Quebec Liberal interim-leader contradicts Coderre on $100 access to politicians
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“You make a $100 contribution to a political party because you support its ideas,” Marc Tanguay says.
Author of the article:
La Presse Canadienne
Patrice Bergeron
Published Feb 14, 2024 • Last updated 6 hours ago • 3 minute read
Quebec Liberal Party interim Leader Marc Tanguay speaks at a press conference in January. Photo by Jacques Boissinot /The Canadian PressArticle content
Quebec Liberal Party interim-leader Marc Tanguay on Tuesday contradicted potential leadership candidate Denis Coderre on the issue of cabinet ministers being present at political party fundraisers.
In an interview with the Presse Canadienne, Coderre said that if he were in charge of the next provincial government, his ministers would participate in the $100-a-ticket cocktail fundraisers, during which citizens could meet with those ministers to discuss their projects.
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Coderre was commenting after being asked about the ongoing that is dogging the Coalition Avenir Québec government, accused by the opposition of charging $100 in financial support in exchange for access to its cabinet ministers.
For Coderre, a fundraising cocktail event is an “extraordinary platform” for his ministers to make contact with citizens.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Tanguay said a cocktail fundraiser was not the venue for a citizen to inform a minister about their projects.
“It’s not the place for that. … You make a $100 contribution to a political party because you support its ideas, because you’re federalist, you’re Liberal, or because you’re a sovereignist, with the three other parties.
“You support a political party for its ideas and you make a donation because you want to participate in the party’s abilities to project its ideas and then participate in a democratic debate.”
Tanguay said that if a citizen meets with a cabinet minister during a partisan activity to discuss an issue or a project, that’s lobbying, and lobbying is subject to the law, which requires lobbyists be registered.
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“A minister who is at a fundraiser and, boom, someone starts talking about a file. (The minister) must, in a proactive manner, say: ‘I’m stopping you there, my friend, this is not the place or the time to talk about this, I invite you to respect the Lobbying Act and, if necessary, make an appointment to see me.”
Coderre said ministers in his government would continue to attend fundraisers, as is permitted by law. Every citizen has the right to contribute a maximum of $100 to a political party, but must expect nothing in return.
A former mayor of Montreal, Coderre said it is normal for people in public office to be in contact with citizens, businesspeople or other elected officials who will discuss issues that concern them or issues that need to be advanced.
“I’m not a bureaucrat, if I am elected, I am there to represent the public, so if we (attend) functions, people will come and talk to you, not just about the Canadiens and the (hockey) win the night before, or the expansion of the National Baseball League, they come to talk to us about their projects and to increase our understanding.”
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Coderre added that an elected official will make a better decision if they are informed by interested parties, by stakeholders.
“Knowledge is power,” he said. “By knowing something, you can take into consideration what people are telling you … (a fundraising event) is an extraordinary platform.”
Last week, the Quebec Liberal Party said that if it formed the next government, its cabinet ministers would attend fundraisers.
The Parti Québécois said it would not allow cabinet ministers to participate in fundraising activities, while the CAQ, still reeling from the controversy, has ended all donations from citizens.
Tanguay thinks existing legislation is sufficient to regulate the participation of cabinet minsters at events, however, he notes that the dangling of their presence at such events to potential donors is a problem.
In an email to the Presse Canadienne, Elections Quebec said that “the presence of a minister at a fundraising activity raises the risk that an exchange occurring within the framework of that activity could result in a decision having the appearance of constituting an advantage provided in exchange for a contribution.”
Coderre is expected to announce in June whether he intends to seek the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party.
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