Bernard Drainville, Quebec’s minister responsible for democratic institutions, is in hot water over accusations he contravened the province’s election laws
Drainville posed for photos with students at CEGEPs in Ahunstic and in the Lanaudiere region, north of Montreal Tuesday.
The students are seen holding the pamphlets sporting Parti Quebecois colours in photos tweeted or retweeted by the minister.
Both CEGEPs were hosting advanced polling stations. The Elections Act dictates that no partisan activities can take place on the premises of a polling station.
At first, a spokesperson for Drainville told La Presse, which first reported the story, that the minister was passing out pamphlets and that his activities at the CEGEP conformed to the law.
But during a second call, the spokesperson backtracked, saying Drainville, who was accompanied on the visit by PQ candidates Martine Desjardins and Evelyne Abitbol, was simply meeting with the students, and no one distributed pamphlets or engaged in any partisan activities.
Elections Quebec is investigating, according to the report.
3ieme arrêt du jour : Auntsic avec @BDrainvillePQ et @EvelyneAbitbol. #VoteCampus #qc2014 pic.twitter.com/HeuRZFRrLd
— Frederic St-Jean (@FredStJean) April 1, 2014
Le ministre @BDrainvillePQ discute avec des étudiants du cégep Ahuntsic du #votecampus #qc2014 pic.twitter.com/Hfnq0oFVmq
— Charles P. Duquette (@CHDUQUETTE) April 1, 2014
Belle journée a la rencontre des etud. avec @BDrainvillePQ et @M_Desjardins au Cégep de LGroulx #VoteCampus #qc2014 pic.twitter.com/Gw4yGjBRkR
— Frederic St-Jean (@FredStJean) April 1, 2014