The Quebec Liberal Party is facing internal turmoil, with Chomedey MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier being ousted from the Liberal caucus due to an ethics investigation. The probe is looking into whether she utilized resources from her constituency office during the PLQ leadership race.
Opposition whip Marc Tanguay emphasized the necessity of this decision in a statement released on Thursday evening.
Lakhoyan Olivier had backed Pablo Rodriguez in the leadership race.
Recent texts published by the Journal de Montréal hinted at possible financial incentives offered to supporters of Rodriguez during the contest. The individuals behind these messages were not identified in the report.
Subsequently, Radio network Cogeco suggested that the texts were sent by Liberal MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier and CAQ MNA Alice Abou-Khalil. Both officials denied these claims and issued formal denials to the broadcaster.
In response, Lakhoyan Olivier expressed her cooperation with the ethics commissioner’s investigation, stating that she has always adhered to the rules and accepted the decision to be excluded from the caucus.
The ethics commissioner confirmed the ongoing investigation, focusing on the use of state resources from the Chomedey constituency office for partisan purposes during the Quebec Liberal Party leadership race.
The PLQ has been facing a series of crises, with MNA Marwah Rizqy dismissing her chief of staff, Geneviève Hinse, without prior notice to party members.
Rizqy’s lawyer cited significant ethical breaches as the reason for Hinse’s dismissal, alleging non-compliance with the National Assembly’s standards and internal procedures. The lawyer claimed that Hinse declined to consult the ethics commissioner as requested.
In light of the internal conflicts, the PLQ’s parliamentary leader, André Fortin, sought guidance from the ethics commissioner on the utilization of National Assembly resources during a leadership transition period.
Rodriguez demanded clarifications from Rizqy regarding Hinse’s dismissal and eventually expelled her from the caucus, citing disloyalty. He also initiated talks to reinstate Hinse as the chief of staff.
Rodriguez clarified that there is no correlation between Hinse’s dismissal and the text message allegations reported by the Journal de Montréal.
Quebec Liberal Party Crisis
