Independent auditors are going to thoroughly examine the Transportation Ministry and how it has been awarding contracts.
Finance Minister Carlos Leitao confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that the provincial government would hire an Inspector General to examine the Ministry and questionable practices, including contracts being awarded to former employees, and contracts being awarded without a public bidding process.
But before that happens, the province's Auditor General, Guylaine Leclerc, will begin examining contracts and how the Ministry has been awarding them.
"The Auditor General will have full latitude to do whatever is necessary," said Leitao. "She will be able to demand information from whomever she believes has pertinent information."
Leitao also said he would be tabling legislation in the next three weeks to permanently give the province's financial authority, the AMF, more investigative powers with regards to public contracts, which is one of the key recommendations made by the Charbonneau Commission's final report into corruption in the construction industry in Quebec.
The move comes one week after the Transportation Minister's chief of staff and deputy minister lost their jobs, and a letter from the former Transportation Minister went public.
Earlier this year Robert Poeti, who was Transportation Minister until January, sent a letter to current Minister Jacques Daoust notifying him of irregularities regarding contracts.
Around the same time an independent analyst, Annie Trudel, resigned because she said her investigative work was being sabotaged and she was being blocked at every turn.
On Tuesday Poeti, who was sitting at Leitao's right hand during the announcement, said he was satisfied with how the government was operating.
"I think the integrity and the public confidence in these organizations will be restored by the actions being taken by our government," said Poeti.
He was also pleased that UPAC confirmed it is investigating Trudel's complaints.
Daoust said he would fully co-operate with the investigations.
"If the AG decides to do more we will not and we cannot do anything to stop it," said Daoust.
"If there's a bigger shakeup to be made, trust me, it will be made."
