QUEBEC - A Quebec Liberal member of the legislature has been fined $500 after pleading guilty to breaking the province's law governing lobbying.
Jean D'Amour insists he was acting in good faith when the breach occurred and that he never meant to break the law.
The Parti Quebecois has called for his expulsion from the provincial Liberal caucus but he will remain after gaining the support of whip Pierre Moreau.
D'Amour, who represents Riviere-du-Loup riding, received a summons on Monday from the director of criminal prosecutions after a report was filed by Quebec's commissioner on lobbying.
It said that in February 2009, D'Amour had acted as a lobbyist for the BPR engineering firm in Riviere-du-Loup even though he had only recently been mayor of the town.
The law on lobbying says a mayor must wait for two years after leaving office before engaging in any lobbying.
PQ critic Agnes Maltais says she can't believe D'Amour didn't know about the law, which was passed in 2002.
