QUEBEC CITY – Premier Philippe Couillard defended himself against allegations he demoted former transport minister Robert Poëti for discovering mismanagement and intimidation in the transportation department.
The opposition accused Couillard in the legislature of demoting Poëti after the minister flagged a series of irregularities in the department, including the way public contracts were awarded.
“The real question is why Mr. Poëti has been thrown out of the minister cabinet by Mr. Couillard. Was it because Mr. Poëti was asking too many questions?” mused François Legault, Coalition Avenir Quebec leader.
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Couillard countered, saying he demoted Poëti in January because he wanted to make room in his cabinet for more women and young people.
“It’s three months ago and I have the meeting with the premier and I don’t doubt what he said,” said Poëti.
“He wanted more women and more young people and more people from different areas. I believe him. This is what he told me and I don’t doubt.”
However, Quebec’s L’actualité magazine reported that Poëti had discovered transport employees were being intimidated by their superiors and embarrassing cost overruns on public projects were hidden.
The magazine also reported that former employees were given no-bid contracts worth slightly under $25,000 — the legal limit that triggers a call for tenders.
Current Transport Minister Jacques Daoust said he forwarded a USB key to Quebec’s corruption agency with documentation he received from Poëti, and is waiting for an answer.
“I think the best thing to do with perception is to be transparent,” he said after making the documents available to the public.
“I want to be very transparent.”
— with files from The Canadian Press.