Questions arise over PQ candidate Pierre Karl Péladeau’s influence over Quebec media

The aftershocks of Pierre Karl Péladeau's entry into the Quebec election continue to come.

One day after the billionaire media baron — whose company Quebecor operates TVA, Journal de Montréal, Journal de Québec and Sun News — announced his candidacy for the Parti Quebecois, there are questions about his overarching influence over journalists and their coverage of the campaign.

Before entering the race, Péladeau relinquished his duties as CEO of his family's empire but hasn't given up any of his interest in the company.

According to the Montreal Gazette, Péladeau owns 28 per cent the media conglomerate. His "multiple voting shares" however, give him 73 per cent of the votes at any Quebecor shareholders’ meeting, essentially giving him all decision making power.

Moreover, he says that should he be elected to the National Assembly, he'll put his interest in the company into a blind trust but won't sell even if Quebec's ethics commissioner asks him to.

"I have no intention of selling my shares," Péladeau said, according to the Canadian Press.

"The proxy who will receive the mandate to manage the trust will have clear and precise guidelines — and selling Quebecor is out of the question."

[ Related: Is Pierre Karl Péladeau the next Lucien Bouchard? ]

Quebec Liberal Party leader Philippe Couillard is voicing his concerns about that.

"It’s irresponsible of Ms. Marois to not have taken more precautions before adding to her team a person who, whatever his personal qualities, controls a large part of the written and electronic media of Quebec," Couillard said on Monday, according to the Globe and Mail.

"I don’t want to suggest to Mr. Péladeau what he has to do. But he has to tell us what influence he has had, and will have, and how he will guarantee to Quebeckers that during the campaign they will still be exposed to an independent impartial media."

Quebec Solidaire leader Amir Khadir says that, if elected, Péladeau will maintain a disproportionate influence in Quebec media.

"Péladeau knows his interests...he's one of the most powerful men in media and one of the richest men in Quebec...He will be one of the most influential politicians in Quebec and he knows what's in his best interests...the PQ is giving him the steering wheel of government," Khadir said according CJAD radio.

[ Related: Pierre Karl Peladeau to run for Parti Quebecois in Quebec election ]

Despite the concerns, a Sun News vice president says that PKP has never interfered with Sun News' editorial content.

"It's being suggested by some that PKP's proclamation that he's a sovereigntist will make our columnists cower or that we'll pull our editorial punches against the Parti Quebecois in deference to him, at least until Quebecers tender their ballots April 7. Are you kidding me?" Glenn Garnett of QMI Agency wrote.

"It's difficult for some people to understand that I don't have a hotline on my desk from head office over which PKP or other senior executives call to dictate tomorrow's editorial position on the news of the day.

"That's not the way it works and if it did, we wouldn't be long for this increasingly competitive and cutthroat media environment in which we operate. In all the years I worked for him, PKP both respected and expected the independence of our newsrooms."

What do you think?

Are you concerned that Péladeau would — tacitly or deliberately — use his ownership of Quebec newspapers and television stations to influence the outcome of the election?

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

Are you a politics junkie?
Follow @politicalpoints on Twitter!