Jacques Boissinot Archives The Canadian Press Solidarity MP Ruba Ghazal justified the request by highlighting section 114 of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for Members of the National Assembly.
Québec solidaire (QS) is calling for the National Assembly's Ethics Commissioner, Ariane Mignolet, to be summoned to a parliamentary committee in order to hear her, in particular, on the process to be put in place to establish the remuneration of MNAs.
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The whip of the second opposition group and solidarity deputy Ruba Ghazal wrote this week to the president of the Committee on Institutions, André Bachand, to remind him that Ms. Mignolet had still not been invited to participate in the study of her most recent five-year review, which contains several proposals to improve the provisions of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
The QS whip pointed out that, in an interview with Devoirpublished on Monday, the Ethics Commissioner noted this situation. “Ms. Mignolet herself publicly stated this week that she wanted to be heard and to have her report called for consideration,” she wrote. Ms. Ghazal pointed out that section 114 of the Code specifically provides for her to be heard, which has still not been done since this document was filed in 2019.
“Considering the importance of this request, and the accumulated delay in dealing with this file, we ask that you respond to this request as soon as possible, ”wrote the MEP in the document, co-signed by her colleague Sol Zanetti, member of the Committee on Institutions.
Avoiding conflicts of interest
Among other elements submitted in the report, Ariane Mignolet recommends the establishment of an independent body to establish the remuneration of deputies.
Last week, elected officials of the National Assembly appointed two former deputies and a human resources specialist to make a proposal regarding the remuneration of elected officials, an initiative from which QS has dissociated itself.
In his letter, Ruba Ghazal insists in particular on this theme which is elaborated by Ms. Mignolet in her report. “We need to hear it, particularly with regard to the measures to be put in place to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest concerning the remuneration of MPs”, says the MP for QS.
As for the parliamentary wing of the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ), André Bachand did not respond to a request for an interview. “We still intend to study his report in committee,” spokesperson Marc Danis said, however, without specifying a date.
For the Minister responsible for Democratic Institutions, Jean-François Roberge, his cabinet asserted the independence of the legislative power in the matter. “It's not up to cabinet to decide that, it's up to parliamentarians,” said spokesperson Thomas Verville.
The Liberal and PQ parliamentary wings have assured QS of their support. at his request.
In addition to the way of establishing the remuneration of elected officials, the report proposes flexibility to manage the assets of ministers and the extension of the provisions of the Code to the election period, which does not is not currently the case.
