Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette says he did not break any guidelines in naming a good friend of his as a Quebec court docket choose.
Chatting with reporters Saturday on the first of a two-day Coalition Avenir Québec coverage conference in Sherbrooke, Que., Jolin-Barrette mentioned he revered “all the principles” when he named his longtime good friend Charles-Olivier Gosselin to the bench final week.
Jolin-Barrette mentioned his friendship with Gosselin was no secret and insists that it didn’t affect the nomination course of earlier this month.
He mentioned Gosselin was the perfect candidate and he was chosen based mostly on his competence after an unbiased committee really useful him and two different individuals.
Regardless of this, Jolin-Barrette did not warn Premier François Legault or the cupboard that he was about to nominate a detailed good friend.
Opposition events have raised questions concerning the nomination course of and the Liberal Celebration is demanding an inquiry.
Finance minister says he too appointed good friend
Following the information Saturday, Finance Minister Eric Girard spoke out, saying he too appointed a good friend.
Final week, Girard reappointed his “private good friend” Jean-François Blais to the board of administrators of Loto-Québec, the place he was first appointed by the minister in 2019.
The boys have recognized one another since highschool.
Not like Jolin-Barrette, nevertheless, Girard warned Legault about his friendship.
“I definitely mentioned that this individual, I knew him,” mentioned Girard, defending himself from accusations of conflicts of curiosity by praising the competence of his good friend.
“He’s somebody with distinctive expertise,” he mentioned.
Defending Jolin-Barrette, Girard mentioned the method for appointing judges was “very completely different” from the method of appointing board members of Crown firms.
