Former union boss insists he's innocent at Charbonneau Commission

Former FTQ-construction director general Jocelyn Dupuis faced his toughest day yet Thursday at the Charbonneau Commission.

Wiretaps continue to reveal how the head of Quebec's largest construction union was continually involved in conflicts of interest and questionable dealings.

Dupuis insists he's done nothing wrong, despite wiretap recordings that show otherwise.

He’s heard over and over on the recordings advocating for companies with alleged ties to the mafia and biker gangs.

Inquiry lawyer Denis Gallant told Dupuis that even if he was not an official member of the Hells Angels or the Mafia, he was not far away.

Dupuis was asked once again about the dubious records of entrepreneurs whose files he pushed over to the FTQ’s Solidarity Fund.

Dupuis was also lobbying on behalf of Club Med in Florida. He was subsequently taken on an all-expenses paid trip to another Club Med in the Bahamas.

Justice Charbonneau asked whether he believed the trip was a reward for lobbying.

Dupuis was outraged at the insinuation. He had trouble controlling his temper during the questioning, at some points refusing to answer direct questions.

Such fireworks, in the form of fractious exchanges between Dupuis and Deputy Chief Prosecutor Denis Gallant were frequent, as Dupuis proved reluctant to reply to certain questions.

“All the confessions that you made, that you knew Johnny Bertolo, you know Tony Volpato, you know Tony Suzuki, you know Casper Ouimet, etc. . I look at your address book and if you are not a member of the Hells Angels or the Mafia, you are not far,” said Gallant.

Dupuis was particularly reluctant to answer questions concerning contractor Jean- Marc Daigle, which involved an investment in a Club Med.

Dupuis finally admitted that Daigle gave him a free one week trip at the Club Med in the Bahamas for him and his wife, from 5 to 12 December 2008.

Dupuis defended the action by explaining that he wanted to scout out the investment. The fund later decided not to invest.

The commission also heard a conversation in which FTQ boss Michel Arsenault spoke scathingly about Dupuis, which led Arsenault to consider taping their conversations.

“Dupuis started to threaten me, saying he’d go public and get me out as president,” Arsenault said to his assistant Gilles Audette in the wiretap. “I’m going to call him back and tape it.”

Dupuis also confessed to intervening in a dispute between entrepreneurs Tony Accurso (Construction Louisbourg and Simard- Beaudry) and Joe Borsellino (Construction Garnier, etc.). Dupuis said that he did it to promote a rapprochement between the two.

Dupuis was also recorded describing Tony Accurso yatch as,“the vessel to power in Quebec." He also said on the recording that the mayors of Mascouche and Terrebonne had both been guests on the boat.

-with a file from The Canadian Press