Construction magnate Tony Accurso is seen on an image taken off a television monitor at the Charbonneau inquiry looking into corruption in the Quebec construction industry Sept. 5, 2014, in Montreal.Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press
Antonio Accurso finished testifying about his business practices at the Charbonneau Commission by acknowledging a series of meetings with members of the Rizzuto clan and other Mafia figures, but insisting he never gave them money or worked on their construction projects.
The construction magnate spent five days as a star witness at the public inquiry into Quebec's construction industry, which has heard various tales of corruption and collusion in two years of hearings. But Mr. Accurso – the biggest construction entrepreneur in Quebec for much of the 1990s and 2000s – denied from start to finish that he ever engaged in bid rigging or gave any kickbacks to anyone.
Mr. Accurso's only major admission was that he broke Quebec's electoral law by reimbursing large donations from his staff to the Quebec Liberal Party, and that he enjoyed wining and dining union officials on his luxury yacht. The commission counsel attempted to portray Mr. Accurso's dealings as a way of favouring his business interests, by getting better crews on his construction sites or obtaining financing for his projects, but Mr. Accurso responded that he was entertaining his friends on his four-bedroom boat.
Commissioners France Charbonneau and Renaud Lachance quizzed Mr. Accurso at the end of testimony about his knowledge of illegal practices in the construction industry, which other witnesses have described as rampant, especially in Montreal.
"You are the only one who didn't engage in collusion?" Mr. Lachance asked.
Mr. Accurso said he was never made aware of cases involving his own firm, saying he "couldn't care less about the others."
The Charbonneau Commission is nearing the end of its public hearings, and will now focus its work on the inner dealings of Hydro-Québec, a major purveyor of construction contracts in the province.
On Monday, Mr. Accurso told the Charbonneau Commission that he deliberately avoided working with former Mob boss Vito Rizzuto and his associates on business projects, adding he "never paid" any kickbacks to the Mafia. The commission had previously heard allegations that construction firms paid a cut on public-works projects to members of organized crime, including cash payments in a café that belonged to the Rizzutos.
"I never brought any money to any of these people," Mr. Accurso said. "It's not because one has an Italian name that one is part of organized crime."
He added that while he didn't want to do business with members of the Mafia, he used "diplomatic" means to reject their entreaties, using technical arguments rather than directly turning them away.
"Personally, I didn't want to slam the door in their face," Mr. Accurso said.
Mr. Accurso's family is of Calabrese origin, while the Rizzutos originally hailed from Sicily, further south. Nicolo Rizzuto Sr. died at the hands of an assassin in his kitchen in 2010, his son Vito died of cancer last year, and Vito's son, Nicolo Jr, died in a hit in 2009.
Mr. Accurso acknowledged that he was once seen giving a public embrace to Vito Rizzuto, but he said it was an "Italian tradition" that he also uses with his children and friends.
"The Russians do the same thing," Mr. Accurso said.
Mr. Accurso said he did not invite Vito Rizzuto to the launch of his restaurant called Onyx in 2000, but that he did welcome him as a guest.
"When Vito came, he paid his own bills," Mr. Accurso said. "He was courteous with the staff, I had no reason to throw him out."
Mr. Accurso and Nick Rizzuto Jr. were heard having a series of warm telephone conversations that were intercepted as part of a police investigation, and played in public for the first time. The pair were heard organizing meetings at an unoccupied apartment belonging to one of their business acquaintances.
The inquiry also heard about a conversation captured by a "room bug" at Mr. Accurso's restaurant, in which the Rizzutos boasted that they received free food and drinks at his establishment, and referred to Mr. Accurso as "our friend." However, Mr. Accurso denied offering any favours, stating "no one had a tab" at his facilities.
Mr. Accurso was shown a transcript of a conversation in which he was said to be ready to give one of his establishment to the Rizzutos.
Mr. Accurso said the transfer never happened, adding: "Why would I do that?"