Premier Jean Charest spent Wednesday at the Quebec City courthouse, delivering a deposition in a $700,000 defamation lawsuit against former justice minister Marc Bellemare.
During the procedure, which is common in civil cases, Charest is answering questions behind closed doors from Bellemare's team of lawyers, which will enable Bellemare to prepare his defence.
The so-called "examination on discovery" is a legal process which allows litigants in a case to clarify each other's position confidentially, in the absence of a judge. It helps to focus the case, with an aim to keep the trial short.
Bellemare will have to sit for a deposition before Charest's lawyers by October 15.
Charest filed the lawsuit after Bellemare accused the premier of bowing to pressure from Liberal party donors to handpick judges in Quebec, and despite repeated demands from the premier, Bellemare refused to retract his statements.
"I chose to pursue this matter in front of the courts," said Charest. "That is what I chose to do and having done that, with that decision comes the fact that I will be asked questions about this episode, which I accept."
While this lawsuit was launched the same day as the Bastarache inquiry was announced, it is not part of any official government action. In fact, the Bastarache inquiry has yet to officially begin, because Bellemare, who made accusations about influence peddling, has refused to testify.
That may change, as the commissioner in charge of the inquiry can compel individuals to testify.
Meanwhile, police will continue to investigate Bellemare's allegations of corruption.
