MONTREAL—The opposition Coalition Avenir Quebec is taking aim at the province’s permanent anti-collusion unit, known by its French acronym UPAC. The second opposition wants the special police unit to report directly to the National Assembly.
While the CAQ says it has no proof UPAC has been influenced by the government, the unit currently reports to the public security minister and the opposition wants to make sure that the unit could never be influenced in the future.
The CAQ has been vocal lately, asking for details about UPAC’s investigation of contracts given out at Hydro-Quebec. Now the party would like UPAC to change bosses and report to a new Integrity Commissioner.
The new commissioner would combine the duties of the existing ethics and lobbying watchdogs, and along with UPAC, he or she would report solely to the assembly, much like the auditor-general currently does.
Jacques Duchesneau was head of UPAC for two years. Now the straight-talking number two in the CAQ says the timing is crucial, with huge construction projects like the $3 billion dollar reconstruction of the Turcot Interchange coming up.
“It’s basic, it’s the thing that we need to do,” said Duchesneau, channeling his time as police chief. “No one dares to go near the auditor general and influence him in any way, shape or form. This is what we need to happen to corruption.”
The Liberals wasn’t swayed, answering that the call is just the CAQ election platform reheated. Quebec’s public security minister would not comment.
The Parti Quebecois also unveiled on Thursday that a number of road projects were not budgeted for by the previous Liberal government, as a result, the projects are being postposed and reconsidered.
In the Montreal area, those projects include a planned link between Gouin Blvd. and Highway 40 and in Laval, an upgrade of Highway 19.
