QUEBEC – The Bastarache commission on the nomination of judges resumed work Thursday with an intense cross examination of Liberal fundraiser Franco Fava.
Jean-François Bertrand, the lawyer acting for former justice minister Marc Bellemare, started the morning hammering away at Fava who Wednesday denied all Bellemare’s story of being a key player in a system of getting judges named to the bench.
Lawyers acting for the Quebec government and Quebec Liberal Party raised objection after objection as Bertand tried to box in Fava on his close connections to the Liberal government which he has boasted about in the past in media interviews.
Clearly irritated, Fava lashed back in his own defence, downplaying his links and the people he is apparently connected to or has been able to help get plum government jobs.
“Yes I like to know people,” Fava said at one point. “I am a pretty social fellow. I never have enough friends or connections. Is that what you want to know?
“Do you like.to make sure your pals get nominations (for government jobs)?” Bertrand fired back. “Among the ways you help them is get them jobs? Is that right? Do you like to have influence?
“There is no connection, Mr. Bertrand,” Fava answered.
And so it went on.
Yes, Premier Jean Charest calls him by his first name.
“He says, bonjour Franco, I say bonjour Mr. Charest,” Fava said.
Why did you submit so many CVs of friends for jobs? Bertrand said.
“Because they asked me to,” Fava said.
Bertrand persisted with rapid-fire questions, asking if he’s right to assume when he is soliciting funds for the party he jokes he is close to the premier.
“People can think what they want.” Fava said.
“No, it’s not that mister. You understood my question.”
“I have never boasted about having a special relationship or friendship with Mr. Charest,” Fava said. “People write in the newspaper that I can walk into his office like it was a shopping mall. You saw the registry of (visitors) to his office. My name is not there at all.”
Asked why people think he is so well connected, Fava said it’s probably because in speeches to party member Charest thanks him and his fundraising friend, Charles Rondeau, for their work raising millions for Liberal Party coffers.
But whenever Bertrand got too close to the question of Liberal Party financing, other government job nominations or potential links between Fava and construction jobs, lawyers hopped out of their seats.
“We are headed into the same circus as yesterday,” Liberal Party lawyer Andre Dugas said. “The witness has said he never never had any influence or spoken of the nomination of judges.”
Fava, a Quebec City contractor and lawyer who has raised money for the Liberals for 40 years, answered the questions cooly but at times became emotional slapping his hands on the table.
The first thing he did when he sat down at the table in the morning was apologize for some of his colourful language Wednesday.
He blamed his Italian temperament.
And the commission took on the allure of a detective television show when a lawyer asked Fava to produce his phone numbers – home and mobile – for 2003 and 2004.
Quebec bar association lawyer Pierre Bourque made the request.
The objective was clear: Bourque is trying to get the commission to eventually seize phone records for that period.
While former justice minister Marc Bellemare has said Fava harassed him by phone at home, the office, on his cell and even while in the hospital, Fava denies it all.
Under questioning, Fava revealed his home phone number has not changed since 2003. His cell phone number has changed many times.
Bellemare testified the calls he got from Fava always seemed to be from land lines, a suggestion that Fava might have feared traces on his cell.
Bourque made Fava write down his home number on a Post-it note.
It was unclear whether chief judge Michel Bastarache will do with the evidence but Bastarache did agree to seize still more registry records of the comings and goings at the premier’s office.
The highlight of the day will be an appearance by Premier Jean Charest today at 2 p.m.
Details to follow
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