Former judge Jacques Fournier has acknowledged that he did not review all messages exchanged by MNA Sona Lakhoyan during his investigation into the Parti libéral du Québec (PLQ) leadership race. Speaking by telephone on Friday, Fournier noted that while he requested SMS messages during his December inquiry, he does not recall asking about other communication channels.
This admission follows the Thursday publication of a report by Ethics Commissioner Ariane Mignolet, which severely blames the Chomedey MNA. The report indicates that Lakhoyan utilized a WhatsApp discussion channel with her employees and subsequently deleted evidence from the application.
Evidence Deletion and App Restrictions
According to the Ethics Commissioner, Lakhoyan modified her WhatsApp settings shortly after learning she was the subject of an investigation. These changes were designed to prevent anyone from exporting the conversation history or saving images.
The report further states that Lakhoyan failed to provide these WhatsApp exchanges to the Commissioner, despite a request for all documents regardless of the transmission method. The MNA argued that the channel was “private” and did not constitute an “official work tool.”
Conflicting Testimony and Investigation Limits
Under oath, Lakhoyan previously stated that she had voluntarily submitted her professional and personal cell phone records, including recordings, videos and copies of texts. She further asserted that she had not deleted any text messages on her devices during 2025.
Fournier, however, expressed frustration with the limitations of his probe, describing himself at the time as a “toothless hunting dog.” He explained that he relied on provided materials and Vidéotron records, neither of which revealed the deleted content.
Potential Implications
The revelation that key evidence may have been withheld or destroyed could lead to further scrutiny of the PLQ’s internal disciplinary processes. Depending on the party’s response, this may result in additional inquiries into whether the Electoral Law or the PLQ’s Code of Ethics and Deontology were violated.
The findings might also prompt a review of how official business is conducted via private messaging apps within the party’s constituency offices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the primary goal of Jacques Fournier’s investigation?
He was tasked with finding the origin of texts from spring 2025 alleging that money was given to members supporting Pablo Rodriguez, and identifying any violations of the Electoral Law, the PLQ Code of Ethics and Deontology, or leadership race rules.
How did Sona Lakhoyan justify not providing WhatsApp messages?
She claimed that the WhatsApp channel was “private” and was not an “official work tool.”
What specific actions did the Ethics Commissioner attribute to the MNA regarding her phone?
The Commissioner reported that Lakhoyan deleted evidence on WhatsApp and changed app settings to block the export of conversation histories and the saving of images after learning of the investigation.
Do you believe private messaging apps should be subject to the same disclosure rules as official work emails for elected officials?
