Corruption is losing all meaning
Thursday, April 27, 2017 was not Quebec democracy’s finest day. The political theatrics on display exposed, yet again, a clumsy nationalism that is further compromising state institutions; it is now exacerbating this province’s corruption problem with injudicious rumourmongering and populist hysterics.
Last Thursday’s events included: the government’s tabling of Bill 133, outlining fines for police officers or union leaders who wear or encourage the wearing of clown pants (a nearly three-year-old failed pressure tactic protesting pension reform); the head of the province’s largest police union, Yves Francoeur, claiming on Paul Arcand’s popular morning radio program that two Liberal MNAs (one of whom is still in office, he said) had been spared any criminal charges in connection with a 2012 case; and embattled former cabinet minister Sam Hamad abruptly ending a 14-year career as Liberal MNA, saying his decision had been in the works for some time.
Chief crown prosecutor Annick Murphy had been scheduled to testify last Thursday before the justice committee and was able to provide a swift rebuttal to Francoeur’s extraordinarily damning allegations.
“Never,” Murphy said. “No prosecutor would ever accept to take a decision out of complacency or servility.”
Francoeur provided no further comment, prompting Justice Minister Stéphanie Vallée to insist he “produce the facts as soon as possible because the harm he is doing to the institution is serious. And those who repeat his words (media, it is understood) also hurt the institution.”
In an understatement about Thursday’s brouhaha, Vallée noted “there could be motivation behind these manoeuvres.”
The term “corruption” is casually tossed around daily to smear federalist Liberals, but serious allegations require further inquiry. They also raise new questions: Did Francoeur know of the allegedly kiboshed cases before Thursday, clown pants legislation day? If so, for how long and why on Earth did he sit on that information? Did he neglect to bring his allegations to the attention of the proper authorities? And how is talk radio the most appropriate place to spontaneously denounce alleged Criminal Code violations and undermine the public’s confidence in the justice system?
Naturally, the Parti Québécois and their disproportionally numerous surrogates in the commentariat were quick to sound the alarm. Government critics rode a wave of outrage following the repetition of another police leak earlier in the week about former Liberal premier Jean Charest having been under investigation by UPAC, the provincial police’s anti-corruption squad. As with Francoeur’s unnamed MNAs, no charges were filed against Charest, nor has any evidence of wrongdoing been presented.
If all this seems confusing to even the most attentive observer, that’s because I would suspect it is confusing by design. Being the subject of a criminal investigation is in no way an indicator of guilt, but having allegations made public can permanently destroy a person’s reputation, which is why details on unfounded allegations, ongoing investigations or investigations that yield no criminal charges should never be misappropriated for partisan uses.
Francoeur seems to believe working around the justice system will correct any serious lapses within it. He didn’t seem interested in Murphy’s invitation to file a report with her, so the Crown has asked for a police investigation into his allegations.
The anti-corruption squad has been leaking like a sieve for years, with nationalist union leaders, politicians and pundits all too eager to pile on, jump to conclusions and distort Quebec’s corruption and collusion problems as being uniquely Liberal.
The injudicious leaks then fuel multimedia political echo chambers, where like-minded tribalists go to confirm each other’s biases.
This toxic brew could give rise even in enlightened Quebec to the kind of destructive populism currently ravaging several industrialized nations.
Though there is nothing in these corruption allegations that links anything to Premier Philippe Couillard, Quebecers should brace for and be critical of intensified nationalist-driven propaganda; at this rate, we could be hearing “lock him up” chants before next year’s election.