Party not aware of illegal funds: premier
Pauline Marois says her party had no knowledge of any disguised illegal donations allegedly passed to the PQ over the course of 12 years.
Three witnesses from engineering firms have testified over the past several days to giving thousands in illegal financing to the PQ, Liberals and ADQ.
"Our party wasn't aware. Our party didn't want that," says Marois. "Our party asked those who contributed to the Parti Quebecois to sign personal cheques that were their own personal donations."
So far, executives from SNC-Lavalin, Genivar, and BPR has testified to handing her party more than $700 thousand from 1998 to 2010. That includes two years in which Pauline Marois was at the head of the party.
The Liberals are also alleged to have gathered a similar amount - nearly $900 thousand.
For years, the Parti Quebecois had condemned the Liberals over allegations of illegal financing. But Pauline Marois says the accusations against her own party are different.
"The Liberal government refused to hold an inquiry on the tendering of construction contracts and political party financing." She says her party asked questions and insisted on an investigation.
PQ chief of staff implicated
Former PQ MNA Lucie Papineau was also named yesterday by SNC-Lavalin executive Yves Cadotte. He said she was an intermediary who gathered the disguised donations from his firm for the Parti Quebecois.
Papineau is currently in a position of power in the Parti Quebecois government as the Family minister's chief of staff.
"She was working as a volunteer for the Parti Quebecois," says Marois.