UPAC investigating allegations of misconduct targeting Quebec Liberal Party
Posted November 26, 2025 12:37 pm.
Last Updated November 26, 2025 6:41 pm.
There’s a new development in the crisis shaking the Quebec Liberal Party: the Unité permanente anticorruption (UPAC) confirms it is currently verifying information regarding allegations of misconduct targeting the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ).
“Following the analysis of this information, we will be able to decide whether or not to proceed further with an investigation,” stated UPAC spokesperson Mathieu Galarneau.
The information was first reported by the Journal de Montréal.
“I sincerely hope that UPAC will shed full light on this matter and, if necessary, lay the appropriate charges,” PLQ Leader Pablo Rodriguez said in an X post. “I reiterate that I have requested an independent investigation to get to the bottom of things. And I pledge to make its report public.
“If someone, somewhere, has committed an illegal or unethical act, the truth must come out, and we will fully cooperate. If wrongdoing is proven, I will take action. There is no room for this in the Quebec Liberal Party. Zero tolerance. Period.”
Earlier Wednesday, Rodriguez confirmed that federal Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury solicited donations for his leadership campaign. However, El-Khoury had previously denied any involvement in the race.
“He had a solicitation certificate, which is public knowledge, by the way,” Rodriguez said Wednesday at a press conference at the National Assembly. “That means he was collecting money like many others.”
La Presse reported Wednesday morning that the federal MP for Laval–Les Îles “repeatedly” denied having any connection to the Quebec Liberal Party leadership race.
The newspaper also reported that a conversation between El-Khoury and Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy on Nov. 14 has caught the attention of Élections Québec due to a possible link to Rodriguez’s leadership bid.
When contacted by The Canadian Press, Élections Québec did not confirm whether an investigation is underway. The Liberal leader also stated that he did not know if the agency was conducting an investigation.
Upon leaving the federal Liberal caucus on Wednesday, El-Khoury did not answer reporters’ questions about his involvement in Rodriguez’s leadership race. He said he would make a statement later, without specifying when.
The crisis continues
The PLQ has been in crisis since Rizqy dismissed her chief of staff, Geneviève Hinse, a close associate of Rodriguez, without consulting her beforehand. Her dismissal took place on Nov. 17, three days after the conversation between El-Khoury and Rizqy.
The Liberal leader then removed Rizqy from her position as parliamentary leader and suspended her from the caucus, citing a “breach of trust.”
Last Wednesday, Hinse’s lawyer demanded that Rizqy publicly admit within 24 hours that there was no justification for his client’s dismissal.
The MNA for Saint-Laurent instead sent a letter to Hinse stating that she was dismissed “due to serious ethical breaches” and for “repeated acts of insubordination.”
On Sunday, Rizqy wrote on Facebook that she could not comment publicly, as it was a human resources matter.
The MNA also stated that she is “more than aware” that this situation has placed her “political family in a delicate position.”
Rodriguez indicated on Wednesday that he still does not know why Rizqy dismissed her chief of staff.
Disturbing text messages
Adding to this story is an article in the Journal de Montréal published last week revealing text messages suggesting that members who supported Rodriguez during the leadership race received cash rewards. The individuals who sent these text messages are not named in the article.
The Liberal leader announced on Friday that his party would be issuing a formal notice to the Journal de Montréal regarding this article.
Rodriguez said he wants to know the names of the people involved and the phone numbers associated with the text messages. He also wants the media outlet to explain how it verified the “authenticity and veracity” of these messages.
‘Illegal practices’
The other political parties in the National Assembly joined the fray on Wednesday.
“What we’re seeing, once again, with the Quebec Liberal Party, is that it’s the same old Liberal Party that hasn’t changed. The same illegal practices, the same ethically questionable practices,” declared Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette.
“What I fear here is: has this kind of shady dealing that Marwah Rizqy is talking about in Ottawa reached Quebec City?” said Parti Québécois MNA Alex Boissonneault.
“Mr. Rodriguez has an obligation to shed light on this story, to explain himself, and then to try to regain the trust of Quebecers, which is crumbling,” said Québec solidaire MNA Guillaume Cliche-Rivard.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
