Coroner Géhane Kamel will publicly investigate the fire that killed seven people in a heritage building in Old Montreal in mid-March.
A few days after dismissing it, the Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, officially requested it on Tuesday from the Coroner’s Office. ” [Ça] will allow us to have important recommendations on what to do next,” he said, a few minutes before question period in the National Assembly.
The Minister of Public Security is the only elected member of the Quebec government who can request such an investigation from the Bureau du coroner. The Chief Coroner can do it too, but she said at the end of March that it was “too early” to start this process.
The tragedy in Old Montreal, which took place on March 16 in a heritage building housing several illegal short-term rental units, had until now been the subject of private investigations by coroner Géhane Kamel. A public inquiry will enable it to hear experts and witnesses in hearings accessible to all.
In the past, the Bureau du coroner has launched such investigations to shed light, among other things, on the death of sisters Romy and Norah Carpentier at the hands of their father, or to look into the thousands of deaths observed in CHSLDs. of Quebec during the pandemic. Another fire, that of the residence in Le Havre, in L’Isle-Verte, had been publicly scrutinized by the Coroner’s Office in 2014.
“I just have to list you on the side of Airbnb apartments in Montreal: window, not window? Detectors [de fumée] or not ? raised Mr. Bonnardel, when asked about the mandate that will be granted to the coroner.
The Minister undertakes to follow up on the recommendations that will emerge. “Families need answers. »
Requests from last week
In the National Assembly, the three opposition parties had asked for the launch of a public inquiry last week. The official opposition in the City of Montreal followed suit a few days later. She rejoiced on Tuesday at the decision of the Legault government.
So far, François Bonnardel had chosen to rely on ongoing investigations. “We are closely monitoring the development of the case and must let the authorities do their job,” his cabinet said last week.
In a press scrum on Tuesday, Mr. Bonnardel maintained that he had never changed his mind. “You still have to give yourself some time. The tragedy happened two weeks ago,” he said.