Parti Quebecois wants police to wrap up Liberal fundraising probe before election

Parti Quebecois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon speaks during a ceremony where elected candidate Marie-Karlynn Laflamme was sworn in at the legislature in Quebec City Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

The Parti Quebecois is urging the anti-corruption police to release the results of its investigation into alleged Liberal party fundraising irregularities before the October general election.

PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says releasing that information would help maintain the public’s trust in the anti-corruption police force, known as UPAC.

In November, Le Journal de Montreal published alleged text messages by unnamed people suggesting some Quebec Liberal Party members who had voted for Pablo Rodriguez in the 2025 leadership race could have received cash rewards.

That report sparked a major crisis in the Liberal party and ultimately led to Rodriguez resigning last December and the anti-corruption police investigating the party’s fundraising.

However, La Presse reported today that anti-corruption police doubt the authenticity of the text messages, which have not been independently verified by The Canadian Press.

Mathieu Galarneau, a spokesperson for UPAC, did not confirm La Presse’s reporting but said it’s the force’s priority to complete its investigation into the Liberal leadership race as soon as possible.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 17, 2026.

- Thomas Laberge