Quebec inquiry star witness admitted earlier testimony was false

A star witness whose damning testimony has come under question in recent weeks admitted in interview tapes aired in front of Quebec's inquiry into corruption in the construction industry that some of his earlier testimony wasn't true.

In October, former Union Montralpartyorganizer Martin Dumont told the inquiry that a former receptionist for the party,Alexandra Pion,took him aside and complained that she no longer wanted to be asked to count money for Bernard Trpanier.

But on Monday, the commission aired video shot in early December that showed Dumont admitting to investigators that it was actually Trpanier who told him about counting the money and that he shouldn't have named Pion.

In the same round of testimony, Dumonttold the commissionthat Pion told him she had counted approximately $850,000 with Trpanier the partisan fundraising official (dubbed "Mr. Three Per Cent"), who is accused of collecting kickbacks from construction companies on behalf of Union Montral.

During hisOctober appearance, Dumont also saidformer Montreal Mayor Grald Tremblayturned a blind eye when presented with two sets of financial records for a 2004 byelection campaign in the St-Laurent borough. Tremblayquit political life within days of that testimony, vehemently denying Dumont's version of the facts.

Ex-receptionist said she was asked to count cash

Speaking before the commission Monday, Pion said she was asked to count cashon one occasion but that she had no idea how much money it was and that she never spoke to Dumont about the incident.

In her testimony, Pion described one occasion where she was led to anoffice, where an open safe revealed the bills,tied together with elastic bands.

Pion confirmedthatTrpanier asked herto count the $20 and $50 billsbut she says she refused to do so.

Pionrecounted tellingTrpanier it was not her role to count the money, andtold the commission she turned around to leave at that point and faced no resistance from Trpanier.

She said she didn't remember the date of the alleged incident but said it only occurred one time.

Following Dion's testimony, Dumont was asked toclarify who told him about the incident. He said someone told him about the $850,000, but he said he shouldn't have named Pion.

"To my memory, I thought it was Pion. But to be very honest with you, doubt has been installed in my mind," said Dumont.

Dumont had sought medical postponement

Commission head, FranceCharbonneau, ordered Dumont to return to testify again despite a plea for postponement.

His lawyerhad soughtleave to postpone her client's appearance to a later date.

Suzanne Gagn said Dumont hasbeen on sick leave from his current job in the pharmaceutical industry since the start of the year. She had said he wouldn'tbe well enough to testify until at least the end of February.

Charbonneau saidthe medical informationpresented by Gagn did not specify acondition that would prevent him from testifying.

Changes at the commission

Charbonneau announced that one of her two co-commissioners, Roderick A. Macdonald, will not sit for the winter session because of his poor health.

The commission has faced criticism due toMacdonald's prolonged absence. Macdonaldunderwent cancer-related surgery in mid-May and has yet to attend any of the hearings in person, though he has apparently been following the proceedings from home.

Charbonneausaid Macdonald will turn his focus insteadto identifying recommendations for the government, which is part of the commission's mandate.

Chiefcounsel Sonia Lebel introduced three newlawyers who will work for the commission Erika Porter, Paul Crpeau and Lussia-Berdou Cainnech hired in the wake of the departure ofSylvain Lussierand Claude Chartrand.

In October,chief counsel Lussier announced he would resign because of the potential appearance of a conflict of interest. He had represented a company named at the inquiry.

Chartrand, the deputy chief counsel,left soon after, saying his talents were notbeing used properly after being passed up for the chief prosecutor job.