MONTREAL – Industry Minister Christian Paradis says he is examining his options – including legal ones – amid calls for an investigation into the transfer of an Employment Insurance processing centre into his riding.
Paradis says there was an open process to choose the new location and he’s outraged at the suggestion of unethical activity.
The NDP is asking the federal ethics commissioner to investigate. It says there was no reason to move the centre from Rimouski, which is in one of the party’s Quebec ridings, to Thetford Mines.
The new site is in one of the few Quebec ridings held by the Conservatives and it is held by Paradis, Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s lieutenant in the province.
A Montreal newspaper reported last week that the centre will rent an office from a business partner of Paradis’ father.
The newspaper says Ghislain Dionne is his father’s partner in the same law firm where Paradis worked before entering politics.
“This is totally unacceptable,” Paradis says. “Back in 2007, there was an open and transparent process and a company was awarded a rent for Service Canada.”
Paradis called the report “pure amateurism.”
“I don’t accept that and I’m considering all of my options, including legal,” he said. “This is very serious.”
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