Political misconduct

Jacques Duchesneau calls for public inquiry

Topics: 
Corruption, Organized crime, Construction industry, Political misconduct, Quebec
Rating: 
3
Jacques Duchesneau

Kevin Dougherty – September 28, 2011

Opposition members expressed satisfaction Tuesday night that Jacques Duchesneau, who investigated collusion to fix public-sector construction contracts, favours a public inquiry into corruption in Quebec’s construction industry.

“It is time for Mr. Charest to behave like the premier of all Quebecers rather than the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party,” said Nicolas Girard of the Parti Québécois, urging Charest to call a public inquiry.

P.E.I. rushed to approve thousands of immigrants

Topics: 
Corruption, PEI, Political misconduct, Immigration
Rating: 
3

Bill Curry and Olivery Moore – September 17, 2011

The PEI government’s rush approval of nearly 2,000 immigrant investors before Ottawa shut down the island’s nomination program three years ago is at the heart of allegations that rules went out the window in the province’s scramble to secure foreign cash.

New statistics obtained by The Globe and Mail from Citizenship and Immigration Canada reveal that, when the successful investors’ spouses and children are counted, the island actually approved more than 6,000 immigrants between August, 2008, and the end of February, 2009. Of those, about 1,000 are still waiting overseas to be approved by Ottawa.

Quebec construction industry a ‘clandestine universe’ of collusion, kickbacks: report

Topics: 
Organized crime, Construction industry, Political misconduct, Quebec
Rating: 
0

Graeme Hamilton – September 15, 2011

The Quebec government has budgeted close to $4-billion for road work this year, but the Transport Minister was forced to admit Thursday he has no idea how much of that will be siphoned off by corrupt contractors, civil servants and political operatives.

Pierre Moreau was reacting to the leak of an internal report detailing organized crime involvement in a flourishing system of collusion and kickbacks in the construction industry. The report, prepared for the government by former Montreal police chief Jacques Duchesneau, was obtained by Radio-Canada and La Presse.

Ottawa to probe alleged P.E.I. immigration fraud

Topics: 
Corruption, PEI, Political misconduct, Immigration
Rating: 
0

September 15, 2011

The Globe and Mail is reporting the federal government has asked the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency to investigate allegations of fraud and bribery in Prince Edward Island's PNP program.

The federal Citizenship and Immigration Department referred the case to police late Wednesday, says the Globe, after it received information from at least three former provincial public servants. Among the information were detailed allegations that, at a Marriott hotel suite in Hong Kong, would-be immigrant investors gave senior island bureaucrats cash-stuffed envelopes to have their applications approved.

Ottawa calls for probe of P.E.I. immigration program

Topics: 
Corruption, PEI, Political misconduct, Immigration
Rating: 
3
Robert Ghiz

Bill Curry – September 15, 2011

The federal government is calling in the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency to investigate allegations of fraud and bribery in a PEI immigration program that allowed hundreds of primarily Chinese nationals to buy their way into Canada.

In less than three weeks, Islanders will vote on whether to re-elect Robert Ghiz’s Liberal government. His party is leading in the polls, but has been on the defensive since 2008 because relatives of the Premier, along with cabinet ministers, deputy ministers and several MLAs, benefited financially from the immigrant investor program.

Leaked report reveals widespread corruption in Quebec construction contracts

Topics: 
Organized crime, Construction industry, Political misconduct, Quebec
Rating: 
0

Rhéal Séguin – September 15, 2011

Quebec media have obtained a leaked report that outlines a system of collusion, corruption and illegal practices in the awarding of construction contracts in the province.

The report, obtained by Radio-Canada and La Presse, contends that the practices are so widespread that they threaten the foundations of certain government duties.

Link between organized crime and construction clear: report

Topics: 
Organized crime, Construction industry, Political misconduct, Quebec
Rating: 
4

September 15, 2011

It's been whispered about for years, but now the Quebec government's anti-corruption squad says it has proof that organized crime has infiltrated the construction industry and influenced political parties.

The report by former Montreal police chief Jacques Duchesneau and Quebec's anti-corruption squad and obtained by Radio-Canada and La Presse comes after a year-and-a-half-long investigation.

Key figure in sponsorship scandal set to become witness

Topics: 
Corruption, White-collar crime, Political misconduct
Rating: 
4

Daniel Leblanc – July 22, 2011

The RCMP is closing in on its first major Liberal operative after a decade-long probe into the sponsorship program, as it nears cutting a deal with another player in the scandal to become a state witness and testify about millions in alleged political kickbacks, government sources said.

It is the bookend to a story that, until recently, The Globe and Mail has been prevented from investigating. Only after a winning a lengthy battle at the Supreme Court last year against Groupe Polygone could the newspaper continue to press on in the public interest.

Corruption and Unrest Threaten Autocratic Rule In China

Topics: 
China, Corruption, Political misconduct
Rating: 
0

Ben W. Heineman Jr. – June 29, 2011

In recent days, the western media separately reported two discrete stories on China -- one on corruption and a second on a social protest. The two are, however, part of broader, interrelated trends, which together constitute significant threats to autocratic China.

Event one was an online analysis from the money laundering bureau of the People's Bank of China, the central bank, stating that 17,000 Communist Party members and state functionaries had illicitly obtained and then smuggled out of China an astonishing $124 billion  from the mid-90s until 2008. These kleptocratic acts are symbolic of China's broader corruption.

RCMP probes Senator over trips to Bangladesh

Topics: 
Oil & gas industry, Political misconduct
Rating: 
3

Greg McArthur – June 24, 2011

The RCMP is investigating Liberal Senator Mac Harb for criminal breach of trust, alleging in a sworn affidavit that he travelled to Bangladesh on a special passport reserved for federal officials, where he lobbied members of the country's government on behalf of Niko Resources, a Calgary-based oil and gas company.

For nearly four years, a team of Mounties has been investigating Niko Resources' natural-gas operation in Bangladesh, and on Friday, the company agreed to pay a fine of $9.5-million after pleading guilty to trying to influence a junior Bangladeshi minister by providing him with a luxury SUV as well as a paid trip to Calgary and New York.

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