Quebec minister says private pheasant hunt was not an ethics breach

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Quebec Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon said on Thursday he did nothing wrong when he participated in an exclusive pheasant shoot on a private island attended by businesspeople who have received government grants.

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Speaking to reporters in Quebec City, Fitzgibbon said his private life is his own business, although he added he does not oppose the ethics probe sought by the opposition.

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It is the sixth time in four years such a probe has been sought over Fitzgibbon’s conduct.

The three opposition parties have denounced Fitzgibbon for attending the event in October, held in a private club on Île de la Province on Lake Memphrémagog, noting that some participants are businesspeople who have received government grants.

The pheasant shoot itself is a prestigious event and sees participants dressed in traditional Austrian costume.

“I’m not going to stop my activities because of the Journal de Montréal,” said Fitzgibbon, referring to the newspaper that first reported the event, adding he had participated in the hunt for the past 20 years.

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“I am quite at ease,” the minister said. “I believe that having these kinds of acquaintances is a strength, (and) that my conduct was perfectly acceptable.

“I hope that the ethics commissioner will do its job so we can see how many grants I handed out that day,” he joked.

The Quebec Liberals have sent a formal request for an investigation to the ethics commissioner. In the letter, Liberal MNA Monsef Derraji says Fitzgibbon has yet to declare the activity in the register of gifts, hospitality and other advantages.

“A reasonable person might indeed wonder if the participation of the minister in a private, prestigious hunting event in the company of shareholders of companies that benefit from grants from his own ministry constitutes a form of quid pro quo and could lead to doubts concerning the awarding of those grants.”

Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said he will add his voice to the Liberals’ request for an inquiry, and Québec solidaire is filing its own request for an ethics probe.