A former political adviser to the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ), Étienne Boulrice, has been charged with electoral fraud by Élections Québec.
According to the statement of offence issued by the Election Act watchdog, in early March 2023, Boulrice allegedly helped or incited a woman to make a contribution of $100 to the CAQ “otherwise than out of her own funds,” which is illegal.
At the time of the alleged offences, Boulrice was a political adviser to the CAQ MNA for Hull, Suzanne Tremblay. She is not the subject of a statement of offence issued by Élections Québec and Boulrice has since resigned.
“Integrity is a fundamental value for the CAQ and for MNA Suzanne Tremblay. An employee who receives such a finding obviously cannot remain on our team,” wrote Marc Danis, Director of Communications in the Office of the Chief Government Whip, in a statement to The Canadian Press.
Elections Québec said that the former political employee has pleaded not guilty.
Boulrice could face a fine of between $5,000 and $20,000 if found guilty. He will also be banned from doing partisan work, standing as a candidate in an election, and voting for five years.
During the last parliamentary session, the CAQ was rocked by controversy over its financing methods. François Legault’s party has since decided to stop collecting donations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 6, 2024.