-Me Olivier Desjardins, Me Emmanuelle Riverin and Me Gabrielle Genest. Source: Desjardins Riverin Avocats Inc. website
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Former Liberal Deputy Prime Minister Nathalie Normandeau seeks compensation for the accusations of fraud, conspiracy, corruption and breach of trust filed against her in March 2016 as part of a saga which will have “mortgaged nearly five years of her life”. She is claiming $ 2.5 million from the Attorney General of Quebec (PGQ).
Me Olivier Desjardins, Me Emmanuelle Riverin and me Gabrielle Genest of Desjardins Riverin Avocats inc. represent the plaintiff in this case. Me Alexandre Ouellet and me Stephanie Quirion-Cantin represent the defendant.
“These accusations were the result of faulty investigations and were rather motivated to promote the renewal of the mandate of Commissioner Robert Lafrenière and the creation of UPAC as an independent police force”, maintains Ms. Normandeau in a press release sent to the press Monday, in end of the day.
It holds the Permanent Anti-Corruption Unit (UPAC) and the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP) responsible for the damage caused.
-Me Olivier Desjardins, Me Emmanuelle Riverin and Me Gabrielle Genest. Source: Desjardins Riverin Avocats Inc. website
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“I will have to learn to live with these accusations which mortgaged nearly five years of my life. The damages were numerous and, for this reason, I am claiming a sum of $ 2.5 million from the PGQ, ”she explains.
The originating application was filed on October 22, the press release said. The court had acquiesced to the request of the two disputing parties, who wanted the lawsuit to remain under seal for 30 days. This deadline expired at 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
“Given the judicialization of the case, Ms. Normandeau will not make any other comments on the subject,” the press release concludes.
“I understand very well the citizen Nathalie Normandeau who decides to go ahead with this approach”, commented briefly the leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec, Dominique Anglade, in an interview with Radio-Canada.
A saga of four and a half years
On September 25, 2020, Nathalie Normandeau and five co-accused saw the legal proceedings against them dropped for unreasonable delays, the judge André Perreault having accepted the Jordan-type application they had filed. The same day, the main interested party had let it be known that she could sue the state.
-Me Stéphanie Quirion-Cantin. Source: LinkedIn
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This long saga had started four and a half years earlier with the arrest of Ms. Normandeau by UPAC as part of an investigation into the granting of political funding in exchange for public contracts.
A first request for a stay of proceedings was dismissed in 2018. Then, the following year, 5 of the 8 charges against Ms. Normandeau were dropped.
In October 2020, the DPCP had declared that it did not intend to appeal in this case.
The former politician has always proclaimed her innocence and claimed to be the victim of judicial and police injustice. She has also written a book, entitled Debout devant l’Injustice, to make her truth known, she who resumed her job as a radio host in December 2020.
Nathalie Normandeau currently occupies the 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. time slot on five FM stations belonging to the Cogeco Media group.
The 53-year-old was also working for Cogeco at the time of her arrest. She brought a lawsuit against the company for unlawful dismissal shortly after the start of this case, in 2016. An amicable agreement had however been reached between the two parties.
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