Tony Accurso says he never used his yacht for shady deals

Tony Accurso sayshe never used his luxury yacht, the Touch, for shady business and what other people did on their own boats had nothing to do with him.

The highly anticipated but reluctant witness returnedto Quebec's corruption inquiry today for more questioning on his role in an alleged system of collusion that rigged the bidding process for public contracts.

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Commission lawyer Sonia Lebel presented Accurso with wiretap evidence between high-ranking union leaders Michel Arsenault and Gilles Audette discussing an alleged deal Arsenaulthammered out on a yacht in Cannes.

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She asked Accurso, who photographic evidence has shown hosted his friends from high places withinunionand municipal ranks, if that's how deals were done.

"When he says that there's nothing reprehensible about it,that's how it works in the business world.... Deals can be closed on boats, deals closed on vacation.In a general sense, to your knowledge, [is that how it works]?" Lebel asked.

"Me, I can only tell you what I did with my boat on my boat. What others did on their boats there are boats all over and there are boats used for all sorts of reasons. Me, it wasn't for that reason there," Accurso replied.

Lebel later hammed Accurso with questions about a trip he took withJeanLavalle, former head of the construction wing of Quebec's biggest labour federation the FTQ,Bernard Girard, executive vice president of theFTQ's construction arm and others in 2008.

The prosecutor asked several times if the aim of that trip was to strategizefor the upcoming election for the head of FTQ-Construction.

Other witnesses, including former FTQ employeeKen Pereira, have told the commission about significant outside influence on those elections that included the Mob and the Hells Angels.

Accurso denied having any involvement in union affairs, saying it was better, as an entrepreneur, to stay out of union in-fighting.

He said he didn't invite Girard on the trip in question and it was Lavalle who added him to the guest list.

Accursofooted the bill for Girard as he did for all of his guests except for, he made a point of noting, the former head of the Montreal executive committee, Frank Zampino.

He did say he would give his opinion on union matters to friends, if solicited, but denied using his friendships for influence or favouritism.

'Minor contacts' in the Montreal Mafia

Accurso spent much of the morning detailing his relationships with some of the more than 3,500 people he said he had in his Rolodex, including high-ranking union leaders and reputed members of the Montreal Mafia.

Accurso said Lavalle was "like a brother." He referred toanother former union boss, Louis Laberge, as a father figure.

However he denied that his tight relationship with the union heads, which included vacations and holiday celebrations spent together, offered him any preferential treatment or privileged access to the union's investment fund.

He also admitted that the former head of the Montreal Mafia, the late Vito Rizzuto, and Vito'ssonNick Jr.were "minor contacts."

Accurso has previously denied testimony from an earlier witness who told the commission that Vito Rizzutowas involved as a mediator in a business dispute that involved Accurso. He said the meeting never happened.

Accurso'sname has come up numerous times at the inquiry, particularly when the commission focused on the alleged system of collusion among companies bidding for contracts with the City of Montreal.

He wasalso heard in wiretap conversations when the spotlight was on theFTQ, Quebec's largest labour federation, and how close union members were to those in the construction world.

But Tuesday markedthe firsttime the commission has heard fromAccursohimself. He did not co-operate with commission investigators and had fought his subpoenaright up to the Supreme Court, arguing that his testimony would jeopardize his right to a fair trial.

He faces an array of criminal charges related to the awarding of municipal contracts in the Quebec municipalities of Mascoucheand Laval, and argued that testifying would jeopardize his right to a fair trial.

Accursoand his companies are also charged with tax fraud.

His testimony continues Thursday.

Key testimony mentioning Tony Accurso:

• Two witnesses have alleged Accurso met with mob boss Vito Rizzuto on two different occasions to talk business.
• The inquiry heard allegations Accurso had a closerelationship with members of the powerful FTQ union federation, including the former president, Michel Arsenault, as well as allegations the construction entrepreneur received preferential treatment from the FTQ's publiclyfunded investment fund.
• Accurso's name came up repeatedly when the inquiry examined the way public contracts were awarded in Montreal. Former president of the city's executive committeeFrank Zampinomet with Accurso frequently while a lucrative water-meter contract was being negotiated, and vacationed on the businessman's boat three times.