Quebec Premier Francois Legault speaks in Montreal, on June 23.Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press
Quebec’s governing party is defending itself against accusations it underpaid and took advantage of a woman who appeared in a widely promoted election ad.
The Coalition Avenir Quebec is being heavily criticized on social media for a series of short ads on television and online, depicting a woman in the Mauricie region lauding the party and its leader, Premier Francois Legault.
The woman’s daughter, Chantal Landry, says the family thought the interview would be part of a series of videos of regular voters and not the central component of a political ad, adding that her mother was only paid $250.
The CAQ’s political opponents called on Legault’s party to pull the ad, pay the woman more money for using her image and apologize to the family.
Legault’s party released a statement today saying the ad had been scheduled to stop running last week and is no longer being used.
The party says if the woman featured in the ad is uncomfortable with the situation, the party will find a satisfactory solution.
Quebec’s provincial election is scheduled for Oct. 3.
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