Bill 170: the Committee suggests to limit the number of nominations submitted

News 19 October, 2017

Kathryne Lamontagne

Wednesday, 18 October 2017 19:45

UPDATE
Wednesday, 18 October 2017 19:50

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In order to strengthen the independence, real and apparent,” the commissioner for the fight against corruption, the follow-up Committee of the recommendations of the Charbonneau Commission suggests to limit to three the number of nominations submitted to the government by the selection committee.

After a bousculement schedule caused by the possible absence of key organisations, the public consultations on bill 107, which provides, in particular, to broaden the powers of the Unité permanente anticorruption (UPAC) and the Office of the independent surveys (EIB), have begun on Wednesday.

The legislative measure provides that the appointment of the commissioner for the fight against corruption is similar to that which currently prevails for the Director of criminal and penal prosecutions (DPCP). Nominations will be analyzed by a selection committee, which would then be a list of potential candidates to the minister of public Safety.

Rather satisfied with the bill, the Committee followed the recommendations of the Charbonneau Commission argues, however, to limit this list to three names. This measure is intended to “limit the government’s room for manoeuvre in the choice,” explained the organization.

Appointment by the national Assembly

Nothing to convince the Parti québécois and the Coalition avenir Québec, which require an appointment of the commissioner by the national Assembly.

“The Charbonneau commission recommends that the mode of appointment is similar to the DPCP,” replied one of the members of the committee, Pierre-Olivier Brodeur. One can imagine that probably, the functions of the commissioner for the fight against corruption were closer to a DPCP an officer to be appointed by the national Assembly.”

The consultations on bill 107 should continue today, in particular with the commissioner for the fight against corruption, the EIB, the DPCP as well as the Sûreté du Québec, who had all originally refusing to attend.