Montreal city council debated a motion to suspend speaker Claude Dauphin on Tuesday. CBCMontreal mayor Gérald Tremblay is angry his administration is under scrutiny, after his former comptroller admitted to spying on Lachine borough mayor Claude Dauphin.

Public Security Minister Robert Dutil has ordered the province's new anti-corruption unit to look into the escalating spy scandal at Montreal city hall.

The public security minister told reporters on Wednesday that he wants the newly-created squad to get to the bottom of the situation as quickly as possible.

The province has a right to investigate but "I think that not phoning me is totally unacceptable" Tremblay responded, after Dutil announced his probe.

"I just want to remind him that the inquiry he wants to make — I've been doing it for years."

Tremblay fired city comptroller Pierre Reid after he admitted he surveilled Dauphin's emails, Blackberry messages and phone calls for at least three years.

The mayor said Reid's actions may have been overzealous — but still came up with "troubling" conclusions about contracts in the borough of Lachine, where Dauphin is mayor.

Quebec police is now investigating Reid's findings.

Meanwhile, opposition parties at city hall continue to press Tremblay on the spate of corruption allegations dogging his administration.

"He's in total denial," said Vision Montreal Leader Louise Harel.

"He starts the war against the auditor-general. He starts the war against his president of council. And now he starts the war against the Minister of Public Security!"

Dauphin steps aside as council speaker after full-court pressure

The order from Robert Dutil came a day after Claude Dauphin's decision to step down temporarily as speaker of Montreal city council.

'It's for the dignity of the insitution. That's why it's very important for me.'— Claude Dauphin, Lachine mayor and former city hall speaker

Dauphin walked away from the post Tuesday night at the end of a tense council meeting, called by the mayor after the city's former comptroller's findings came to light.

After hours of debate and last-minute backroom brokering, Dauphin announced just before 11 p.m. that he would temporarily remove himself from the speaker's chair for the duration of a provincial police investigation.

He said he wants the allegations cleared up as soon as possible so he can get back to work.

"I have absolutely nothing for which to reproach myself," said Dauphin.

Council on Tuesday also adopted a motion urging Quebec provincial police to speed up its investigation.

"It's for the dignity of the institution. That's why it's very important for me. That's why I decided [to step down]," Dauphin told reporters.

Montreal Mayor Tremblay swung back Wednesday, after the province got involved in the 'spygate' at city hall. (Canadian Press)

'Illegal probe' spotted irregularities in Lachine

Dauphin originally refused to step down after it was revealed earlier this week that former city comptroller Pierre Reid had been spying on his emails for three years, including the period Dauphin was head of the city's powerful executive committee.

Tremblay confirmed the comptroller investigation on Monday, and said while Reid's methods were questionable, he had uncovered "troubling facts" including allegations involving Dauphin and subsidies for a Lachine demolition company.

Even Quebec's Minister of Municipal Affairs Laurent Lessard has described the comptroller's tactics as illegal.

Tremblay thanked Dauphin for stepping down, saying he understood how difficult it must have been.

Dauphin said he's still angry that the city comptroller hacked into his email and is considering legal action.

Reid has been removed from his post but remains a city employee.