Photo: Jacques Boissinot The Canadian Press “As an independent MP, I respect all the rules of ethics and professional conduct, so I intend to continue the work with the same determination,” said Eric Lefebvre.
Thomas Laberge – The Canadian Press in Quebec
Published yesterday at 7:54 p.m.
- Quebec
Ex-CAQ whip Eric Lefebvre, who is now independent, intends to keep his seat as a Quebec MP, even if he has already announced his intention to run with Pierre Poilievre's conservatives in the next federal election.
“As an independent MP, I respect all the rules of ethics and professional conduct, so I intend to continue the work with the same determination », affirmed Eric Lefebvre in a press scrum at the National Assembly on Tuesday, adding that he would remain in office until the next federal campaign.
Section 17 of the Act respecting the National Assembly of Quebec “provides that the seat of a member becomes vacant de facto s 'he is appointed to the Canadian Senate or if he is a candidate for a federal election or a provincial election in another province.'
The ex-caquist justified his decision to announce his intentions at this time, even though the federal election could not be called until 2025.
“From the moment my decision was taken, it was important for me in terms of transparency, in terms of ethics to precisely give my resignation to the Prime Minister to avoid any form of conflict of interest with the Council of Ministers,” he explained. .
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“Let him leave now”
For the Parti Québécois, Mr. Lefebvre cannot remain in office. MP Pascal Bérubé believes this is an “ethical and moral question”.
According to him, there will necessarily be a partial in the provincial riding of Eric Lefebvre (Arthabaska), because the federal elections will be held before the next provincial election. “Let him leave now. This will give the opportunity, from 2024, to trigger a by-election and there will be a member for whom the National Assembly will be the first choice,” argued the PQ elected official at a press briefing on Tuesday.
“The Conservative Party can hire him in the meantime and he will campaign full time,” he added.
Conservative for 20 years
Mr. Lefebvre was present on Sunday at a conservative rally in Victoriaville alongside his new leader Pierre Poilievre. The latter took the opportunity to announce that the former CAQ will be a candidate in the federal riding of Richmond — Arthabaska.
Eric Lefebvre defended his decision to launch with the Party conservative of Canada by affirming that it was his political family for two decades.
He was already a Conservative candidate in Richmond — Arthabaska in 2008, but he was beaten by Bloc leader André Bellavance.
It is the independent MP Alain Rayes who currently represents this constituency. Mr. Rayes left the PCC caucus just after the election of Pierre Poilievre as party leader. He had supported Jean Charest in the chiefdom. Alain Rayes has already indicated that he does not intend to run again.
Eric Lefebvre was elected for the first time with the Coalition Avenir Québec in the provincial constituency of Arthabaska in 2016 during a by-election. He was then re-elected there in 2018 and 2022.