Parti Quebecois leader Pierre Karl Peladeau said on Wednesday he is not ruling out legal action against the Quebec Liberals for what he called defamatory statements.
The comments, which came in Jonquiere at the party’s two-day caucus to prepare for the next National Assembly session, follows Friday’s sending of a legal notice to two members of the CAQ.
The controversy stems from Peladeau’s desire to see the founding of a research institute dedicated to studying Quebec independence.
Peladeau insists it would be politically independent (despite being a creation of the PQ) and denies reports he would spend $1 million to help pay for it. He did, however, say he’ll contribute.
“I intendto make a contribution at the right time,” he said. “There are a lot of people that have a lot of ideas and the fact I have one, I guess it’s not forbidden.”
Lisee defends think tank
PQ MNA and former cabinet minister Jean-Francois Lisee defended Peladeau’s vision for the research institute.
“We have federalist think tanks, right-wing think tanks that have been funded by people that have money,” said Lisee. “We never found any problems with that. I think it’s about time we have an institute for independence.”
Notice called ‘legal intimidation’
In the notice sent to CAQ leader Francois Legault and MNA Benoit Charette, Peladeau alleged the two made defamatory comments by suggesting that should Peladeau use his personal fortune to finance the think tank, it would be breaking electoral financing laws.
After the letter was sent, Liberal MNA Jean-Marc Fournier echoed the CAQ members’ comments and called the notice “legal intimidation.”
On Wednesday, Peladeau said sending a similar notice to Fournier was not out of the question.
“I was reflecting on what I will do according to his statements,” he said.
The move raised eyebrows in political circles.
“Anybody who knows about politics knows that this is not the way you do politics. Maybe in business -- and in business he was really strong on the legal side -- but in politics you don't do that,” said political analyst Jean Lapierre.
‘The caucus is a mess’: analyst
Peladeau didn't spend much time at his own caucus, now off to France to attend a funeral. With their leader gone, PQ MNAs are left to figure out their pre-session strategy without guidance from the top
An afternoon press conference was cancelled, with Peladeau refusing to answer reporters’ questions.
“The whole thing is out of control at this time, and they can't keep on message. This caucus is a mess,” said Lapierre.
