Nathalie Normandeau requests judge and jury trial

Embattled ex-deputy premier Nathalie Normandeau and six others accused of corruption-related crimes have requested a trial by judge and jury.

Normandeau was arrested in March and is facing charges includingconspiracy, corruption, breach of trust and bribery in relation to the awarding of a contract to build a water-treatment plant inBoisbriand, Que.

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Also arrested were her former chief of staff, Bruno Lortie,former Liberalcabinetminister and fundraiser Marc-Yvan Ct,two former Parti Qubcois staffers and several figures associated with the engineering firm Roche (now known as Norda Stelo).

The seven co-accused were not in court on Tuesday during at hearing at the Quebec City courthouse.

During the preliminary inquiry, which is expected to start Aug. 29, the defencelawyershope to prove there isn't enoughevidence for the trial to go forward.

Crown prosecutor Pascal Lescarbeau says he will presentsome of the evidence that was collected during investigations that lasted months, and in some cases, years.

Normandeau served as deputy premier to Jean Charest from 2007 to 2011 and asmunicipal affairs minister from 2005 to 2009.

Her lawyer has said she is expected to plead not guilty to the charges.

Friends in her Gasp hometownare raising money to help with her legal bills.