The Couillard government promises to look into the recommendations in the newly released Charbonneau report, despite some skepticism the necessary measures will be put in place.
Before the report was tabled on Tuesday, Premier Couillard called the commission transformative.
“I think all the political parties have been liberated. We've been freed from political fundraising,” he said.
The maximum donation to political parties was lowered from $3000 to $100 for individuals after the commission revealed ministers were expected to fill party coffers.
Still, the inquiry was unable to make a clear connection between fundraising and the awarding for contracts.
“There is no direct link – an appearance of a link, but no direct link, and because of all the processes, the way it’s working, they said there is a vulnerability,” said government house leader Jean-Marc Fournier.
To remedy any vulnerability, Justice France Charbonneau recommends an independent body to oversee the awarding of contracts, a measure similar to the Inspector General position Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre has already put in place.
“Everybody laughed at that at the beginning, now they're using it,” said Coderre.
Charbonneau also wants to give whistleblowers tools, including the right to sue a company defrauding the government, as it is done in the U.S.
“The government takes a cut of the proceeds,” explained administrative lawyer Paul Daly “In America, it’s 30 per cent to the individual, 70 per cent to the government.”
For that to work, Charbonneau said it will require a complete change of culture.
Political analyst Bruce Hicks is skeptical can happen.
“I think it comes down to us on a personal level change. If it can be done on a $1000 contract, will it be done on a $5 million contract, too,” he said.
Star whistleblower Lino Zambito says corruption is impossible to stamp out.
“Right now everyone is talking about it, but one month, two months, three months from now, it’s going to be business as usual,” he said.
