QUEBEC — MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier violated the National Assembly’s code of ethics by using her Chomedey riding offices for partisan reasons as part of a campaign to elect Pablo Rodriguez as Quebec Liberal leader, Quebec’s ethics commissioner has ruled.
Lakhoyan Olivier further violated the rules by trying to impede the investigation into the allegations, commissioner Ariane Mignolet ruled, recommending she be fined $8,000.
In a harshly worded report tabled Thursday in the legislature, Mignolet concluded Lakhoyan Olivier committed a violation of Article 36 of the MNAs’ code of ethics, which stipulates resources put at her disposal for her riding not be used for partisan aims.
“The evidence shows that the riding office and salaries of personnel were used for partisan reasons between the months of April and June 2025 and two additional moments of the campaign,” Mignolet says in her report.
“The office thus became the headquarters of partisan activities connected to the party riding association and members of the staff were mobilized. This use was in itself sufficiently significant to constitute a violation, but also of great importance was that this was permitted and encouraged by the actions and statements of the MNA.”
Mignolet’s report goes further, concluding Lakhoyan Olivier violated Article 41 of the code “in taking a series of actions after the investigation opened that had the effect of impeding the commissioner in her functions.”
“The evidence reveals the MNA discussed the investigation on several occasions with members of her staff to convince them of the value of her version of the facts and to dictate eventual responses to the commissioner’s questions.”
The commissioner opened the investigation on Dec. 4, 2025, which resulted in Lakhoyan Olivier being excluded from the Quebec Liberal caucus.
Members of the legislature will have to vote in the coming days on whether to impose the recommendations of the commissioner. They do that by adopting the report.
This is only the second time since 2018 the ethics commissioner has recommended levelling a fine against an MNA. In 2018, Liberal MNA Pierre Paradis was accused of improper use of public funds; Mignolet recommended a fine of more than $24,000.
Lakhoyan Olivier has been sitting as an independent since the investigation started, after then-leader Rodriguez expelled her. Rodriguez resigned as Liberal leader on Dec. 17, following weeks of turmoil and allegations of wrongdoings during his leadership campaign.
There was no immediate response Thursday from Lakhoyan Olivier, but she was in the legislature.
She tried to present a motion asking for changes in the way the ethics commissioner does her work, but did not get the consent of the house to debate the motion.
She left and did not meet the media.
In a statement, current Liberal leader Charles Milliard announced Lakhoyan Olivier will not be readmitted to caucus and will not be allowed to run again as a candidate for the party in the fall election.
“The facts presented are serious and of concern,” Milliard said. “This is why I advised Mme. Sona Lakhoyan Olivier that we will support the report (from the commissioner).
“As a result, it is out of the question to revoke the decision made: The MNA will remain excluded from the caucus.
“The actions taken are incompatible with the values and standards we are imposing. It is tolerance zero. She will thus not be a candidate for the party in the coming election.”
The news of the commissioner’s findings caused a commotion in the legislature.
“It’s shocking,” deputy premier Ian Lafrenière told reporters. “As for the rest, I will let her take her decisions.”
“This confirms what we say in the PQ: that the cleanup has not been done in the Liberal party, that it is a party that does not have an ethical reflex,” said Alex Boissonneault, the Parti Québécois MNA for Arthabaska.
Québec solidaire co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal went further.
“(Lakhoyan Olivier) must resign,” Ghazal said. “I mean, it doesn’t make sense. She is not worthy of the role of MNA.”
Liberal parliamentary leader Marc Tanguay said he welcomed a recommendation in Mignolet’s report that all MNAs get better basic training in the ethical rules that go with the job.
“Going forward, mandatory training, why not?” Tanguay said.
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