The axe has fallen: Marwah Rizqy will not be reinstated to the Liberal caucus. The new leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Charles Milliard, justified his decision by citing “all the ongoing proceedings” and the fact that he does not have all the information about the events of the past few months. “I want to be very clear, I told her that this is in no way a punishment against her. But for me, in my rigorous and methodical way of working and establishing myself as a political leader, I want to have all the information,” he explained on Wednesday. It should be noted that the Saint-Laurent MNA was expelled from the Liberal caucus by former leader Pablo Rodriguez after she fired her chief of staff, Geneviève Hinse. This event triggered a crisis that ended with Rodriguez’s resignation last December. The then Liberal leader was mired in allegations of irregularities in the financing of his leadership campaign. The Permanent Anti-Corruption Unit (UPAC) has launched an investigation. Hinse is suing Rizqy for $500,000 for her dismissal. The question of reinstating the Saint-Laurent MNA quickly became a priority for the new Liberal leader, who was elected last Friday. Milliard wanted to consult his caucus before making a decision. He said he spoke with Rizqy, but did not elaborate on the content of their conversations. “Ms. Rizqy is currently the subject of a lawsuit, so obviously she is limited in her comments,” he said. Two weeks ago, upon her return to the National Assembly, the Saint-Laurent MNA said she had “never wanted to be excluded” from the caucus. Milliard indicated that Rizqy’s spouse, MNA Gregory Kelley, would remain in the caucus. A few weeks ago, Kelley expressed his desire for his spouse to be reinstated to the Liberal team. Another MNA expelled MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier was also excluded from the Liberal caucus in the wake of this crisis, after the Ethics Commissioner launched an investigation. The investigation concerns the use of her constituency office resources during the first PLQ leadership race. Olivier had supported Rodriguez. The findings are still pending. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 18, 2026.
