Daoust's chief of staff said minister gave OK to Rona sale
Pierre Ouellet, the former chief of staff to ex-cabinet minister Jacques Daoust, was told his failure to notify the premier's office about the brewing sale of $140 million worth of Rona shares was "inconceivable."
At issue was Daoust's repeated denials that he was consulted before the sale of Quebec's stake in Rona to Lowe's, essentially paving the way for the American company to buy Rona in February.
Last week, a series of emails surfaced attempting to prove that Daoust was, in fact, consulted before the sale, which led Daoust's resignation from cabinet and politics.
The final OK was given by Ouellet, who affirmed he did check with Daoust about the sale.
"I can assure you that I asked for the minister's approval on things much more mundane than a sale of this scale," Ouellet said.
When questioned, Ouellet maintained it wasn't for him to say if Daoust lied about his involvement in the Rona sale.
Ouellet's chronology of events
During today's legislative hearings, Ouellet presented a list of events which took place in the fall of 2014 as Investissement Quebec (IQ) pressured him for Daoust's approval to sell the government's shares in the homegrown company.
- Nov. 17, 2014: Ouellet accompanies Daoust to a meeting of the board of Investissement Quebec (IQ). Over the course of the day, Daoust asks him to check whether the sale of IQ's Rona shares would require Daoust or the cabinet's authorization.
- Nov. 21, 2014: Ouellet calls Marc Paquet, vice-president of legal affairs for IQ, to ask him what the threshold is.
- Nov. 21, 2014: Paquet answers Ouellet by email, saying according to the law, the value of the Rona shares doesn't require the authorization of Daoust or the cabinet.
- Nov. 26, 2014: Jean-Jacques Carrier, vice-president and chief financial officer of IQ, asks Ouellet by email if Daoust is "OK" with the transaction.
- Nov. 26, 2014: Ouellet has a meeting with Daoust about Carrier's request. Daoust, based on the information he had previously gotten from Paquet, says that since the decision falls under IQ's jurisdiction, IQ will have to live with the consequences.
- Nov. 26, 2014: Ouellet answers Carrier's request via email , writing "OK."
Opposition slams Ouellet, Daoust's decisions
Parti Québécois MNA Agnès Maltais said it was inconceivable that the premier's office would not be contacted as these events were unfolding.
"It signals such a gross level of incompetence, I find it hard to believe," Maltais said.
Québec Solidaire MNA Amir Khadir said that the hearings are only offering a bunch of "abracadabra" excuses for the Couillard government.
"The Liberals are trying to turn Daoust into a sacrificial lamb," Khadir said.
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