Quebec corruption inquiry to resume
Justice France Charbonneau smiles as she sits on the opening day of a Quebec inquiry looking into allegations of corruption in the province's construction industry in Montreal, Tuesday, May 22, 2012. The inquiry is set to resume today after an extended holiday break. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham HughesMONTREAL - Quebec's corruption inquiry is set to resume today after an extended holiday break.
The Charbonneau Commission broke off its hearings at the end of November following a wild fall session that saw the longtime mayors of Montreal and Laval resign in a cloud of controversy.
The probe has already heard testimony about how the price of public projects was inflated and the proceeds split between construction firms, political parties, city workers and the Mafia.
This week, the inquiry will hear from a witness who already testified back in October.
Martin Dumont, a former aide to ex-Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay, alleged that Tremblay was aware of illegal financing within his own party.
Tremblay, who stepped down in November, has denied the allegations and called them "completely false.''
The inquiry is also scheduled to hear from Alexandra Pion, a former receptionist for Tremblay's party, Union Montreal.
Dumont testified that Pion told him in 2005 that she had been asked by a top ranking Union Montreal official to count hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.
Isabelle Toupin, a supervising sergeant with Quebec provincial police, is also slated to testify.
The Charbonneau Commission is supposed to table its final report by Oct. 19, 2013.
