(Quebec) Québec solidaire MP Guillaume Cliche-Rivard defends his integrity and affirms that he followed the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner to the letter, even though he is an immigration critic and owner of a consulting firm. immigration lawyer.
“Before my election (…) and as soon as I was elected, I requested opinions from the Ethics Commissioner (…) I respected these opinions to the letter. We have an arbiter in matters of ethics in the Assembly, she is the commissioner. I have nothing to reproach myself for,” he said during a press scrum on Tuesday.
He was reacting to two chronicles of Montreal Journalwho noted that two “lawyer deputies”, Mr. Cliche-Rivard and the liberal Brigitte Garceau, continued to work in the legal field where they are critical as opposition deputies.
Mme Garceau is a liberal critic in matters of DYP and practices family law at Robinson Sheppard Shapiro, a firm where she is a partner. Mr. Cliche-Rivard owns an immigration law firm, from which he earns income. Was the supportive MP able to take advantage of his status as a parliamentarian to attract clients and enrich himself, for example?
“I don’t even have a website. That would really be… that’s not the goal. I came here, and I was elected in particular because of my expertise in immigration matters. I have this role today. I sleep peacefully. I respected 100% of the commissioner’s recommendations,” he said.
Unveil reviews
Mr. Cliche-Rivard initially did not wish to make these opinions public. The parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, explained Tuesday morning “that there is personal information in some of these documents”.
PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, however, indicated that these documents were of “public interest”. “Everyone would benefit from having the entire opinion of the Ethics Commissioner so that we know how to govern ourselves in other situations,” he replied. At the beginning of the afternoon, Québec solidaire sent the documents to the media who requested them.
In these opinions, Ethics Commissioner Ariane Mignolet summarizes questions asked by Guillaume Cliche-Rivard when he arrived in politics:
- Do I retain the right to practice the legal profession through the firm CR Avocats and to represent certain clients before provincial and federal authorities?
- If so, can I receive employment income? And as a shareholder of the firm Cliche-Rivard Avocats, can I receive dividends?
- Can I remain a shareholder of the firm Cliche-Rivard Avocats and participate in its management?
- Should the firm Cliche-Rivard Avocats change its company name?
Not incompatible
The commissioner considers that “the pursuit of professional activities as a part-time lawyer for your company Cliche-Rivard Avocats does not represent a situation of incompatibility of functions”. However, the MP must not “place himself in a situation” where his “personal interest can influence his independence of judgment in the exercise of (his) office”.
She also underlines that by “privileging the role of advisory lawyer to that of representative of individuals”, Mr. Cliche-Rivard reduces “the appearance of conflict of interest”. The MP has the right to “receive employment income and, as the sole shareholder of this company, receive dividends from it. »
You can remain a shareholder in your company and ensure its management by being the sole director of the latter. However, in the event that Cliche-Rivard Avocats participates in a contract with the government, a ministry or a public body, you must submit to the conditions of the commissioner.
Extract from the opinion of the Ethics Commissioner
The commissioner also considers that “Cliche-Rivard, Avocats inc. can keep its current name. »
She also gives her blessing to the member for Saint-Henri–Sainte-Anne, who asked her if he could participate in the parliamentary commission on the multi-year planning of immigration thresholds in Quebec for the period 2024-2027.
Even if the firm Cliche-Rivard Avocats works exclusively in immigration law and its “clientele is in some way dependent on the immigration thresholds which will be determined for the coming years”, “nothing indicates that the pool of clients potential of the firm will be greatly affected.
“There is no indication that new arrivals will choose to use the CR Avocats firm rather than another if necessary. At present, it is therefore not possible to consider that the work of the CRC will have a present or reasonably foreseeable financial impact for you,” adds Ms.e Mignolet.
However, she asks him to “avoid in your interventions any confusion between the exercise of your office and your status as owner of a legal firm working exclusively in immigration law”.
“You can therefore participate in the work of the Citizen Relations Commission and, where applicable, exercise your right to vote. However, you must ensure compliance with other ethical rules relating to conflicts of interest,” she explains.
“The objective pursued by these recommendations is certainly not to limit your contribution to the debates considering your expertise in immigration matters, but to ensure that in all circumstances you remain vigilant regarding any question which could have a connection with the sector of activity of your company,” concludes the commissioner.
reference: www.lapresse.ca