Quebec Natural Resources Minister Nathalie Normandeau speaks on May 25, 2011 at the legislature in Quebec City. Former Quebec deputy premier Nathalie Normandeau filed a $722,500 lawsuit on Monday against a media outlet for what she claimed is unfair dismissal, according to court documents. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
Republished May 10, 2016 - 6:01 AM
Original Publication Date May 09, 2016 - 2:20 PM
QUEBEC - Former Quebec deputy premier Nathalie Normandeau filed a $722,500 lawsuit on Monday against a media outlet for what she claimed is unfair dismissal, according to court documents.
The ex-Liberal member of the legislature was suspended by Cogeco Media without pay in March when she was arrested on various fraud-related charges connected to alleged incidents during her time in office. She was fired in early April.
Normandeau's contract was ended due to the fact "these events have caused you to lose the legitimacy, image and credibility that are necessary to host a radio show and for which we entered into a contract with you," according to the dismissal letter cited in the court papers.
She claims in her lawsuit she was let go based on accusations and that she should have benefited from the presumption of innocence.
Normandeau, 48, is seeking $572,500 in lost wages because she had a contract until August 2019 and $150,000 in various damages.
"This public condemnation has effectively made the plaintiff (Normandeau) unemployable in the labour market," her lawsuit reads.
Normandeau was one of seven people arrested in mid-March in a scheme in which political financing and gifts were allegedly exchanged for lucrative government contracts between 2000 and 2012.
She served as a Liberal member of the legislature from 1998 to 2011 and held key cabinet positions including municipal affairs, natural resources and Canadian intergovernmental affairs as well as being deputy premier from 2007 to 2011.
A first court date in the lawsuit has been set for this Wednesday.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016