Quebec's economy minister denies any wrongdoing as ethics probe launched

Quebec Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbonsays he has broken no rules and has no intention of resigning in light of theethic commissioner's probe intothe nomination of a friend to the top job at a government agencyand the sale of assets in a company he has a stake in.

"I will not resign unlessI feel that I'm not helping the government," Fitzgibbon told reporters Wednesday.

If he ever feels that his presence in the cabinet is detrimental to what Premier Franois Legault"has in mind to accomplish, I am going to leave in in 30 seconds," he said."Failing that,I'm going to continue."

Ethics Commissioner Ariane Mignoletis investigatingwhether the minister broke conflict of interest rules and whether he properly declared all hisassets, the commissionersaid Tuesday in a news release.

Mignolet said she is opening the probe on her own initiative.

She said two separate complaints filed with her office last week by opposition parties regarding Fitzgibbon will also be part of thatinvestigation.

QubecSolidaire's Vincent Marissal filed one of thosecomplaints, asking Mignolet to investigate Fitzgibbon's nomination of Guy Leblanc as president and CEO of Investissement Qubec, the agency that helps finance businesses across the province.

Marissal allegesFitzgibbon'spersonal and professional ties with Leblancmake that nomination a conflict of interest.

His complaint also claims just days before that announcement, Fitzgibbon had given instructions to sell shares in a company, Move Protein, chaired by Leblanc's son.

The second complaint is from Parti QubcoisHouse LeaderMartin Ouellet, who also requested the ethics commissionerinvestigate the allegations about thatsale of shares.

Mignolet said the questions raised by the two MNAs"are connected,'' and they "will be treated as part of the investigation the commissioner opened on her own initiative.''

Fitzgibbon denies wrongdoing

People who know him know he has "high values," Fitzgibbonsaid Wednesday, andafter more than three decades in the business, he has never had a complaint filed against him.

When it comes to his business assets, some are held in a blind trust, he said,but he has a stake in 13 private companies, and the law doesn't permit themto be held in that way.

He said all of his holdings in those companies were put up for sale after last fall's election.

"I have sold two to date," he said, adding that it's sheer coincidence that his stake in Move Protein was among the first to sell and that the sale went through just before Leblanc's nomination.

Fitzgibbonsaid he is confident the investigation will find the allegations amount to nothing.

None of his companieshave come to the Quebec government in search of funding since he was elected, he said. He said if any do in the future, he is committed to sitting out any discussions pertaining to them.

'I know a lot of people': Fitzgibbon

On the issue ofLeblanc's nomination, Fitzgibbon saidLeblanc, who he described as a friend,was selected as the best candidate bythe board of directors ofInvestissement Qubec.

It's up to the government to make the decision, he said, however, the governmentrelied on the board's recommendation.

"The competence, the qualifications of the candidate should be the prime driver" of decisions like this, said Fitzgibbon.

"Guy Leblanc, in my opinion and the opinion of others involved in the process, is the best candidate."

He predicted that he will know other people nominated in future by Investissement Qubec.

"Thebibitte[insect] Fitzgibboncomes with baggage," he said. "I know a lot of people."

PremierFranois Legaultsaid he is not worried about the investigation, and the ethics commissioner will provide an independent opinion on the matter.