Philippe Couillard distances himself from Charest-era Liberals in wake of UPAC arrests

Premier PhilippeCouillardis distancing himself from the previous Liberal government after oneof its key ministers was arrested Thursday on a slew of corruption-related charges.

• NathalieNormandeau, ex-Quebec deputy premier, arrested byUPAC
• A closer look at the Quebec politicians arrested by UPAC

Nathalie Normandeau, who served as both municipal affairs minister and deputy premier under former premier Jean Charest, stands accused of conspiracy, corruption, breach of trust and bribery in connection with her political activities between 2000and 2012.Normandeau'slawyer indicated she will plead notguilty.

Couillard served alongside Normandeau as health minister before resigning in 2008. He said the Liberal Party has changed underneath his leadership.

"Fortunately, we are living in a completely different context," Couillard told reporters Thursday morning.

He pointed out that campaign financing laws have been strengthened and that the Liberals now have an internal code of ethics.

"The party that I currently lead is exemplary in terms of political financing, we do grassroots fundraising," Couillard said.

Normandeauisn't the only former Liberal to face charges. Her one-time chief of staff, Bruno Lortie was also arrested this morning, as was Marc-Yvan Ct, a Liberal cabinet minister under Robert Bourassa.

Two former Parti Qubcois staffers, including one close to former premier Pauline Marois,were also arrested.

Awkward moment

The arrests come at an awkward moment for the Liberals. They tabled an important mid-mandate budget Thursday afternoon, which comesafter two years of unpopular budget cuts.

Few in the Liberal caucus were willing to discuss the allegations againstNormandeauas they made their way into their morning caucus meeting.

Besides Couillard, only Public Security Minister Martin Coiteux spoke to journalists, and he simply stressed the police investigation's independence from the government.

The opposition parties were also initially reluctant to broach the allegations. None raised the issue in the morning's question period.

But as the scope of the charges become clear, the oppositionsought to portray the Liberals as a party riven bycorruptionand unable to escapeits past.

For the PQ, the arrests helped compensatefor some of the disappointment the partyfelt at theCharbonneaucommission, the provincial anti-corruption inquiry, whichreleased its final report in the fall.

Thatreport stopped short of establishinga link between political financing and the granting of government contracts. ButThursday's allegations are a step in that direction, the party said.

"It's UPAC itself that is using the word 'systematic,'" saidAgns Maltais, the PQ'sassistant parliamentary leader.

"The accusations deal with an organized system of corruption at the heart of a government, at the highest level of government, that lasted five years. That's very serious."

The PQ rejected Couillard's attempts to distance himself from the Charest-era Liberals. The partypointed out there are a number of current cabinet ministers who also sat in cabinet with Normandeau,including Tourism Minister Julie Boulet and Treasury Chair Sam Hamad.

There are more than a dozen current MNAswho have been with the party since 2003, if not always continuously.

"It's not a new government," said the PQ'spublic security critic,Pascal Brub. "It's essentially the same Liberal Party, the same Liberal organization. In many cases it's the same ministers, who said nothing this morning about their former colleague."

Marois, for her part, declined to comment on the accusations facingErnest Murray, who worked in herCharlevoix riding office.