The Charbonneau Inquiry was thrown into disarray Wednesday morning when commissioners suddenly developed suspicions about a key witness, Gaetan Turbide, the former general manager for the City of Laval, who was supposed to testify about corruption in Laval.
“At 9:15 this morning, the lawyers for the commission were given some information which cast serious doubts on the credibility of the next witness, Mr. Gaetan Turbide,” said Crown prosecutor Sonia LeBel.
Lawyers for the commission refused to say what information they had received on Turbide that would discredit its entire testimony.
Turbide was suspended from Laval city hall two weeks ago when it was announced he would testify at the inquiry into corruption, as was his assistant, deputy manager Jean Roberge.
The commission said it would now focus on Roberge. Hired by the city in 2008 after a career as the head of engineering firm Groupe Equation, Roberge said it was during those days that he first witnessed the system of collusion.
“Were you aware there was a system of collusion; among professionals between 2002 and 2007?” asked LeBel.
“Yes,” replied Roberge.
“Why so sure?” she asked.
“Because I took part in it,” he said, matter-of-factly, adding that Vaillancourt’s chief of staff told him in 2003 how to receive contracts.
“If you're good with the political, the political will be good with you,” he said.
The message: Give generously to Vaillancourt’s Rassemblement Pro Lavallois party and contracts will pour in. The system was simple; Laval invited only a limited number of pre-approved bidders, said Roberge.
“It was easy. Two companies are bidding.; One is expected to win, the other will lose,” he said, adding that sometimes those engineering firms were told to bring them cash-filled envelopes earmarked for Vaillancourt’s party.
Last week former Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt and 36 other men were arrested and charged with dozens of counts including fraud, money laundering, corruption and gangsterism.
Roberge’s testimony resumes Thursday.
