A former engineer for the city of Montreal wrapped up his testimony to Quebec's corruption inquiry with an apology, despite his earlier assertion that saying sorry to an unforgiving public would do nothing to change the fact he'd accepted $500,000 in kickbacks and thousands more in lavish gifts over the years that he helped construction bosses inflate the price of city contracts. Luc Leclerc returned to the stand to make a brief statement Monday afternoon, telling the Charbonneau commission into corruption in the construction industry that he was sorry — most especially for betraying the trust of Montreal taxpayers, his fellow engineers and former colleagues at the city of Montreal. Earlier in his testimony, Leclerc admitted to taking 25 per cent from the contingency costs built into the already-inflated rates that construction companies had charged on public works. He testified he had spent about $500,000 in ill-gotten cash over the years but couldn't say how much he had received in total. Leclerc blamed cutbacks at Montreal city hall for the fact that construction engineers, with his help, had gotten away with inflating prices so dramatically. Eventually there were only two people conducting detailed review of those contracts, he said. He said with more engineers and with increased supervision, it would have been harder for corruption to take hold.(more)
Monday, November 12, 2012
Ex-Montreal engineer offers grudging apology for bribe-taking
CBC News Posted: Nov 12, 2012 3:09 PM ET
A former engineer for the city of Montreal wrapped up his testimony to Quebec's corruption inquiry with an apology, despite his earlier assertion that saying sorry to an unforgiving public would do nothing to change the fact he'd accepted $500,000 in kickbacks and thousands more in lavish gifts over the years that he helped construction bosses inflate the price of city contracts. Luc Leclerc returned to the stand to make a brief statement Monday afternoon, telling the Charbonneau commission into corruption in the construction industry that he was sorry — most especially for betraying the trust of Montreal taxpayers, his fellow engineers and former colleagues at the city of Montreal. Earlier in his testimony, Leclerc admitted to taking 25 per cent from the contingency costs built into the already-inflated rates that construction companies had charged on public works. He testified he had spent about $500,000 in ill-gotten cash over the years but couldn't say how much he had received in total. Leclerc blamed cutbacks at Montreal city hall for the fact that construction engineers, with his help, had gotten away with inflating prices so dramatically. Eventually there were only two people conducting detailed review of those contracts, he said. He said with more engineers and with increased supervision, it would have been harder for corruption to take hold.(more)
A former engineer for the city of Montreal wrapped up his testimony to Quebec's corruption inquiry with an apology, despite his earlier assertion that saying sorry to an unforgiving public would do nothing to change the fact he'd accepted $500,000 in kickbacks and thousands more in lavish gifts over the years that he helped construction bosses inflate the price of city contracts. Luc Leclerc returned to the stand to make a brief statement Monday afternoon, telling the Charbonneau commission into corruption in the construction industry that he was sorry — most especially for betraying the trust of Montreal taxpayers, his fellow engineers and former colleagues at the city of Montreal. Earlier in his testimony, Leclerc admitted to taking 25 per cent from the contingency costs built into the already-inflated rates that construction companies had charged on public works. He testified he had spent about $500,000 in ill-gotten cash over the years but couldn't say how much he had received in total. Leclerc blamed cutbacks at Montreal city hall for the fact that construction engineers, with his help, had gotten away with inflating prices so dramatically. Eventually there were only two people conducting detailed review of those contracts, he said. He said with more engineers and with increased supervision, it would have been harder for corruption to take hold.(more)
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