Jean Charest takes aim at media, UPAC
Presumption of innocence lacking, former premier says at Liberal Party convention
Former Quebec premier Jean Charest burst back onto the public stage at a Liberal convention Saturday night, saying his reputation is being unfairly dragged through the mud.
"We have had a kind of spiral of information about me and I think we should question how we treat people in our society," Charest said in a brief talk with reporters after delivering a speech to an enthusiastic audience of 1,400 Liberal members.
Quebec's anti-corruption unit (UPAC) is investigating Jean Charest and he has been the subject of several media reports featuring leaked police information.
The negative attention has led some of his party's critics, including Parti Québécois leader Jean-François Lisée, to question the Liberals' decision to publicly embrace Charest by inviting him to the Liberal members' gathering in Quebec City.
The party is gathering this weekend to celebrate its 150th anniversary.
Charest quips to applauding crowd
Charest touched on the subject himself when he stood before them.
Many emptied their seats to greet him when he entered the room with Premier Philippe Couillard and former interim leader Jean-Marc Fournier.
Charest told the spirited crowd that he often follows the activities of the current premier in the news, then he quipped, "and I know you follow my activities as well. They're reported here and there in the papers."
"I also learn what I [supposedly did] when I open the papers," he said to laughs and cheers.
In his speech, he also reminisced about his time in office, cracked a joke about a possible return to politics and crowed about the state of the province's finances.
He also warned party members about the "big battle" they face in the next election.
Casts doubts on media reports
Charest addressed his own struggles afterward in an impromptu news conference.
He said the public should be very concerned about the lack of presumption of innocence in his case and the invasion into people's private lives — media has, for example, reported on his travel and phone calls.
He would not answer questions about specific information that had been reported in the media, but he called into question their general accuracy.
He said he read one news story which falsely stated he had visited a location where he had not been, while suggesting that he had been up to something wrong.
"They present things as though they were really serious," said Charest, who has had no charges laid against him.
He also questioned motives behind a repeated series of leaks from UPAC.
"UPAC is facing a lot of pressure. A lot of pressure from the media. I won't go further than that, but they have terrible pressure," he said.