The man described as a god of the union movement has taken the stand at the corruption inquiry.
Jean Lavallée, 73, was on the board of the Quebec Federation of Labour, and one of the founders of the FTQ-Construction and the QFL Solidarity investment fund.
Several witnesses have testified about the power Lavallée wielded, especially when it came to the investment fund's real estate arm SOLIM.
Fund directors Richard Marion and Guy Gionet said that on multiple occasions Lavallée ordered them to approve investments in deals that they likely would not have otherwise approved.
In November Marion said that his refusal to invest in a project backed by entrepreneur Tony Accurso cost him his job.
Lavallée fired Marion in Accurso's presence, haranguing him for ten minutes with foul language.
This week Gionet, who took over from Marion, has said he could never do anything except rubber-stamp Lavallée's decision if he wanted to keep working.
