To conduct his investigation into the deaths at CHSLD, coroner Géhane Kamel has summoned at least five ministers to testify, La Presse canadienne found out on Tuesday.
However, only two Legault government ministers finally went on to present their version of the facts: former Health Minister Danielle McCann and the Minister responsible for Seniors and Carers, Marguerite Blais.
It is that an agreement has been reached between the Coroner’s Office and the Attorney General of Quebec, according to the response provided to the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) following a request for access to information.
We found the emails exchanged between the Coroner’s Office prosecutors and the Attorney General, but they were under the lawyer’s professional secrecy, and therefore strictly confidential, it said.
In addition, five ministers were subpoenaed to testify in the investigation, but their identities were denied. Witness subpoenas are not public until the coroner has forwarded his or her investigation report.
In an interview Tuesday afternoon, QLP spokesperson for access to information, ethics and justice, Gaétan Barrette, protested against it abuse of non-transparency.
The coroner took an interest in seeing some particular person. They didn’t come, why?asks the elected Liberal, requesting that the agreement be immediately made public.
He is trying to find out if the Attorney General, or the Minister of Justice, Simon Jolin-Barrette, intercepted the testimonies or if the ministers were able to testify behind closed doors.
Géhane Kamel, who heard about 220 witnesses, must file his report on the deaths that occurred in CHSLDs during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic before the summer.
In the spring of 2020 in Quebec, nearly 4,000 seniors died of CHSLDs, some in total isolation, without being fed or hydrated.
Source: Radio-Canada
