pierre Karl Péladeau prepared to hit the stage at Montreal’s Corona theatre for the Parti Québécois’ final leadership debate, Liberals confirmed that his “unique situation” will be studied in commission.
Liberal House Leader Jean-Marc Fournier told reporters he invited the province’s ethics commissioner and legal counsel to testify starting May 26, 11 days after the PQ chooses its leader.
“The commission will deal with all the recommendations of the ethics commissioner and in those recommendations, there are two out of 25 relative to Mr. Péladeau,” said Fournier.
Parties have been in a tiff over Péladeau’s double role for months.
The St-Jérôme MNA owns 40 per cent of Quebec media, a situation that has earned him comparisons with Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi. His shares still haven’t been placed in a blind trust. And even then, Péladeau has said he’ll forbid anyone from ever selling them.
READ MORE: What does Pierre Karl Péladeau own?
“We will participate in every effort to put pressure on Mr. Péladeau to choose between his empire and his desire to serve Quebec interests,” added Quebec Solidaire MNA Amir Khadir.
The PQ has always fought against having a commission. Agnès Maltais argues the Liberals, the CAQ and Quebec Solidaire are scheming to kick Péladeau out of office because he’s a political threat.
READ MORE: Ethics czar to decide on new Péladeau conflict-of-interest claim?
“They have decided to use the ethics commissioner and his report to strong-arm Mr. Péladeau,” she said.
Péladeau violated the National Assembly’s code of ethics twice when he tried to influence the sale of Vision Globale to Quebecor.
He was never sanctioned but a special university committee was struck. The group will submit a report in August.
“I’m not trying to say that we want to have partisanship in that we want specialists to be heard,” Fournier explained.
Péladeau refused to comment. His team said he’s busy with end of campaign preparations.
A major rally in support of Péladeau will take place Saturday afternoon in Montreal.
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