Line Beauchamp says fundraising breakfast was a mistake

Line Beauchamp says she does not know Domenic Arcuri, and was not aware of his ties to organized crime (May 2, 2012)

The Education Minister says if she had to do it again -- she wouldn't.

But Line Beauchamp was not talking about the months-long dispute with students who oppose tuition hikes.

Instead she was referring to a Liberal party fundraiser that took place in 2009.

The breakfast was attended by two dozen people, including Domenico Arcuri, a man Montreal police say belongs to the mafia.

Montreal newspaper La Presse searched through elections documents and discovered that Arcuri donated $2,995 to the Liberal party that year, $5 less than the maximum allowed by law.

The then-environment minister said she does not know Arcuri, never spoke to him, and did not know about any ties to the mafia.

However Beauchamp will take precautions to make sure she doesn't repeat that type of error.

"If I said I didn't make a mistake, it would be like saying I'd do it again," said Beauchamp.

"Now that the information is public and the links well established, I would not put myself in that position again."

The opposition is not satisfied with that response.

In question period Parti Quebecois ethics critic Bertrand St-Arnaud said Beauchamp's claim that she did not know Arcuri is just not a good enough explanation.