Quebec's ruling Coalition Avenir Québec is in controversy over accusations it has made access to ministers conditional on donations to the party.During a Quebec legislature hearing on Thursday, Antoine Bittar said he had been advocating for tougher drinking and driving legislation when the ruling party Coalition Avenir Québec offered an opportunity for him and his partner, Élizabeth Rivera, to meet Quebec's Transport Minister and Deputy Minister Geneviève Guilbault at an October 2023 fundraising cocktail event.Bittar said he and Rivera each paid $100 to get four minutes with the minister, two minutes per person."We had our two minutes and, honestly, when I left, I was really disappointed," Rivera said. "I found it unacceptable that we were asked to pay $200 to meet the minister."Guilbault later confirmed that she had met the couple at the October fundraising cocktail event, adding that it was an employee of another member of the legislature who had invited them. She said she did not know the couple were asked to pay money to meet her.“No one has to pay to speak to me," Guilbault told reporters. "If there was a clumsiness, if inadvertently there were people uncomfortable because of something that, yes, respected the rules but that perhaps made this woman feel uncomfortable, I'm sorry about that," she said.Of late, opposition parties have alleged that mayors were allegedly pressured to pay $100 to CAQ for access to cabinet ministers. The Canadian Press recently reported that almost half of Quebec's mayors have contributed nearly $100,000 to CAQ since the 2021 municipal election.In response, Quebec Premier François Legault announced last week his party would stop accepting donations and rely exclusively on the public political financing system, which funds parties through provincial tax dollars based on their share of the vote in the previous general election..This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
Quebec's ruling Coalition Avenir Québec is in controversy over accusations it has made access to ministers conditional on donations to the party.During a Quebec legislature hearing on Thursday, Antoine Bittar said he had been advocating for tougher drinking and driving legislation when the ruling party Coalition Avenir Québec offered an opportunity for him and his partner, Élizabeth Rivera, to meet Quebec's Transport Minister and Deputy Minister Geneviève Guilbault at an October 2023 fundraising cocktail event.Bittar said he and Rivera each paid $100 to get four minutes with the minister, two minutes per person."We had our two minutes and, honestly, when I left, I was really disappointed," Rivera said. "I found it unacceptable that we were asked to pay $200 to meet the minister."Guilbault later confirmed that she had met the couple at the October fundraising cocktail event, adding that it was an employee of another member of the legislature who had invited them. She said she did not know the couple were asked to pay money to meet her.“No one has to pay to speak to me," Guilbault told reporters. "If there was a clumsiness, if inadvertently there were people uncomfortable because of something that, yes, respected the rules but that perhaps made this woman feel uncomfortable, I'm sorry about that," she said.Of late, opposition parties have alleged that mayors were allegedly pressured to pay $100 to CAQ for access to cabinet ministers. The Canadian Press recently reported that almost half of Quebec's mayors have contributed nearly $100,000 to CAQ since the 2021 municipal election.In response, Quebec Premier François Legault announced last week his party would stop accepting donations and rely exclusively on the public political financing system, which funds parties through provincial tax dollars based on their share of the vote in the previous general election..This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.