Quebec corruption squad head promises action

The author of a leaked reportdetailing corruption in Quebecs construction industry broke his silence Friday morning, saying the problems are grave, but not insurmountable.

Jacques Duchesneau, head of the anti-corruption squad, said measures will be taken on a short-term basis to immediately address the allegations of backroom deals and links to organized crime described in his report.

"We faced crisis before [and] I think we can beat a system thats been implemented," he told a press conference at the transportation ministrys Montreal headquarters.

Duchesneau met privately with Transportation Minister Pierre Moreau Friday morning, but neither would discuss the outcome of those talks.

"There are things that need to be done and this morning the meeting that we had was quite clear on this,"Duchesneau said. "I was convinced after this meeting that theres a life after this report. Theres a life that will go on and measures will be taken."

The transportation ministry itself was implicated in the leaked report, which stated it was complicit in the practice by some road work companies to artificially inflate costs and pocket the difference.

Duchesneau said he was "annoyed" that along with the publics outrage at the reports findings came an assumption that everyone in the transportation ministry and the industry is corrupt.

He said solutions would come from within the ministry, because theyre the people who know how to quickly solve the issues outlined in the report.

Moreau said the ministry is taking the allegations seriously, but would not discuss any of the actions it is taking within. He said those details will be released at a later date.

"We are serious in what we want to do to make sure those actions will be fruitful and that good people will be able to work where they have to work and that bad people will be put out of the system," he said.

Duchesneau has been summoned to appear before the National Assemblys public administration committee on Tuesday, where hell likely face hours of questioning from MNAs.

"The report is just a first step its a stepping stone to something else," he said.

"Measures will be taken and Im convinced were heading in the right direction right now."