News bits from the campaign
Radio-Canada broke a story on L’Enquête about how an SQ surveillance of a Liberal fund-raiser was cut short minutes after the man met with Jean Charest at a motel in Dorval, back in 2009. Charest spent Thursday saying this kind of journalism wasn’t ethical; the Fédération professionnelle des journalistes hit back with a cutting statement: Il n’appartient pas au premier ministre, ni à aucun autre politicien, de dicter aux médias leurs choix rédactionnels.
Le Devoir has released results of a Léger poll showing the PQ at 32%, the Liberals at 31% and the CAQ at 27% – full details in this PDF file.
Radio-Canada finds the PQ is ahead in Facebook activity but Québec solidaire excels at Twitter.
You know, I would really love to read a straight-up account from Jean Charest about how he got entangled with the Mafia, from the first glance across the room, to the moment when he realized he was in too deep to get out, and examining the various stages as it sank in that he was simply going to have to keep telling bigger and bigger lies to keep himself and his party afloat. Could make a good movie.
walkerp 06:58 on 2012/08/10 Permalink
Even if his meeting with Charest did not actually trigger intervention from the Premier’s office, the web of associations between known mafia figures and the Liberal party is just too apparent. We really need a major purging across the board here. Let’s hope the people vote accordingly.
Alanah 08:30 on 2012/08/10 Permalink
ooh, yes, and then after his tell-all confession he can go into witness protection
Jack 10:38 on 2012/08/10 Permalink
Look I am no fan of Charest, but when I saw this story I wondered why Radio Canada chose this moment to air it. It is a story they had been working on for three year, why now?
Seeing as 4 ex-reporters are now running for the PQ, including two ex-Quebec city bureau chiefs it makes one wonder.
Bill Binns 10:53 on 2012/08/10 Permalink
Has any legitimate political activity ever occurred in a motel? Attending a meeting in a motel should be grounds for impeachment of any politician.
Marc 11:45 on 2012/08/10 Permalink
This election, like the previous ones, RadCan will do whatever it can to help elect the PQ.
Kate 11:46 on 2012/08/10 Permalink
Jack, you’ve got to admit it’s newsworthy now, though, although I wouldn’t entirely absolve Radio-Canada of bias.
Bill Binns: exactly! When I heard “motel in Dorval” on the radio I laughed out loud.
Jack 12:08 on 2012/08/10 Permalink
I cannot believe I am defending Jean, but here goes. The meeting was held in a motel in Dorval because that’s where Makivik Corporation (Inuit landholding organization) always holds its meetings. The man Charest spoke to was the V.P. of FTQ construction, the most powerful union in Quebec. The man in question also had direct ties to the FTQ’s “Fondes des solidarites” the second biggest public equity fund in Quebec. He also supported Charest when he ran for the Tory leadership. He gets two minutes with Charest, you and I don’t.
As for his mafia ties, he admitted having a friend who went into that business and was ltter murdered. Does that make him a mobster?
Their is something weird about the timing of this story that I would like to know more about – why now?
Kate 13:14 on 2012/08/10 Permalink
Jack, that’s interesting background.
Either Radio-Canada just heard about this incident (odd, because it happened in 2009) or else they’ve held onto it to use as a time bomb during an election campaign.
Jack 15:00 on 2012/08/10 Permalink
I love Alain Gravel’s work for Rad Can, but the political nature of the timing leaves me befuddled.By the way I just saw a TVA reporter asking Legault if he was in favor of Astral’s sale to Bell, a question that PKP obviously ordered.Legault of course sang for his supper and said it was terrible for all Quebecker’s (especially PKP and Quebecor).I get this sinking feeling that we might replace Charest by an even more right wing Legault.Get your casseroles out!