Option Canada
Encyclopedia
Option Canada was a Montreal-based lobby group established some eight weeks before the voting day of the 1995 Quebec referendum on sovereignty
. According to registration papers filed with both the Canadian and Quebec governments, the private group was incorporated by executives of the Canadian Unity Council
on September 7, 1995. The group was disbanded soon after the referendum was over.
At the time of its operations, the group was composed of businessmen and political organizers of three federalist political parties - the Liberal Party of Canada
, the Quebec Liberal Party and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
. The president of Option Canada was Claude Dauphin
, an aide to Paul Martin
, at the time Canadian minister of finance.
Option Canada first caught media attention in Quebec when the group created the Committee to Register Voters Outside Quebec
in order to help citizens who had left Quebec in the two years before the referendum vote register on the electoral list of the province. Since 1989, a clause of the Quebec electoral law allows for ex-residents of Quebec to signal their intention of returning to Quebec and vote by mail. The Committee, which operated during the time of the referendum campaign, handed-out pamphlets which included the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec
form to fill out in order to be added to the list of voters. The pamphlet also gave out a toll-free number as contact information which was the same number as the one used by the Canadian Unity Council.
After the referendum, the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec
, Pierre F. Côté, filed 20 criminal charges of illegal expenditures and opened an inquiry on Option Canada. However, following a ruling of the Supreme Court of Canada
issued on October 17, 1997, (see Libman vs. Quebec-Attorney General) some sections of Quebec's referendum law were judged unconstitutional. Quebec's Chief Electoral Officer consequently had to interrupt the conduct of his inquiry and drop the charges.
Continued investigation by former Radio-Canada journalist Normand Lester
lead the revelation of a $4.8-million grant awarded to Option Canada by Heritage Canada.
In early January 2006, the Globe and Mail newspaper reported that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) had launched an inquiry on Option Canada at the request of the Department of Canadian Heritage
.
The Secrets of Option Canada, a book co-authored by Normand Lester and historian Robin Philpot
, is set be released in mid-January.
, announced the appointment of Hon. Bernard Grenier, a retired Québec Court judge, as the investigating commissioner in charge of examining the documents on which the book The Secrets of Option Canada is based.
Grenier's report, without a mandate for laying charges, said Option Quebec
spent $539,000 illegally supporting the No campaign during the 1995 Quebec Referendum
on sovereignty. There were non-authorized expenditures under Quebec's strictures on referendums.
Grenier's findings undermined Philpot and Lester's accusations that $3.5 million in federal funds was given to the No campaign against Quebec's electoral laws.
Philpot and Lester called for a complete investigation.
Jocelyn Beaudoin worked for the Option Canada group during the 1995 Quebec Referendum. He working as Quebec's representative in Toronto, charged with defending Quebec's interests in Ontario, Western Canada and the three northern territories. He was suspended with pay after the January 2006 publication of Les secrets d'Option Canada. The book accused Beaudoin of using federal government money for the No campaign during the 1995 referendum.
Grenier found that Beaudoin was an Option Canada decision-maker. Grenier said the evidence contradicted Beaudoin's claims he was not involved with Option Canada after Sept. 7, 1995. Beaudoin instructed personnel, negotiated applications for subsidies, and received $24,000 for his expense account.
After the Grenier report was released, he resigned his position, which was accepted.
In Ottawa, Labour and Quebec Economic Development Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn defended Michelle D'Auray who Grenier concluded spent $8583 of Option Canada funds that should have been submitted for approval. D'Auray now serves as Secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada.
1995 Quebec referendum
The 1995 Quebec referendum was the second referendum to ask voters in the Canadian province of Quebec whether Quebec should secede from Canada and become an independent state, through the question:...
. According to registration papers filed with both the Canadian and Quebec governments, the private group was incorporated by executives of the Canadian Unity Council
Canadian Unity Council
The Canadian Unity Council was a privately owned non-profit organization whose mission was the promotion of Canadian Unity and the current federal institutions.The CUC started as the "Canada Committee" in 1964, in the middle of Quebec's Quiet Revolution...
on September 7, 1995. The group was disbanded soon after the referendum was over.
At the time of its operations, the group was composed of businessmen and political organizers of three federalist political parties - the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
, the Quebec Liberal Party and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
. The president of Option Canada was Claude Dauphin
Claude Dauphin
Claude Dauphin is a lawyer and politician in the province of Quebec, Canada. He is a Montreal city councillor and also serves as the mayor of the Montreal borough of Lachine...
, an aide to Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Paul Edgar Philippe Martin, PC , also known as Paul Martin, Jr. is a Canadian politician who was the 21st Prime Minister of Canada, as well as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
, at the time Canadian minister of finance.
Option Canada first caught media attention in Quebec when the group created the Committee to Register Voters Outside Quebec
Committee to Register Voters Outside Quebec
The Committee to Register Voters Outside Quebec was created to help citizens who had left Quebec in the two years before the 1995 referendum vote register on the electoral list....
in order to help citizens who had left Quebec in the two years before the referendum vote register on the electoral list of the province. Since 1989, a clause of the Quebec electoral law allows for ex-residents of Quebec to signal their intention of returning to Quebec and vote by mail. The Committee, which operated during the time of the referendum campaign, handed-out pamphlets which included the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec
Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec
The Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec is the official responsible for the administration of the electoral and referendum system in Quebec, Canada....
form to fill out in order to be added to the list of voters. The pamphlet also gave out a toll-free number as contact information which was the same number as the one used by the Canadian Unity Council.
After the referendum, the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec
Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec
The Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec is the official responsible for the administration of the electoral and referendum system in Quebec, Canada....
, Pierre F. Côté, filed 20 criminal charges of illegal expenditures and opened an inquiry on Option Canada. However, following a ruling of the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
issued on October 17, 1997, (see Libman vs. Quebec-Attorney General) some sections of Quebec's referendum law were judged unconstitutional. Quebec's Chief Electoral Officer consequently had to interrupt the conduct of his inquiry and drop the charges.
Continued investigation by former Radio-Canada journalist Normand Lester
Normand Lester
Normand Lester is a Quebec investigative journalist. Though he built his reputation through investigations of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service , the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Forces, he is best known for the controversy created in Canada after the publication of...
lead the revelation of a $4.8-million grant awarded to Option Canada by Heritage Canada.
In early January 2006, the Globe and Mail newspaper reported that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) had launched an inquiry on Option Canada at the request of the Department of Canadian Heritage
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage |department]] of the Government of Canada with responsibility for policies and programs regarding the arts, culture, media, communications networks, official languages , status of women, sports , and multiculturalism...
.
The Secrets of Option Canada, a book co-authored by Normand Lester and historian Robin Philpot
Robin Philpot
Robin Philpot is a Quebec journalist and electoral candidate for the Parti Québécois.- Background :Originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario, where his father Roderick Philpot was an alderman of the city of Fort William, Philpot is a graduate of Fort William Collegiate Institute and earned degrees in...
, is set be released in mid-January.
The Grenier report
On January 13, 2006, Marcel Blanchet, the Chief Electoral Officer of QuebecChief Electoral Officer of Quebec
The Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec is the official responsible for the administration of the electoral and referendum system in Quebec, Canada....
, announced the appointment of Hon. Bernard Grenier, a retired Québec Court judge, as the investigating commissioner in charge of examining the documents on which the book The Secrets of Option Canada is based.
Grenier's report, without a mandate for laying charges, said Option Quebec
Option Québec
An Option for Quebec is an essay by former Premier of Quebec René Lévesque published in 1968. The essay presents the constitutional proposal of a group of progressive liberals who, after leaving the Liberal Party of Quebec, formed the Sovereignty-Association Movement.- Context :On September 18,...
spent $539,000 illegally supporting the No campaign during the 1995 Quebec Referendum
1995 Quebec referendum
The 1995 Quebec referendum was the second referendum to ask voters in the Canadian province of Quebec whether Quebec should secede from Canada and become an independent state, through the question:...
on sovereignty. There were non-authorized expenditures under Quebec's strictures on referendums.
Grenier's findings undermined Philpot and Lester's accusations that $3.5 million in federal funds was given to the No campaign against Quebec's electoral laws.
Philpot and Lester called for a complete investigation.
Jocelyn Beaudoin worked for the Option Canada group during the 1995 Quebec Referendum. He working as Quebec's representative in Toronto, charged with defending Quebec's interests in Ontario, Western Canada and the three northern territories. He was suspended with pay after the January 2006 publication of Les secrets d'Option Canada. The book accused Beaudoin of using federal government money for the No campaign during the 1995 referendum.
Grenier found that Beaudoin was an Option Canada decision-maker. Grenier said the evidence contradicted Beaudoin's claims he was not involved with Option Canada after Sept. 7, 1995. Beaudoin instructed personnel, negotiated applications for subsidies, and received $24,000 for his expense account.
After the Grenier report was released, he resigned his position, which was accepted.
In Ottawa, Labour and Quebec Economic Development Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn defended Michelle D'Auray who Grenier concluded spent $8583 of Option Canada funds that should have been submitted for approval. D'Auray now serves as Secretary of the Treasury Board of Canada.