The convention centres will be forced to proceed by call for tenders for contracts for food services

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Marc-André Gagnon

Thursday, 8 February 2018 17:11

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Thursday, 8 February 2018 17:11

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The Tourism minister, Julie Boulet, wants to force the congress centres of Montréal and Québec city to proceed by call for tenders when awarding contracts for food services, which has not been done for the past 25 years.

• READ ALSO: Centre des congrès in Montreal and Quebec: CAQ wants an investigation into the awarding of contracts

As revealed by TVA News, yesterday, the Coalition avenir Québec has asked the auditor general to examine the contracts, after having discovered, as the result of a request for access to information, catering services in Montreal and Quebec city are provided by the enterprises of the family Tsatas (Capital HRS and Capital Catering), whose leaders are generous liberal donors.

Cairo regrets

“All this, of course, is a matter of chance,” ironisé in the room the member caquiste Eric Cairo.

Photo Simon Clark

However, it is that “the State companies are not subject to the Regulations on contracts for the concessions because there is no exit of public funds,” said the minister of Tourism.

“Now, for me, the transparency, the rigor, and the confidence of the public in relation to the State-owned companies, it is a must”, continued the liberal member for Laviolette.

Ms. Boulet has, therefore, addressed, on the 6th of November last, two convention centers, the Régie des installations olympiques, telling them that it “would be desirable, at the time of renewal of agreement type […] to proceed to a tender”.

Photo Simon Clark

“Still a chance, in the same period where we have placed our request for access to information,” observed Mr. Cairo.

Boulet “dissatisfied”

Not all of them have not given effect to the request of the minister. When contacted by TVA Nouvelles in order to know whether it would proceed now by tender, “not at all”, exclaimed the CEO of the Centre des congrès de Québec, P.-Michel Bouchard, in the beginning of the week.

“I have heard the response of Mr. Bouchard […] and I am unsatisfied with his answer, responded the minister. It doesn’t seem to want to bend to the request that was made. Therefore, there will be a directive that emanates from the ministry today, which will require, which will require them now to proceed by call for tenders.”

“If this is not enough”, warned the minister, and the minister delegate to the Integrity of the public markets, Robert Poëti, are ready to revise the law.

“We can act directly on the legislative level,” said Mr. Poëti. I think that the minister has been clear this morning […] (the managers) need to be more transparent.”

When asked about it Thursday, Mr. Bouchard is finally committed to comply with the new ministerial directive.