Quebec’s anti-corruption unit meets with former Liberal MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier

Independent Assembly Member Sona Lakhoyan-Olivier speaks as she enters a meeting of the Quebec Liberal caucus at the National Assembly in Quebec City on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. Ms. Lakhoyan-Olivier was expelled from the Liberal caucus on Thursday, December 4, pending the results of an investigation by the National Assembly’s ethics commissioner. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

The Unité permanente anticorruption (UPAC) met with former Liberal MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier regarding the mysterious text messages about “brownies” that brought down the leadership of former PLQ leader Pablo Rodriguez.

Lakhoyan Olivier revealed this information on Tuesday just before entering the Red Room for question period.

Last November, the Journal de Montréal revealed text messages suggesting that sums of money—referred to as “brownies”—had been paid to encourage members to vote for Rodriguez, then a candidate for the Liberal leadership. However, the individuals behind these text messages were not named in the article.

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Cogeco then claimed that the two people behind these mysterious text messages were Sona Lakhoyan Olivier and CAQ MNA Alice Abou-Khalil. Both elected officials quickly denied the allegations.

On Tuesday, Lakhoyan Olivier reiterated that she had nothing to do with the text message scandal. “I can’t wait for the UPAC to find out who’s behind this,” she said during a press scrum at the National Assembly.

In March, La Presse reported that the UPAC was unable to verify the authenticity of the “brownie” text messages.

UPAC is investigating Rodriguez’s leadership, which has been tarnished by several allegations of irregularities in the financing of his campaign. Faced with mounting setbacks, Rodriguez was forced to resign in December, paving the way for Charles Milliard’s election last February.

Élections Québec is also investigating Rodriguez’s leadership race.

Severely reprimanded

Earlier this month, the National Assembly’s Ethics Commissioner severely reprimanded Sona Lakhoyan Olivier for using her riding office for partisan purposes during the Liberal leadership race. She also obstructed the commissioner’s investigation.

The commissioner is recommending a $8,000 fine due to the “seriousness of the violations” and the “MNA’s lack of respect toward her staff members and the National Assembly.” Sona Lakhoyan Olivier said she would pay the fine.

Members of the National Assembly voted unanimously on Tuesday to impose this penalty on the MNA for Chomedey.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 26, 2026.

Thomas Laberge, The Canadian Press