By Canadian Press

Coalition Avenir Québec under fire for election ad described as exploitative

Jul 18, 2022 | 11:28 AM

MONTREAL — 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 Québec 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 François 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.

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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.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2022.

The Canadian Press