Quebec corruption inquiry photos cause stir

In pictures: A selection of photos presented as evidence

MONTREAL – Photos presented as evidence at Quebec’s inquiry into corruption in the province’s construction industry have been causing quite a stir.

The images were displayed during the testimony of Jean Lavallee, the former head of the Quebec Federation of Labour.

They show him on a number of cruises on the private yacht owned by construction magnate Tony Accurso, who is currently facing over 900 fraud-related charges.

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Lavallee admitted he took about a half-dozen week-long, all-expenses-paid trips aboard Accurso’s yacht, “Touch,” but denied the trips were in exchange for granting contracts.

“I didn’t think it was a sin to go on a friend’s boat,” Lavallee said on Monday.

READ MORE: Photo of Quebec union, construction boss makes splash at corruption inquiry

In addition to Lavallee, Accurso’s yacht, which costs about $75,000 per week to operate, hosted a number of other civil and public servants, including former city of Montreal general manager Robert Abdallah, ex-mayor of Mascouche, Richard Marcotte, and Quebec Federation of Labour Solidarity Fund board member Louis Bolduc.

Lavallee has denied that Accurso was in any way thanked for his hospitality with kickbacks in the form of in the form of financial support or investments.

Lavallee sat on the board of the Quebec Federation of Labour’s billion-dollar investment fund, which was instrumental in financing numerous Accurso-led projects.

– With files from The Canadian Press