The frontrunner in the Parti Quebecois leadership race insists he is not a conflict of interest waiting to happen for his party.

Pierre Karl Peladeau has repeatedly said he'll never sell his shares in Quebecor, the media empire his father built, but also refuses to say what he would do if he is elected premier and is ordered to sell.

A blind trust isn't hard to figure out, said the MNA for Saint-Jerome.

“I'm a lawyer – I never practiced law, but my understanding is that you know the decisions that will be taken by the one who holds the shares will be taken by the trustee,” he said Tuesday.

PKP assured Quebecers he'll put his millions of dollars in Quebecor shares into a blind trust if he's elected party leader, but with one major condition.

“I will give specific instructions not to sell the shares,” he said.

Peladeau said doesn't see a problem with that stipulation.

The MNAs’ advisor, former chief justice Claude Bisson, however, answers to the National Assembly. He said if Peladeau ever becomes premier, he’ll have to sell.

Liberals House Leader Jean-Marc Fournier said Peladeau's attitude is disrespectful

“What we see from the PQ under Mr. Peladeau, that is starting now, they will have no respect for our institutions,” said Fournier.

The PQ is rejecting Bisson’s opinion, calling it unfair.
“The way he reacted with Mr. Peladeau was not good at all,” said Matane-Matapedia MNA Pascal Berube. “It's not respectful he doesn't answer the political comment of Mr. Fournier,” he said.
 

A potential conflict of interest looms.

Quebecor recently stated Peladeau was a visionary leader when he ran the company; CAQ leader Francois Legault said this highlights the problem.

“Every time Quebecor will say something about Pierre Karl Peladeau, we'll ask ourselves, ‘Is this an independent opinion or is there a conflict of interest?’” he said.

National Assembly Ethics Commissioner Jacques Saint-Laurent must decide the fate of PKP’s shares should he ever become premier, but Peladeau said he’ll cross that bridge when he comes to it.

“The answer is premature because it's up to the commissioner to answer the question,” he said.