Nothing goes more with the partial in Louis-Hébert

Photo Didier Debusschere
The liberal candidate Eric Tétrault has announced that it is withdrawing from the race for the succession of Sam Hamad shortly after that the candidate caquiste, Normand Sauvageau, has done the same due to a history of harassment in the workplace.

Marc-André Gagnon

Wednesday, September 6, 2017 16:59

UPDATE
Wednesday, September 6, 2017 21:46

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Never seen before: a week after the outbreak of the by-election in Louis-Hébert, the candidates of the PLQ and the CAQ have each been forced to withdraw due to a history of harassment in the workplace.

After having spent the day to apologize and to repeat that he would campaign until the end, Éric Tétrault has finally decided to withdraw from the race.

The one who wore the colours of the LIBERALS, hoping to succeed Sam Hamad announced his decision shortly after that the CAQ has done the same with Normand Sauvageau, who was hiding a skeleton in the closet.

“I talked to my 7 year old son at around 16: 30 today, and I have seen that, even at such a young age, it take more and this is not funny for him, neither for my wife nor for my other young sons and I said to myself: we will not do that, we will stop it now,” said Mr. Tétrault Radio-Canada, in the early evening.

In troubled waters

In the aftermath of the inauguration of its local election, Mr. Tétrault has found itself in troubled waters, on Wednesday, after The Press had revealed the conclusions of a damning confidential report on psychological harassment dating back to the era where he led public affairs for ArcelorMittal, from 2011 to 2014.

According to what has been reported, an expert has concluded that Mr. Tetrault had harassed psychologically two employees, in addition to making remarks about the physical appearance.

“Yes, it could happen to me, to say that a woman was particularly elegant today. Well me, I try to be nice when I do that”, explained Mr. Tétrault in an interview with The Newspaper, on Wednesday afternoon.

Sauvageau faced by The Newspaper

Mr. Sauvageau has sent him on the stroke of 17: a statement confirming his withdrawal from the election campaign in Louis-Hébert.

The decision was taken a few hours after that our parliamentary Bureau has been faced on the circumstances surrounding his premature departure from the Bank of nova Scotia, in 2016.

According to our information, one case of psychological harassment involving Mr. Sauvageau would have been opened by the bank as a result of a complaint. This had the effect of hastening his departure to the retirement, after 39 years of career. Mr. Sauvageau, however, had “omitted” to inform the CAQ.

“An error”

“Today, I realize how it was a mistake. I would have had to inform the QAC of these events from the outset, rather than be forced by the call of the journalist”, recounted Mr. Sauvageau.

Mr. Sauvageau, who refused Wednesday morning to embark on a campaign of “around” against the liberal Éric Tétrault, was afraid of becoming “a distraction” compared to the issues that concern the voters of Louis-Hébert.

“The CAQ, it is zero tolerance. I acted as soon as I knew. I proceed to the announcement of a new application shortly,” responded on Twitter to the chief caquiste François Legault.

Louis-Hébert: the CAQ, it is zero tolerance. I acted as soon as I knew. I proceed to the announcement of a new nomination shortly.

— François Legault (@francoislegault) 6 September 2017

The CAQ did not know Sauvageau

Despite the checks carried out beforehand, the Coalition avenir Québec was not aware that Normand Sauvageau had left her employment at the Scotia Bank in turmoil.

“There are more than a year, I took my retirement after 39 years of career, in difficult circumstances on the field of labour relations”, has finally confessed to Mr. Sauvageau, in a written statement sent to the media at the end of the day, Wednesday.

A few hours before announcing the decision, Mr. Sauvageau had been confronted by our parliamentary Bureau on information obtained about his departure from the Bank of nova Scotia, in 2016.

According to this it has been possible to learn, an action by the employer subsequent to the filing of a complaint regarding the behavior of Mr. Sauvageau would have had the effect of hastening his retirement.

Today 62 years old, Mr. Sauvageau has worked for several years as the director of the branch of Quebec city and chief of team for the whole of the east of the province.

So “steep”

Pressed with questions about this by The Newspaper, then he just file his ballot application, Mr. Sauvageau has refused to come back on the events, limiting itself to confirm that his retirement had actually been “abrupt”.

At the insistence of the author of these lines, Mr. Sauvageau, who was then with the vice-president, eastern Quebec from the Coalition avenir Québec, Mario Asselin, has put an end to the telephone interview under the pretext of a follow-up appointment in the media, but with a promise to be explained a little later in the day.

Mr. Asselin has subsequently continually pushed back the resumption of the interview with Mr. Sauvageau, which was ultimately never called back.

“Out of respect for the voters of Louis-Hébert, activists, and volunteers of the CAQ, my former employer and my ex-colleagues, the best decision was to remove me”, said with regret Mr. Sauvageau, in his written statement sent to 17h.

Ironically, on Wednesday morning, the mp caquiste André Spénard has commented on the latest revelations about the liberal Éric Tétrault in ensuring that his team would have “searched” more into his past if he had been a candidate for the CAQ.

“If it had ever been a candidate, you can be certain that we would have performed a thorough investigation”, said the mp caquiste of Beauce-Nord.