Businessman Tony Accurso’s legal quest to be excused from testifying at the Charbonneau Commission suffered a blow Thursday, as the Supreme Court declined to hear his case requesting the right not to appear.
His lawyers had argued that his testimony could undermine his chance at a fair trial on three fraud-related charges that he is facing.
His request for exemption is still being considered at Superior Court, which is deliberating on his demand.
Meanwhile at the Charbonneau Commission Thursday, former Sintra president Normand Bedard completed his testimony, which saw him confess to colluding with competitors to obtain provincial transport ministry contracts.
Bedard said that he shared contracts to pave Highway 10 with his company’s main competitor, Construction DJL.
He also said that he and his wife were illegally reimbursed for contributions to the Liberals, PQ and Action Democratique provincial political parties.
Next to take the stand was Marcel Roireau, president of Construction DJL, the second largest road builder for the transport ministry behind Sintra.
Roireau didn't admit to any wrongdoing as he addressed the Charbonneau Commission but said companies respected certain territorial boundaries and had pacts of non-aggression.
His testimony clashes with that of Bedard, who told the corruption inquiry there was widespread collusion on municipal and provincial government contracts.
Roireau says it's possible that others at DJL were involved in collusion but that he wasn't personally aware.
In terms of dollars, Sintra and DJL ranked one and two in terms of contracts awarded by the province between 1997 and 2012.
-- with files from The Canadian Press
