Quebec Transport Minister Laurent Lessard is insisting he is not the subject of any conflict of interest, even though his former political adviser received a $3 million government grant.
Lessard appeared before the ethics commissioner Wednesday to dispute the claim.
“I acted correctly and I did things correctly,” said Lessard on Thursday morning, repeating the refrain over and over again.
In 2014, Lessard hired former political adviser Yvon Nadeau while his company was applying for a $3 million government grant.
The grant was approved last summer.
But the Parti Québécois (PQ) argue there’s more to the story.
In 2008, the government granted $1 million to renovate the Mont Adstock ski resort, south of Quebec City.
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Nadeau was on the resort’s board of directors.
The PQ alleges he took a cut of the profits from renting chalets, all while he was working in Lessard’s office.
“That’s not regional development. It’s Liberal development,” PQ interim leader Sylvain Gaudreault said during Thursday’s Question Period.
Lessard replied he and Nadeau both followed the rules.
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The ethics commissioner is looking into the alleged conflict of interest, but Lessard would not say whether he asked to have the ski resort issue investigated as well.
The premier has defended his minister for the past two days.
“What bothers the opposition about Mr. Lessard? It’s that he’s a good transport minister, he does excellent work,” Philippe Couillard said on Wednesday.
“This is a smear campaign to change the subject.”
The Parti Québécois is calling for the premier to remove Lessard as minister.
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