MONTREAL - A businessman and former political organizer affirmed that he was in position to sell confidential information about Plan Nord while being filmed by an undercover camera belonging to Radio-Canada's show Enquete on Thursday night.
While speaking to an investigator posing as an investor, Pierre Coulombe confirmed that when he called the office of Premier Jean Charest, he was immediately called back. Working in the political arena for 25 years, Coulombe also boasted of his ties to Minister of Natural Resources Serge Simard.
Coulombe told Radio-Canada that he had received confidential information about infrastructure projects twice over the past year from one of Simard's main lieutenants, Pierre Gaudreault.
Plan Nord is Charest's legacy project as premier, a series of large scale infrastructure and natural resources projects worth tens of billions of dollars over the next few decades.
During the show, Coulombe was pictured speaking with Charest during an event in early April hosted by the Quebec Liberals.
Responding to Coulombe's accidental remarks, Charest admitted through a communiqué to the show's producers that he had known Coulombe since 1984, but had only met the man a few times at party functions. According to the premier, his comments during the April event in Laval were only to thank Coulombe for his support of the government's work.
Charest was said to be angered by Coulombe's comments and reiterated that at no time had he discussed Plan Nord, development projects or investments with the businessman.
Confronted by Radio-Canada with the hidden camera footage, Coulombe admitted that he had invented the story about Gaudreault passing on information. Contradicting his taped admission, he told Radio-Canada that he had received no confidential information.
Coulombe said he was bragging.
