Police have issued an arrest warrant for the former head of the Quebec Federation of Labour's construction wing, who is accused of filing extravagant expense claims.
Dupuis, who was fired in 2008, is charged with three counts, including fabrication of false documents and encouraging a colleague to commit a criminal act by writing a false invoice.
The Crown alleges Dupuis defrauded the construction wing of more than $5,000 and that he produced more than 200 false documents related to expense accounts and restaurant bills.
CTV's Stephane Giroux says an employee blew the whistle on the enormous bills that were being racked up.
"This is a man who is accused of spending $125,000 in six months on restaurants alone," said Giroux. "And these are not necessarily fancy restaurants, for example he submitted a $1,000 bill for an egg and bacon breakfast in a small restaurant."
Dupuis is currently in Florida – it's not clear if or when he will be returned to Quebec.
He ran the 70,000-member FTQ construction branch for 11 years until he was forced to resign.
PQ calls again for inquiry
The new allegations have opposition parties in Quebec City demanding, once again, that the Charest government call a full public inquiry into the construction industry in the province.
"I think we need more intervention. So it is why we want to have an inquiry - a public inquiry, an independent inquiry," said Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois.
Former provincial labour minister Jean Cournoyer said little has changed at the FTQ since he ordered an inquiry into corruption in the industry nearly three decades ago.
"They are stronger and they want to show not only that they are stronger, but that they want to be alone," he said.
