Jacques Duchesneau lead a trio of anti-corruption experts at a community centre in Rosemont on how Montreal can combat corruption and win back the faith of the public.

Public trust of city council since testimony at the Charbonneau Commission has linked several city officials to questionable dealings when awarding city contracts.

"Even one fact being in the newspaper or on TV makes people think that everybody is corrupt," said criminologist Andre Normandeau.

Normandeau joined Duchesneau along with former SQ officer and current Liberal MNA for Chomedy Guy Ouellette in providing anti-corruption suggestions.

All three men believe that an special anti-corrution squad needs to be created by the city using Montreal police officers.

"Police officers who are really specialized in corruption and frauds of all kinds," said Normandeau.

This squad would have access to any files or records used in city contracts. The goal would be to investigate and prevent corruption and collusion at the municipal level and beyond.

"People think that collusion and corruption is a construction problem, it is not," said Duchesneau. "We need to go deep into analyzing what the problems are."

Duchesneau also spoke of the importance of preventing corruption by reviewing the administrative, operation and fundrasing aspects of municipal politics in Montreal. He advocates creating new legislation or regulation if need be.  

"I have no comfort in finding someone who committed a crime," said Duchesneau. "We need to prevent people from committing crimes."

The conference was hosted by Vision Montreal. They say many of the suggestions from the three specialists will become motions at city hall.

"We will propose many solutions (to corruption) the next city council, October (22nd)," said Opposition Leader Louise Harel.

Harel and her party plan to propose the creation of a Montreal Police unit dedicated to fighting corruption in Montreal at that meeting.

Photo: Kevin Gallagher