Amir Khadir strikes again: QC company guilty of $150K of illegal political donations

[url=http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Quebec+builder+Axor+donated+illegall... builder Axor donated illegally[/url]

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The charges were sparked by Amir Khadir, the only elected member of the left-leaning Quebec solidaire, who sent [chief electoral officer] Blanchet a report in March detailing close to $300,000 in donations by 111 managers and employees of four construction firms in 2008.

Among Axor Group employees giving to the Liberals was Bianca Chevrette, a receptionist. Khadir questioned how someone in her pay bracket had the means to give $3,000.

In Quebec, only eligible voters -not companies, unions or non-residents -may contribute to party coffers, and the maximum amount is $3,000.

Yesterday, Khadir called the guilty plea "the tip of the iceberg." He renewed his call for a public inquiry into Quebec's construction industry and defied the companies to prove they were not rewarded with government contracts.

"Police should begin an investigation to find out what Axor bought with its generosity and who in the Liberal Party was involved in these manoeuvres," he said in Montreal.

Axor's guilty pleas on 40 counts mean there will be no trial and no further details on how Axor's funding system worked or what benefits the company hoped to gain.

Axor was fined $87,907.

Of the approximately $152,500 Axor admitted handing to political parties, using the names of its employees, $113,500 went to the Liberals. The Parti Quebecois received $34,000 and the Action democratique du Quebec $5,000.

The political parties must return the illegal donations to the chief electoral office. Quebec solidaire did not receive illegal funding from Axor.