In tears, Chomedey MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier delivered a formal apology to the National Assembly after a damning report by the ethics commissioner found she had used her constituency office for partisan purposes during the Liberal leadership race. Visibly emotional during her mea culpa Thursday, the MNA acknowledged her responsibility while suggesting she intends to remain in her seat. “I recognize that I made a mistake and crossed certain boundaries set out in the ethics code,” Sona Lakhoyan Olivier told the Red Room. The commissioner’s report leaves little room for interpretation: “The constituency office premises and the payroll of staff members were used for partisan purposes between April and June 2025, with heightened activity at two pivotal moments in the race.” The report also states that the MNA obstructed the commissioner’s investigation. “It was never my intention to act inappropriately. (...) I always believed in good faith that my actions did not cross any lines,” Lakhoyan Olivier said. The commissioner is recommending an $8,000 penalty citing the “seriousness of the breaches” and the MNA’s “lack of respect toward her staff members and the National Assembly.” Lakhoyan Olivier said she accepts the sanction. Last week, however, Lakhoyan Olivier had tabled a motion in the Red Room calling for “certain investigative procedures” used by the commissioner to be “modernized to ensure a better balance between public protection, procedural fairness and respect for those under scrutiny.” The motion was rejected by Liberal House leader Marc Tanguay. Members of the legislature still have to vote on whether to impose the penalty recommended by the commissioner. Lakhoyan Olivier was expelled from the Liberal caucus last December when the investigation was launched. Last week, Liberal leader Charles Milliard had her formally banned from the party. Liberal leadership Sona Lakhoyan Olivier backed Pablo Rodriguez in the first Liberal leadership race. Shortly after his victory, the Journal de Montréal reported on text messages suggesting that members who had supported Rodriguez during the race received cash rewards. The individuals behind those messages were not named in the article. Cogeco Radio subsequently reported that the two people behind the mysterious texts were Lakhoyan Olivier and CAQ MNA Alice Abou-Khalil. Both denied the claim and sent legal notices to Cogeco. Those texts were among the factors that plunged the Quebec Liberal Party into a deep crisis last year. As the troubles mounted, Pablo Rodriguez was forced to resign in December, clearing the way for Charles Milliard’s coronation in February. The Permanent Anti-Corruption Unit (UPAC) and the Chief Electoral Officer are also investigating the leadership race. Milliard revealed Wednesday that he had been interviewed by UPAC. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 14, 2026.
