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Quebec corruption inquiry on hold after key witness hospitalized

Ken Pereira
Former FTQ union employee Ken Pereira at the Charbonneau inquiry looking into corruption in the Quebec construction industry. Charbonneau Commission/The Canadian Press

MONTREAL – Quebec’s corruption inquiry will have its public hearings suspended for a week after the witness currently testifying took a tumble down a staircase.

Inquiry officials say whistleblowing witness Ken Pereira fell down the stairs outside his home — which they say was a simple accident.

They say he suffered head trauma and has been ordered by doctors to rest until next Monday. Inquiry hearings will resume the following day, after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Pereira has been a talkative witness, so far.

He has been testifying about corruption inside FTQ-Construction, a wing of Quebec’s most powerful labour union.

He has described how Hells Angels sympathizers and men connected to the Italian Mafia infiltrated the union and wrestled for control of a popular invesment fund.

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Tuesday’s incident occurred just moments before an inquiry investigator was to pick Pereira up to transport him to the downtown office tower where his testimony was to continue.

READ MORE: Organized crime infiltrated Quebec labour union

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