Premier Jean Charest speaks in Levis, Que., on May 9, 2011.Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press
The tone has softened but the response remains the same.
The Charest government says that holding an inquiry into corruption in the construction industry remains an option but no decision has been made.
In response to a newspaper article claiming that an inquiry will be announced within two weeks, Premier Jean Charest didn't deny the report, but he also avoided confirming it.
During an official visit in France, Mr. Charest reiterated that any decision must be weighed against the need to protect ongoing police investigations, the possibility of bringing criminals to justice and the insurance that a probe will not tarnish the reputation of innocent victims.
Public Security Minister Robert Dutil said there are risks in holding a public inquiry that must be properly evaluated before any decision is taken.
"We have established what the problem was. Now we must find a solution," Mr. Dutil said. "We are looking for a solution that takes into account the public interest and the public's will to have better information."
While the Liberal government refuses to yield to public pressure, it is attempting to find a compromise that will appease the critics while avoiding irreparable political damage to the party. For many Liberals, an inquiry must avoid tying the party to any wrongdoing in their dealings with the construction industry – the awarding of government contracts and political donations.
The opposition parties' strategy has been to link allegations of favouritism and influence-peddling to the Charest government.
On Thursday, ADQ House Leader Sylvie Roy revealed that three members of the Régie du bâtiment du Québec, an administrative tribunal that oversees the enforcement of the Building Act, were all Liberals. The tribunal recently showed leniency towards a construction company called Terramex, which was found guilty of fraud, by suspending its building licence for only a week. The suspension will only take effect in November.
"The independence of the tribunal is called into question," Ms. Roy said. "This lack of independence undermines the public's confidence in their institutions."
Ms. Roy added that political favouritism in the nomination process of tribunal members must also be examined by a full public inquiry into corruption in the construction industry.
While hesitating about holding a public inquiry, the Charest government acted resolutely on another front. It tabled a bill on Thursday aimed at weakening the powerful construction unions affiliated to the Quebec Federation of Labour that hold a monopoly on the hiring of workers on several major projects.
"This bill aims at eliminating union placement and to put an end to practices of intimidation and discrimination in the construction industry," Labour Minister Lise Thériault said.
The minister argued that employers have the right to decide who they hire and how many workers are needed, saying that it was unacceptable to leave such decisions to the unions.
The QFL construction unions, which represent 72,000 members or 44 per cent of the total number of unionized construction workers, promise to fight the bill. Employers groups, however, applauded the initiative and urged the government to stand firm in its commitment to adopt the bill.