Controversial businessman Tony Accurso showed a more feisty side in his second day of testimony at the Charbonneau Commission Wednesday, dismissing a party speaking on a wiretap as "clearly drunk."

Accurso, who had long attempted to wriggle out of testifying at the corruption commission, went relatively unchallenged on his first day of testimony but he was greeted with a pair of wiretaps early Wednesday.

Accurso was faced with a lengthy and rambling phone discussion in which contractor Eugene Arsenault spoke to a more muted former union boss Jocelyn Dupuis on January 19, 2009.

The discussion circled around the allocation of workers on construction sites, complaining that Accurso threw money around to hire staff. Accurso said that Arsenault's comments couldn't be taken seriously as he was - according to Accurso - inebriated when speaking in the conversation which took place at 10 p.m.

"You can tell he's clearly drunk. He's saying the same thing 10 times," said Accurso.

Accurso said that what some might see as collusion between companies and labour forces was really a result of companies wanting the same workers on jobs due to the fact that they are familiar with the way workplaces operate.

Accurso admitted that he had many friends in the labour union movement, but said that if he got the best workers it was because he had the best plans, equipment and project leaders on site, all of which made his workers perform better.

He was then asked in depth again about his relationship with union boss Louis Laberge and a fishing trip they took to the Manic 5 Hydroelectric dam in 1981 or 1982, a time when Accurso met Jean Lavallee for the first time.

"I remember he went swimming for a long time in the icy water," said Accurso.

"Which union reps were present at that time?" asked prosecutor Sonia LeBel.

"I don't remember," replied Accurso.

"You seem to remember the icy water swim very clearly though," said LeBel.

After a break, LeBel went through a list of notable names from the underworld and other milieus, asking Accurso whether and how well he knew them. Accurso noted that he was acquainted in some degree to many on the list.

He said, for example, that he knew the younger Nick Rizzuto but not his grandfather Nicolo. Accurso described longtime reputed Mafia godfather Vito Rizzuto as a "minor contact."

However Accurso also noted that he has 3,500 names in his iPhone contacts, many of whom he barely knows.

After the lunch break LeBel probed Accurso about his relationship with Jean Lavallée, the head of SOLIM, the real-estate division of the FTQ Solidarity Fund. But once again Accurso sidestepped questions and stated that his dealings were entirely legit.

Accurso did refer to Lavallee as “a brother” yet also said he was unaware he favoured business dealings within the FTQ.

“If that’s the case, thank you Johnny, thank you Mr. Lavallee,” he quipped.

Accurso received more help from the FTQ even when the corruption scandal broke in 2009.  

Banks stopped financing him, yet the contractor had no problem convincing the electricians’ union, affiliated with the FTQ, to invest in Accurso’s businesses. 

Accurso also denied that offering lavish trips on his boat was a method he used to help nab contracts.

"I never used my boat for that, what others do, I don't know," said Accurso, although he admitted paying for the flights for all his guests on his yacht.

He said he did not pay for former Montreal executive committee chairman Frank Zampino.

On wiretaps, Dupuis is heard saying, “That boat is so powerful!” – referring not to its horsepower, but the influence it wielded.

Accurso proved quite capable in dismissing questions, or contradictions. He was asked if he was still in touch with former FTQ president and good friend Michel Arsenault.

“We spoke a week ago,” he said. “I wanted to know how things worked at the commission -- and where the bathrooms are.”