It cost a company $500 to get some time face-to-face with former Premier Jean Charest, according to an anonymous witness at the Charbonneau Commission.

The engineer who worked for both Roche and BPR as a vice-president of business development, but whose name cannot be revealed, has told the Inquiry how politcial parties traded influence for political donations.

He testified from behind a screen and his voice was altered to ensure anonymity.

The inquiry presented an email from Aug. 24, 2009 between two Roche employees discussing a cocktail and dinner.

In the message from Claude Lescelleur to Andre Coté, Lescelleur writes that a member of the Liberal party promised Roche an executive could meet Charest for a private meeting if they bought several tickets for the fundraiser.

Roche president Mario Martel also reportedly received an invitation to a $1,000-per-head dinner with PQ leader Pauline Marois in September 2008.

The letter of invitation read, ""We are convinced that Ms. Marois will listen attentively to your suggestions and your concerns and that the evening to benefit the Parti Quebecois will be memorable and will establish lasting relationships between you and us."

The witness also stated that one-time Roche employee and consultant Marc-Yvan Cote organized the cocktail fundraisers for Municipal Affairs minister Nathalie Normandeau, contrary to what the commission had previously been told. "Marc-Yvan Cote was the leader," stated the witness.

Each table had an empty seat reserved for Normandeau to allowe he to come dine with a multitude of contributors. Her staff was also on hand, according to the witness.

The witness also stated that he participated in the fundraising campaign of former Quebec mayor Jean-Paul L'Allier in 1996 and also played golf with Sam Hamad in 2006 at the costs of the Roche firm which had several golf club memberships.

His firm also hired Gaetan Lelievre, the son of a PQ MNA from the Gaspe. "He earned about $15,000 over the summer. It was like giving the $15,000 directly to his father because he then saved the money that he would have given his son," said the mystery witness.

The Roche president was also good friends with former PQ minister Remy Trudel whose ex-wife was hired as well.

The commission also heard testimony about the $40 million Cloridorme water filtration project in the Gaspe, which the witness described as the "most complicated file in my career."

"We didn't sense much openness on the part of the bureaucracts," said the witness, who speculated that there were internal conflicts between bureaucrats and the minister, who he suspects imposed her will over their objections. "We had four bureaucrats who wouldn't shake our hands or look us in the eyes."

Fundraising tactics

For several days the anonymous employee has explained how both the Parti Quebecois and the Liberals used the same tactics to raise funds.

He said that political parties were very well aware that companies were bending the law, and using the names of employees to make donations of up to $3,000.

He also said that in the great majority of fundraising events the same people showed up.

He said that Roche employees would frequently 'buy' tickets, and then Roche would use them to entertain clients.

The engineer said that in some cases politicians would dispense with their official agents and make contact directly.

He singled out PQ MNA Guy Lelievre for calling him personally for donations.

The Gaspé MNA would tell Roche "I got you one contract, so it's $1,000. Two contracts mean you owe me $2,000."