A race for the chiefdom that could cost expensive

Two ex-candidates in the leadership of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ), Mario Roy and Marc Bélanger, are found with a debt of several thousand dollars at the end of the race. Failing to reimburse it, they could face sanctions, just as it had been the case for Pierre Karl Péladeau, who still disputes this offense.

I am very serene, very happy with the countryside I led.

A few weeks after the election of a new chief at PlqMario Roy, who finished in fifth place, goes back to work. The dairy farm, pig and acéricole which he operates in Saint-Jules, in Beauce, occupies the vast majority of his time, but he also intends to continue his political commitment.

I cannot say that I have regrets, because the countryside I have led, I did it with my heart, he said. People recognize it and see it.

He wants push To defend the interests of the regions of Quebec, especially in the agricultural sector, and he could consider presenting himself as a candidate for the 2026 election. But above all, he must dwell on the organization of financing events.

Today, my priority is to settle my electoral debt.

Indeed, those who wanted to participate in the race for the Liberal chiefdom had to pay the sum of $ 40,000 to the party first. In accordance with the electoral law, this amount must only be reimbursed from voter contributions, each of which can reach a maximum of $ 500.

However, during the campaign, some candidates did not collect enough donations to get there.

According to data from the Director General of Elections of Quebec (DGEQ), dated July 3, Mario Roy and Marc Bélanger had collected only $ 4,246 and $ 26,673 respectively.

They have up to 36 months to pay this debt, otherwise they will be considered as having committed an offense.

A candidate cannot reimburse his debt himself.

A candidate can give the benefit of his own campaign up to $ 500like any voter, sums up Julie St-Arnaud-Drolet, spokesperson for Quebec. If he himself reimbursed a debt beyond $ 500 resulting from his campaign, it would be considered a non-compliant contribution.

Therefore, the Director General of Elections may bring prosecutionshe says.

The planned penalty is a minimum fine of $ 5,000 and maximum $ 20,000.

In addition, companies led by a person found guilty of such an offense can no longer do business with the government, under the law on public organizations (LCOP).

Pierre Karl Péladeau disputes before the courts

Until now, the Dgeq brought a single pursuit for a similar case.

In 2018, Pierre Karl Péladeau, who had left political life two years ago, still dragged a debt of around $ 137,000 contracted during the race for the management of the Parti Québécois (PQ), in which he participated in 2015.

The businessman has reimbursed this sum of his pocket, a payment which was interpreted as a donation much higher than the permitted limit of $ 500.

After first recognized his wrongs, he backtrack. If he was found guilty, the Quebecor company, of which he is the main shareholder, would be at risk of losing contracts of several million dollarshe argued at the time.

Since then, Mr. Péladeau has been trying to have his guilty plea withdrawing from justice withdrawn. He also launched a civil procedure to have the articles of the electoral law and the law on the contracts of public bodies which apply to his situation declared unconstitutional.

The trial in this case was held this spring before judge Martin Sheehan, from the Quebec Superior Court, who is due to make his decision in the coming months.

The former chief of PQ Makes among others that the law, as it is applied, violates the fundamental right to the freedom of expression of candidates for the leadership of a political party, since it affects their capacity to finance their campaign and therefore to convey their ideas.

For its part, the Dgeqwithout specifically commenting on the case of Pierre Karl Péladeau, says rather to defend the principle of equity.

The rules that supervise political funding are based a lot on the idea that the power of money should not unbalance the chances of candidates to be elected, explains Julie St-Arnaud-Drolet. So, we want candidates to have similar financial means to promote their candidacy.

In other words, the system is done so that the easier people easily affected have necessarily have advantages when they embark on an electoral campaign.

Everyone is put on an equal footing, candidates must raise voter contributions to repay their debt and they are all subject to the same expenditure limitsays the Quebec election spokesperson.

Still work to do

To avoid being in default, Mario Roy therefore intends to request liberal sympathizers again in the coming months.

I look to organize financing activitieshe said, evoking rallies for Bring the party to come together.

This is my priority for the coming months, repeats the farmer. During the campaign, my priorities were put on the campaign, on ideas, bringing proposals. Then, of course I have invested money and time because I believed in it, and the ideas I have put forward, I always believe in it. […] But today, it is necessary to put priority on the reimbursement of this debt.

It should have a great challenge In front of him, that is to convince the voters to give him a donation while the race for the chiefdom is over.

Besides, his ex-rival Marc Bélanger, in a thank you email sent to the members a few days ago, too asks them a little favor To help him complete the financing of his campaign.

I was aware from the start that fundraising would be more difficult than for other candidates, but that did not slow me downhe writes.

Mr. Bélanger is all the more in a hurry to resolve this problem that he wishes to present himself to the next general elections under the banner of Plq.