Television news cameras have been booted out of a National Assembly committee hearing that's investigating the actions of the former environment minister.

The ruling Parti Quebecois arranged to hold the hearings in a rarely used room, with no link to the National Assembly's internal camera system.

CAQ MNA Éric Caire told the committee he had to express his anger: "I'm scandalized that the government has confined us to a room where there is no recording," he said. "What do we want to hide? What do we not want the population to hear?"

In the meantime, three other large rooms, linked up to the National Assembly's internal camera system, sat available and empty.

The committee's chair, a Liberal, fell on the customary practice at the assembly of allowed television news cameras to record only the first few minutes of the hearing.

She then told them to stop and leave the room.