QUEBEC CITY – The fraud case against former Quebec deputy premier Nathalie Normandeau and six others has been put off until July.
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Crown prosecutors and lawyers for the seven accused agreed Wednesday in a Quebec City courtroom to delay proceedings so the defence could study the evidence.
Authorities claim the accused were part of a scheme that included exchanging political financing and gifts for lucrative government contracts.
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Charges include corruption, fraud toward the government, conspiracy, breach of trust and using forged documents.
The alleged crimes happened between 2000 and 2012.
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Also facing charges are:
- Marc-Yvan Côté, former Quebec Liberal cabinet minister
- Bruno Lortie, Normandeau’s former chief of staff
- Mario Martel and France Michaud, two former executives with engineering firm Roche
- Ernest Murray, former political aide to ex-Parti Québécois (PQ) leader Pauline Marois
- Francois Roussy, former mayor of Gaspé
*with files from The Canadian Press.