Bernier’s ex broke lobbying rules: report
OTTAWA – An old flame of former foreign affairs Minister Maxime Bernier broke the rules when she tried to influence a government official on behalf of a real-estate developer without registering as a lobbyist, a report tabled Tuesday says.
Julie Couillard, who also had links to members of the mafia and a motorcycle gang, was paid to communicate with a federal public office holder to obtain a contract, Commissioner of Lobbying Karen Shepherd said in the report.
While the project never got off the ground, Couillard received just over $51,000 in “consultancy fees,” Shepherd wrote.
“This is a legitimate activity which requires registration. Ms. Couillard failed to submit information on her lobbying activities in the Registry of Lobbyists and, as such, I concluded she breached the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct,” the commissioner said.
Bernier resigned as Canada’s foreign minister in May 2008, on the same day Couillard revealed in a television interview that he had left classified NATO documents at her Laval home for several weeks.
About a month later, it was alleged that Couillard tried to influence Bernard Cote, a senior adviser to then-public works minister Michael Fortier, along with Bernier, to help Quebec-based Groupe Immobilier Kevlar Inc. get a contract for a 200,000-sq.-ft. development project by the federal government in Quebec City. Cote was forced to resign when it was revealed that he had dated Couillard at the same time Kevlar was seeking government business.
When the lobbying allegations came to light, opposition parties called on the watchdog to conduct an investigation of Couillard. Shepherd continued to look into the matter in 2010, after the RCMP announced they were not laying charges.
While the report didn’t find any evidence that Couillard’s communications with Bernier would have required registration as a lobbyist, it did find that she lobbied Cote.
Specifically, the report found that Couillard had breached the principle of professionalism in terms of accurate information and disclosure of obligations as a result of her actions.
Couillard, who was a licensed real-estate agent, also ran a company called ITEK Global Solutions Inc. In 2007 and 2008, Kevlar entered into two agreements with Couillard and her company, the report said.
The first, a consultancy contract, set out that Couillard’s company would help Kevlar respond to a request for proposals by Public Works. ITEK would be paid $7,500 per month plus taxes, travel, accommodation and living expenses. Couillard received six of these payments, the report said.
The second agreement set out that Couillard stood to earn between $100,000 and $200,000 from Kevlar if she helped obtain a long-term contract and lease on the project. Kevlar ended its agreement with Couillard in June 2008.
Couillard never intended to mislead her clients, the public or public office holders, according to a statement from her lawyer submitted in the report. Breaches of the code of conduct carry no fines or jail terms.