Philippe Couillard to release his financial records
CBC News | Posted: March 25, 2014 4:14 PM | Last Updated: March 25, 2014
Pauline Marois turns down Liberal challenge, says she won't make her personal finances public
Parti Québécois Leader Pauline Marois won't release her financial records publicly, despite a challenge issued by her Liberal opponent Philippe Couillard who says his own documents will be posted online this week.
Couillard challenged all of Quebec's political leaders to open up their books to the public on Tuesday at a news conference in Trois-Rivières.
"I will divulge not only my 2012 tax return from when I was in the private sector, but also the financial record of my assets and my spouse's. This information will be available on the Liberal website before Thursday morning," Couillard said.
Couillard said he wanted to demonstrate his transparency and integrity.
Marois quickly confirmed she wouldn't be releasing those documents publicly and criticized Couillard for trying to distract voters.
"Mr. Couillard is trying to create a diversion, because he has nothing else to offer in terms of integrity," Marois said to journalists in Blainville, Que.
"The answer is no ... The ethics commission has received all the documents that I and my spouse needed to provide and it was very satisfied. Besides that, the salary of the premier is already public," she said.
The premier of Quebec receives an annual remuneration of $184,398, according to the website of the national assembly.
Coalition Avenir Québec Leader François Legault sided with Marois, saying submitting his tax returns should be enough.
Québec Solidaire co-spokesperon Françoise David said she would be willing to make her financial records public if all the other leaders agreed to do the same.