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Quebec Liberal Leader Orders Independent Probe After Report of Cash-for-Votes in Leadership Race

Unverified text messages reported by Quebecor have raised questions about payments tied to memberships and votes.

Overview

  • Pablo Rodriguez said he asked the party president to hire an external firm to investigate the allegations and warned that any wrongdoing would bring severe consequences.
  • Quebecor outlets, including the Journal de Montréal, published screenshots that allegedly show operatives discussing cash rewards connected to voting and membership handling, though their authenticity has not been verified.
  • A radio report named two MNAs in the purported exchange, and both quickly denied involvement as The Canadian Press said it could not verify the messages.
  • Rodriguez suspended MNA Marwah Rizqy and removed her as parliamentary leader, citing a breach of trust linked to her dismissal of chief of staff Geneviève Hinse.
  • The developments intensify strains for a party already trailing the Parti Québécois in polling, with the Conservative Party of Quebec showing gains ahead of the 2026 election.