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Quebec’s ethics commissioner has launched an investigation into Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge for allegedly sharing internal data with two candidates vying to succeed François Legault.
The probe follows formal requests from Liberal MNA Marc Tanguay and Québec Solidaire MNA Étienne Grandmont.
“The requests cite reasonable grounds to believe that the minister may have breached a provision of the code regarding conflicts of interest,” says ethics commissioner Ariane Mignolet in a statement.
Grandmont and Tanguay accuse Roberge of sharing a ministry study with Bernard Drainville and Christine Fréchette in regards to their proposals for the Programme de l’expérience québécoise (PEQ). The program is a primary pathway for immigrants to obtain a Quebec selection certificate, a necessary step toward permanent residency.
The study reportedly analyzed the impact of ending the program last November and the feasibility of a “grandfather clause” for those already in the system. Under the province’s ethics code, ministers are barred from using public resources or civil service expertise for partisan purposes.
The investigation will determine if Roberge violated section 17 of the code, which prohibits MNAs from using or sharing non-public information obtained through their duties to benefit themselves or others.
Immigration has emerged as a central flashpoint in the leadership race. The candidates have clashed over the question of the PEQ’s “grandfather clause,” with Drainville’s proposal being more restrictive than that of his rival, who has called for a two-year return of the program.
In an email to Radio-Canada, Roberge acknowledged the investigation and vowed to “fully co-operate.”
The ethics commissioner said the inquiry will be held behind closed doors and no further comments will be made while it is ongoing.
Grandmont called the sharing of internal data during a race “unacceptable,” while Tanguay said the Liberals will closely monitor the results of the probe.