The Quebec government is stepping up its efforts to fight white-collar and other economic crimes in the province.
Public Security Minister Jacques Dupuis, Justice Minister Kathleen Weil and Finance Minister Raymond Bachand made their announcement Sunday accompanied by representatives from the Surete du Quebec and the Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF).
The AMF, Quebec's financial securities regulator, will develop a special team that will focus on cyber-surveillance. In addition, it will launch a publicity campaign in the coming weeks to educate Quebecers about fraud.
Dupuis said 23 investigators will be added to the SQ's economic crimes squad. Their mandate will be to investigate allegations of corruption, money laundering, fraud, and embezzlement across the province.
Weil said she intends to put pressure on Ottawa to change the criminal code so that economic crimes can be punished with much stiffer sentences. She wants those found guilty of such crimes to serve at least one third of their sentence - as opposed to one sixth -- before they can ask for parole.
Currently, the maximum term for most economic crimes is 10 years. Weil said she wants to see it increased to 14 years.
With files from the Canadian Press
