Sam Hamad, dogged by ethics questions, returns from Florida

After taking a short break in Florida, Sam Hamad is expected to be back in Quebec's National Assembly on Thursday.

The veteran Liberal cabinet minister has been dogged by questions sinceRadio-Canada revealedhereceived donations from a firmtied to disgraced Liberal fundraiserMarc-YvanCt.

Premier Philippe Couillard announced on Saturday that Hamad would temporarily stepaside from his post as Quebec's Treasury Board president.

Hamad will, however, keep his cabinet minister salary and perks, includinga car and driver.

On Sunday, Hamad headed totoFlorida to "refuel."

"I'm burnt out," he told Radio-Canada."It's not easy what I'm living."

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Hamadsays he has done nothing wrong and calls the allegations an unfair attack.

After the Radio-Canadareport aired, he asked the ethics commissioner look into the allegations.

"My sole objective is to collaborate with the ethics commissioner. I'm waiting for his call. I hope to speak with him as soon as possible," he said.

'Right thing to do'

Premier Philippe Couillardsaid Hamad won't play a role in government until the ethics probe is complete.

"He has stepped aside," he told reporters. "It was the right thing to do."

Opposition parties, meanwhile, have pounced on the controversy.

Parti Qubcois MNA Jean-Franois Lise said it's unacceptable that Hamad continues to make a minister's salary. He alsocalled him out for heading to Florida.

"The only worse possible scenario is if he was in Vegas,"Lisesaid.

CBC Montreal's political analyst Yolande James, who is a former Liberal cabinet minister, said Hamad was wrong to get on a plane and leave.

"Now we understand that the premier didn't tell him to go that he left. There's all kinds of background discussion as to why that happened because he's hurt but quite frankly, you're in politics. People will not care about that. Your responsibility is to take the heat," James said in an interview on CBC Montreal News at 6.

RAW: Yolande James on the Sam Hamad 'saga'

8 years ago

Duration 3:25

CBC Montreal News at 6 host Debra Arbec speaks to our political analyst Yolande James about the controversy surrounding her former colleague, Sam Hamad.