UPAC launches criminal investigation into Quebec Liberal Party

UPAC has launched a criminal investigation into the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ), after Quebec’s anti-corruption police previously indicated it was validating allegations of wrongdoing before deciding whether to open an investigation.

It’s the latest development in the internal crisis that’s been shaking the provincial party led by Pablo Rodriguez for the last month.

Rodriguez, who says he has not intention of stepping down as party leader, welcomes the involvement of the anti-corruption unit to shed light on the affair. The party previously launched its own investigation.

“I want to assure both UPAC and all Quebecers that the Quebec Liberal Party is committed to a full and complete cooperation,” the leader of the embattled party said Wednesday. “If anyone wants the truth to come out, it’s me, as party leader. It’s our employees, our volunteers, our caucus.

“We want to know the whole truth. If anyone has done anything wrong, they will suffer all the consequences, both legal and those of the party.”

The Quebec Liberals have been in crisis since the party’s former parliamentary leader, Marwah Rizqy, fired her chief of staff, Geneviève Hinse, without consulting Rodriguez. Rizqy was suspended from caucus shortly after and ultimately removed from the party caucus last week. UPAC’s validation process may have included a reported meeting two weeks with Rizqy.

The Liberals are also facing allegations of possible vote-buying during a leadership race earlier this year.

Last month, the Journal de Montréal revealed text messages suggesting that members who supported Rodriguez in the leadership race had received cash rewards. The individuals responsible for these messages were not named in the article.

The radio station Cogeco subsequently claimed that the two people behind these mysterious text messages were Liberal MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier and CAQ MNA Alice Abou-Khalil. Both elected officials denied the allegations and sent formal notices to Cogeco.

Last week, Rodriguez expelled Lakhoyan Olivier, the MNA for Chomedey in Laval, from the caucus due to an investigation by the ethics commissioner into the use of her constituency office resources for the Liberal Party leadership race. Lakhoyan Olivier has maintained that she had done nothing wrong.

Will Rodriguez step down?

Rodriguez maintained the same about himself when asked on Wednesday if he was considering stepping down as party leader.

“I was duly elected by party members,” he said. “I have nothing to reproach myself for. There is nothing here that you can say I have done wrong.”

A Léger–Quebecor poll last week showed the PLQ was taking a major hit in public opinion, losing support to the Parti Québécois. Twelve per cent of poll respondents said Rodriguez would make the best premier, down four points from the previous Léger poll.

Karl Blackburn, a former opponent of Rodriguez in the leadership race, said Rodriguez needs to consider his future.

“The situation the party is in is extremely worrying. I think Mr. Rodriguez, in this context, certainly needs to ask himself some serious questions,” Blackburn told RDI.

Blackburn didn’t rule out replacing Rodriguez should he decide to leave.

“It’s clear that if six months ago I thought I could become the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party and the premier of Quebec, six months later, I still think so,” he added.

Liberal activist and former president of the Outremont association, Alexandre Tremblay-Michaud, says the leader should simply resign.

“The party should stop the bleeding and suspend the leader.” “I think Mr. Rodriguez should resign after that,” he told The Canadian Press in an interview.

Tremblay-Michaud supported Blackburn in the leadership race.

–With files from The Canadian Press