MONTREAL - An analysis of federal fundraising data shows that companies linked to Quebec's construction scandals also have extensive ties to federal politics.
The investigation by The Canadian Press showed that the federal Conservative party received donations from dozens of employees at three of the engineering firms that are now implicated in high-profile police investigations.
Such donations to Canada's governing party, and to a lesser extent the opposition Liberals, suggest that these companies are active beyond the provincial and local level.
As Ottawa unveiled billions in economic stimulus spending in 2009, Conservative coffers in one Montreal riding were being flooded with contributions from employees at firms now mired in collusion scandals.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke at the biggest fundraising event in that riding, where many of the donations were made.
Afterwards, cash raised at that May 20, 2009, event was largely transferred to the riding of Christian Paradis, the Tories' Quebec lieutenant, to help with his re-election there.
A special task force in Quebec has been investigating the role of engineering-consulting firms amid scandals over collusion, kickbacks, Mafia ties, illegal political financing and money-laundering. A public inquiry in Quebec is set to begin soon.
