Journalist Francis Halin wanted to know in particular why the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy had not waited until the end of his ministerial mandate to announce this donation, if he believed that such a gesture sent a wrong message
to other universities and whether he could grant him an interview on this subject.
Screenshots of the email in support, Pierre Fitzgibbon writes in his publication (New window) that the questions received represents the kind of questions that we too often receive from journalists of this stature
.
” Too often, Quebecers do not see the aggressiveness and bad faith of these questions on a daily basis, often asked by the same press group. Commissioned missions have too often taken precedence over serious and rigorous journalism. »
The FPJQ asked Mr. Fitzgibbon to withdraw his publication and publicly apologize to the journalist in question.
A gesture of intimidation, according to the FPJQ
The FPJQ defended the approach of the Quebecor media journalist.
” Because of Mr. Fitzgibbon’s ethical background, the FPJQ considering that it is justified for a journalist to ask questions about the actions undertaken by the politician and even those of his colleagues. »
Pierre Fitzgibbon’s response Halin dans sa publication”,”text”:”s’apparente à de l’intimidation, car il a nommé directement M.Halin dans sa publication”}}”>amounts to bullying, as he was directly named Mr. Halin in his post
can we read in the press release of the FPJQ.
This behavior could also frighten off some less experienced journalists who would rather refrain from asking questions in the future than face comparable treatment on social media
add the FPJQ.
Convinced that the Ethics Commissioner’s investigation did not reveal any fault on his part, Minister Pierre Ftizgibbon warns that investigations “there will be others”.
The role of journalists is to ask questions. Even if Mr. Fitzgibbon does not like people to look at his actions, as a minister with a background in ethics, it is quite normal for journalists to search the files and answer legitimate questions
a denounced for his part the vice-president of the FPJQEric-Pierre Champagne.
The sharing of the publication by press officers from the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) as well as by the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville – himself from the world of the media – adds to the intimidating nature of the process, according to the group representing journalists.
The FPJQ recalls that Mr. Drainville made a commitment to fight against all forms of intimidation when he took office as minister.
Personally targeting a journalist on social networks is problematic coming from a minister, and above all, it should not be encouraged by his colleagues and political attachés of his party
says Éric-Pierre Champagne.
Mr. Champagne adds that Pierre Fitzgibbon is entitled to question the reports that relate to him, but that he likes sur les réseaux sociaux”,”text”:”est assez particulier cependant de voir un ministre dire publiquement qu’il n’aime pas les questions qu’on lui pose et relayer publiquement ces questions pour obtenir des likes sur les réseaux sociaux”}}”>is quite unusual, however, to see a minister publicly say that he does not like the questions put to him and publicly relay these questions to obtain love on social networks
.
To avoid the language of wood
Nevertheless
ended Minister Fitzgibbon in his publication, I try to answer questions as directly as possible, without using “wooden language”
.
The Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, during a press scrum at the National Assembly which mainly focused on the recent investigation by the Ethics Commissioner into a trip by hunting in Estrie.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Sylvain Roy Roussel
He also added the response that his director of communications would have transmitted to the journalist in question:
The Minister believes that his donation sends a good message to all universities. They understand that the important minister’s gift sends a signal to potential donors and that his gift could generate other gifts in all universities. Academia understands that graduates typically donate to the universities where they were educated.
Reaction of Montreal Journal
The editor of the Journal de Montreal, Dany Doucet, replied to the minister in a text published on Friday, December 16, the day after Mr. Fitzgibbon’s publication.
” Here is a little reminder to Quebec’s Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon: in a democracy like ours, the role of the media is to monitor the enormous powers that citizens delegate to institutions, especially to the government that spends their tax money. »
He adds thatan elected official, and more so a minister, cannot avoid his obligations to render accounts to the population, which entrusts him with a mandate and powers
.
the Montreal Journal broadcast a report, on December 8, 2022, on a pheasant hunting party in which the Member for Terrebonne took part on an island whose owner would benefit from subsidies from the Economic Development Fund, according to the information provided to the Commissioner for ‘Ethics, which opened an investigation. The sixth concerns Pierre Fitzgibbon.
Le Journal de Montréal devrait demander, via les députés du Parti québécois, une commission d’enquête. […] Ma vie privée, ça me regarde. Ce n’est pas à cause du Journal de Montréal que je vais me priver de voir les bonnes connaissances que j’ai”,”text”:”Je pense que Le Journal de Montréal devrait demander, via les députés du Parti québécois, une commission d’enquête. […] Ma vie privée, ça me regarde. Ce n’est pas à cause du Journal de Montréal que je vais me priver de voir les bonnes connaissances que j’ai”}}”>I think that The Journal of Montreal ask, via the members of the Parti Québécois, for a commission of inquiry. […] My private life is mine. It’s not because of the Montreal Journal that I’m going to deprive myself of seeing the good knowledge that I have
so had Mr. Fitzgibbon reacted.