QUEBEC – He promised concrete action against questionable contract tendering and dirty backroom deals in Quebec, and on Thursday morning, Coalition Avenir Québec leader Francois Legault unveiled his plan for new legislation that he claims will rid the province of “the cancer of corruption.”
Speaking to reporters near the entrance to Quebec City’s main courthouse, Legault presented “Omnibus Bill 1,” new series of amendments and rules which he promised would be the first changes his government would make if elected.
Unlike the existing laws surrounding the tendering of public contracts in Quebec, Legault’s proposed legislation encompasses municipal contracts and those awarded by Crown corporations like Hydro-Québec and Loto-Québec. It also tackles the financing of political parties in the province and broadens the powers of Quebec’s Auditor General.
“Our measures go further than anything that has been proposed up until now,” Legault said. “When Jean Charest said he was interested in (economic development), the first thing he should have done is to tackle corruption.”
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See Also:
Investigative journalist leaves paper to work for corruption inquiry
Quebec Election 2012: Charest says his is only party that can prevent separation from Canada
CAQ of the walk, third in Quebec polls
Quebec’s debt and taxes cloud Jean Charest’s claims of ‘excellent’ economic record
Afternoon Updates:
1:17 pm EDT, August 4th, 2012 — Jacques Duchesneau’s candidacy changes Quebec political game
Notes:
With the appearance of Duchesneau the entire complexion of this election has changed. Get out the popcorn and beer. It’s going to be a real “humdinger”.
How do I know that?
“And on Friday he scored the first big hit of the campaign on Friday with the recruitment of Jacques Duschesneau — the former Montreal police chief whose findings on corruption forced Charest to call a public inquiry into the issue — as a CAQ candidate.
For the sake of comparison, that would be like Stephen Harper convincing Auditor General Sheila Fraser to run for the Conservatives on the heels of her scathing report on the federal sponsorship scandal in 2006.”
Correct!
I wish him luck in stamping out corruption but he has a very very very long row to hoe. Leftists and corruption are synonymous and Quebec is nothing if not a corrupt leftist culture.
I just added four new links and a “note” to this entry, Joe. I can see the CAQ coming right up the center and blowing two old and tired parties right out of the water. Small wonder Harper has ordered his troops to stay well clear.
He doesn’t want to spoil the surprise.
I certain hope that the old parties are blown out of the water Jack!