Quebec Justice Minister Marc Bellemare speaks to media after submitting his resignation at the Quebec legislature on April 27, 2004.
Quebec's governing Liberal Party took donations in cash to get around election finance laws and allowed leading party fundraisers to put forward names for judicial appointments, according to explosive allegations made Monday by a former Liberal justice minister.
The reputation of Premier Jean Charest's Liberal government could be irreparably damaged by the remarks from former justice minister Marc Bellemare, who said he saw party officials take cash donations to circumvent laws that limit the size of political donations to $3,000 per year, and was pressed by influential party fundraisers to appoint particular people as judges during his tenure.
Mr. Bellemare, who was named justice minister in April, 2003, and quit provincial politics a year later, told Radio-Canada that Mr. Charest knew of the allegations of influence peddling and irregular party fund raising practices but did nothing.
The Charest government struck back with all its might, saying that if Mr. Bellemare does not retract his "completely false" allegations, it will sue him.
"If I was the Premier of Quebec, I would undertake legal proceedings against Mr. Bellemare," Deputy Premier Nathalie Normandeau said shortly after speaking by telephone with Mr. Charest, who was on a trade mission in Biloxi, Miss. "The message is clear. We will assume all of our responsibilities."
Mr. Bellemare said he twice witnessed an exchange of cash between party officials and an influential Liberal fundraiser in the construction industry. The former minister refused to give names. He also said he saw suspicious transactions involved "huge amounts of cash," cheques and a donors list.
"I spoke about it to the Premier. I complained about it to him and I told him this was irregular and dangerous," Mr. Bellemare said, refusing to reveal Mr. Charest's response. "I can say that that he was well informed."
Mr. Bellemare made the comments during a Radio-Canada interview on Monday, but also spoke to at least one other Quebec media outlet to make public the information that he has withheld for more than six years.
Mr. Bellemare said the same fundraiser in the construction industry approached him three times to have specific individuals appointed as judges. The former minister said he complied because he was under political pressure to do so.
"It was an order given by the big fundraisers in the party and the Premier agreed with it. I complained to the Premier [in the fall of 2003 and the spring of 2004] but it seems that this was the way things were done," Mr. Bellemare said. "I asked him [the Premier] who nominates the judges, was it the justice minister or such and such a person who collects money for the party."
Mr. Bellemare also alleged that some fundraisers blocked reforms he wanted to introduce when he was minister. "These important fundraisers had an influence on the government's legislative agenda," he said. "They seemed to hold a financial veto on certain bills."
Mr. Charest isn't likely to take kindly to Mr. Bellemare's allegations, given that they could seriously undermine his government's credibility.
"We cannot allow Mr. Bellemare to continue to make false comments that do not correspond with the truth or reality," Ms. Normandeau said.
She insisted her party was never involved in influence peddling, illegal funding activities or political interference in the nomination of judges. If Mr. Bellemare has anything to say, he should be saying before the Chief Electoral Officer, Ms. Normandeau said.
In recent weeks, Mr. Bellemare went public with allegations of unspecified fundraising irregularities. Mr. Charest has repeatedly denied knowing of such activity within his party and urged Mr. Bellemare to reveal any information to the province's Chief Electoral Officer. Mr. Bellemare has said he will testify only if granted immunity before a public inquiry or a National Assembly committee.
Mr. Bellemare's allegations follow a controversy over the Liberal government's refusal to hold a public inquiry into alleged corruption and collusion in the province's construction industry. Mr. Charest has also been under pressure by the opposition parties to examine the awarding of contracts to computer firms and permits for daycare spaces to Liberal party donors.
Mr. Bellemare's allegations may put enough political pressure on the government to cave in on both issues.
The controversies, plus an unpopular budget tabled two weeks ago that will raise the sales tax, tuition fees, the gas tax and hydro rates and introduce a health premium and even user fees for doctors' visits, are beginning to take a toll on the Liberals.
A Leger Marketing poll for the Montreal daily Le Devoir on Monday put the Charest government's approval rating at rock bottom. Four out of five Quebeckers - 77 per cent - disapproved of the Charest government. If an election were held today, 30 per cent said they would vote Liberal compared to 40 per cent for the Parti Québécois.
Rhéal Séguin