Questions are being raised about whether Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard lied about his friendship with a former Liberal now charged with fraud and corruption.
The premier has said that Marc-Yvan Côté was an acquaintance, but e-mails discovered by the Journal de Montreal show they might have had a closer relationship than the premier has let on.
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In the e-mails from April 2012, Couillard invites Côté to relax at his cabin and offers to “brainstorm” with him. At the National Assembly Wednesday, there was a lot of speculation about what the premier meant by brainstorming.
At them time, it was being reported in the media that Côté was involved in illegal fundraising for the Liberal Party.
The opposition had some harsh criticism.
“Mr. Côté was banished from the Liberal Party of Canada. There were serious allegations of illegal financing of the Liberal Party. And what’s the reaction of the premier? He says, ‘Come to my home. Come relax in my home,'” said Coalition Avenir Quebec MNA, Simon Jolin-Barrette.
Last March, Côté was arrested alongside former deputy premier Nathalie Normandeau by Quebec’s anti-corruption squad.
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In question period Wednesday, the premier said he was offering a hand to someone in need. He said Côté never took him up on his invitation. The opposition isn’t buying the premier’s excuses.
“Clearly Mr. Couillard is not to be believed on any of these issues. Had he wanted to come clean, on every aspect of his relationship with Mr. Côté, he had ample occasions to do so,” said Parti Quebecois leader, Jean-François Lisée.
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Couillard was questioned about his relationship with Côté a couple of months ago. At the time, he said they were only acquaintances and he could only remember one time he spoke with him. At the time Couillard sent the e-mails in, he was not in politics at the time. He declared he would run for leader of the Liberal Party six months later. The premier denies Côté had any involvement in his leadership campaign.