Marc Bellemare, former justice minister of Quebec, testifies at the Bastarache commission on Aug. 24.POOL
Damaging allegations before a public inquiry this week by ex-Quebec justice minister Marc Bellemare are being corroborated by a former senior government official.
Mr. Bellemare's testimony that he was pressured by influential Liberal fundraisers to appoint provincial judges was confirmed by former assistant deputy minister of justice Georges Lalande in a radio interview this week.
Mr. Lalande said that while he was in office in 2003 and 2004 Liberal party fundraiser and construction entrepreneur Franco Fava did, in fact, exercise influence on the nomination of judges in Quebec.
His statement corroborates a key portion of Mr. Bellemare's testimony before the inquiry into the nomination process of judges headed by former Supreme Court justice Michel Bastarache. Mr. Bellemare said he was told by Quebec Premier Jean Charest to bow to Mr. Fava's demands regarding the appointment of three judges who were viewed as staunch Liberal supporters.
"It wasn't fictitious," Mr. Lalande said in referring to the allegations that pressure was being exerted on Mr. Bellemare by Mr. Fava and others. "He [Mr. Fava]had real influence in those circles," Mr. Lalande said on Tuesday in an interview on Montreal's 98.5FM radio station.
Mr. Lalande was a Liberal member of the Quebec National Assembly for a brief period from 1979 to 1981 and was president of the Quebec automobile insurance board in the 1990s. He was appointed as assistant deputy minister by Mr. Bellemare to oversee a major reform of the province's administrative tribunals. The reform was scrapped by Mr. Charest, which was one of the reasons Mr. Bellemare quit politics in April, 2004, only one year after being appointed to cabinet.
Mr. Lalande has been called to appear before the Bastarache commission and his testimony may serve to buttress Mr. Bellemare's credibility, which his lawyer Rénald Beaudry predicted will come under heavy fire next week during cross-examination by Quebec government and Liberal party lawyers.
Mr. Charest, who called a news conference on Tuesday to categorically deny Mr. Bellemare's allegations, refused to comment on Mr. Lalande's remarks. Mr. Charest said there was nothing irregular about commenting on testimony before the commission had completed its work and he will do it again if circumstances warrant it.
"I'm not going to comment everyday and I'm not going to comment every testimony. But if the circumstances … in my judgment justify that I make a comment, I will," Mr. Charest said before entering a Liberal caucus meeting on Thursday.
In a press release on Thursday, Mr. Bastarache reiterated that he had no authority to bar witnesses or participants at the commission from making public comments. However, he urged them to show restraint in order to ensure "a just procedure for all those involved."
Liberal MNA's rallied behind their leader hoping that as the commission hears testimony from dozens of witnesses including Mr. Charest, it will serve to undermine Mr. Bellemare's credibility and boost public confidence in the government. "Let's allow the commission to do its work," said party whip Pierre Moreau.
The Liberals, however, face a steep battle in bridging their own credibility gap. A Léger Marketing poll conducted this week for the Journal de Montréal showed that 69 per cent of Quebeckers believe Mr. Bellemare's testimony, compared to only 13 per cent who believe Mr. Charest's denial.
Rhéal Séguin