The Director General of Elections of Quebec has fined five people for illegal fundraising that benefited the Quebec Liberal Party.
The fundraiser in question took place in October 2008 and several people are accused of making a total of $17,000 in donations through illegal means.
Elections Quebec alleges that several people made donations in their employees' names, while others gave money and were reimbursed by others, which is a violation of the law.
Normand Lefebrve of Notre Dame du Mont Carmel and Michel Perreault of Mascouche are accused of providing money, while Yanick Dion of Montreal, Rejean Bergevin of Laval and Carole Archambault of Laval are accused of letting others make donations in their names.
The penalty for making unlawful donations is a $500 fine, with a supplemental fine equal to the amount of the donation, paid to the Chief Electorial Officer.
Liberal leader Philippe Couillard was not surprised to learn of the infractions, but said it was important to note that his party has done everything it can to make sure it no longer receives donations under false pretenses.
Former Liberal MNA Nathalie Normandeau is the person suspected of benefitting from the donations, but Couillard stressed that she was not named by the Chief Electoral Officer. She has sent a lawyer's letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, saying the claims are false. She is seeking a retraction.
"I think all parties are potentially liable on this theme but I will say... this is the past. I'm looking at the present and the future and we have adopted laws, laws have been adopted both for the financing and the mechanics of financing that literally have solved this issue," he said.
Normandeau left the Liberal party in September 2011.
Thr letter from Normandeau's lawyers will be examined before there is a response, said spokesperson Denis Dion.
