QUEBEC - The Parti Quebecois has accused Hydro Quebec of being in contempt of parliament for not releasing details yet of its construction contracts.
The National Assembly voted unanimously six weeks ago to make the Crown corporation's books public, and the PQ says the delay since then is unacceptable.
Hydro Quebec has yet to hand over a single document.
The PQ wants to know how Hydro Quebec sets up tenders – who bids, who wins, and who goes over budget.
"You know, we shouldn't be begging for this," PQ MNA Bernard Drainville said Friday.
"This belongs to us. Hydro-Quebec belongs to the people of Quebec."
The Liberals are defending the six-week delay.
"When you have more than 20,000 documents with effects on third parties, it's normal to take some time to look at all the paper you're going to publish," said Liberal House Leader Jean-Marc Fournier.
PQ House leader Stephane Bedard says it's already clear - people close to the Liberal Party are raking in huge contracts.
For example, Neilson Excavation has done nearly $800 million worth of work for Hydro Quebec since 2002.
Neilson is run by the family of Franco Fava - the Liberal Party fundraiser who testified at the Bastarache inquiry.
Hydro Quebec says there are lots of documents to compile and they're working as fast as they can to co-operate with the missive.
The speaker of the National Assembly, Yvon Vallieres, has agreed to hear from both parties and consider the question of "contempt of parliament".
He will decide after a meeting on Tuesday what the National Assembly is going to do -- but the power is there in the law for the assembly to impose sanctions on the crown corporation if it is found to be uncooperative.
