Liberals turn to Quebec Chief Electoral Officer to determine illegal party donations

QUEBEC CITY – The Liberal Party is enlisting the help of Quebec’s Chief Electoral Officer in an effort to reduce public cynicism after a tough couple of weeks. First, former deputy premier Nathalie Normandeau was arrested on charges of corruption linked to party fundraising.

It was also revealed that under the government of former premier Jean Charest, cabinet ministers were required to raise $100,000 a year for the party.

Then last week Treasury Board President Sam Hamad was accused of giving privileged information to a former Liberal Party fundraiser arrested alongside Normandeau.

READ MORE: Quebec treasury board president Sam Hamad steps down amid ethics investigation

Friday, the Liberal Party addressed its progress on giving back the money it collected illegally. The party is asking the Chief Electoral Officer to determine which donations were illegal.

“I think it is important to recover as much money as possible. I don’t put a delay as to the next election. As soon as possible,” said Rita de Santis, minister responsible for Access to Information and the Reform of Democratic Institutions

Opposition parties have voiced concern the Liberals could launch their next election campaign with what the CAQ has called “dirty money.”

“There’s a mirror here. Let’s look at each other and we all behaved in a very similar way, prior to 2010,” said de Santis.

“We consider that the Liberal Party has no business lecturing anybody else,” said Nathalie Roy, CAQ integrity critic.

The Party Quebecois is also concerned about Liberal Party fundraising objectives. Pierre Karl Peladeau asked why Sam Hamad denied he’d attained the $100,000 goal, when he raised more than $150,000.

The minister defended her party.

“When you see some of the objectives the ministers have in Ontario and British Columbia, the $100,000 or $150,000 looks like peanuts, when they have $500,000,” she said, adding that Quebec tightened rules around party fundraising in 2010 and is far ahead of other provinces in Canada.