MONTREAL - Premier Jean Charest is promising to clean up the process of awarding municipal contracts across the province.
The comments came one day after Montreal's mayor was re-elected, despite accounts of corruption at city hall that have embarrassed the city.
Montrealers gave Mayor Gerald Tremblay a third term over the weekend -- this after reports that construction companies, in collusion with the Italian Mafia, are funding political parties and boosting the cost of building projects.
Quebec's elections body also announced Monday it would hold a citizen's forum on political fundraising, raising the prospect of changes to the way parties are financed.
Trusteeship?
A report in Montreal La Presse newspaper said the province might place Montreal under trusteeship to limit its control in awarding contracts.
But Charest said he would not go that far. Quebec has instead created a special police unit, and is promising legislative changes to change the way contracts are awarded.
"There was never any question of putting Montreal under trusteeship," Charest told reporters.
Gomery's view
Canada's most famous corruption-fighting judge agreed trusteeship over the city would be too extreme.
John Gomery, who advised one of Tremblay's rivals during the election campaign, said Monday that the city's chequebook should only be revoked if there were a total breakdown in the municipal administration.
But the retired judge who presided over the federal sponsorship inquiry wants something else: a public inquiry into the construction business.
Calls for a probe have faced resistance from the provincial and federal governments. The province has instead created a special police unit, and is promising legislative changes to clean up the way contracts are awarded.
