The grieving parents were told they had to pay $200 to meet with the Quebec minister

The parents of a woman killed in a car crash say the Coalition Avenir Quebec party has offered the province's transport minister admission for $100 per person.

Antoine Bittar and Elizabeth Rivera shared their accounts during a legislative hearing today.

Bittar says she was advocating for tougher drinking and driving legislation when she was offered the chance to meet Minister Genevieve Guilbeau by paying to attend a CAQ fundraising cocktail party.

Bittar said he and his partner paid the amount because they felt it was an opportunity to keep their business going.

According to the couple, they were offered four minutes with the minister and two minutes per person.

Guilbeau confirmed to reporters today that he met the couple at a fundraising cocktail party in October 2023 and said he was a staff member of another member of the legislature who invited them.

She says she didn't know the couple asked for money to meet her.

The CAQ has been criticized by the opposition in recent weeks for its fundraising strategies, including allegations that it pushed mayors to pay $100 – the annual limit on political donations – to enter the cabinet.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on February 8, 2024.