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Parti Québécois leadership candidate Pierre Karl Péladeau contravened the province’s ethics code twice by trying to influence the sale of Vision Globale to a company he owns, the province’s ethics commissioner has ruled.

But because Péladeau, the MNA for Saint-Jérôme, “acted in good faith,” recognized his error and apologized, he will not be punished, commissioner Jacques Saint-Laurent said in a ruling handed down Friday.

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“Even if he acted in good faith, I have to conclude the code was transgressed,” Saint-Laurent wrote in his 21-page ruling tabled in the National Assembly.

“In my view, his lack of experience as the MNA for Saint-Jérôme, contributed to the errors committed during these interventions.”

“The MNA for Saint-Jérome appears to have acted in good faith in expressing his views on the importance of retaining control of this company in Quebecer’s hands.”

Saint-Laurent investigated two specific incidents — uncovered by La Presse — in which Péladeau intervened in the sale without acknowledging that the company most likely to benefit from the sale was his own, Quebecor.