Elevate your local knowledge

Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!

Select Region

Selecting your primary region ensures you get the stories that matter to you first.

Preliminary hearing begins for ex-mayor of Laval and others on fraud charges

CP32597689
Former Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt arrives at the courthouse for a preliminary hearing on various charges including fraud Tuesday, April 7, 2015 in Laval, Que. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

LAVAL, Que. – A preliminary hearing on fraud-related charges began Tuesday for the former longtime mayor of Quebec’s third-largest city and most of the 35 other people arrested in the same case.

Ex-Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt, former construction boss Tony Accurso and other co-accused piled into the largest room available at the Laval courthouse where the inquiry will take place.

Four men have chosen to go straight to trial in June, while the others opted to go ahead with the eight-week hearing to determine whether they’ll stand trial.

Some of the accused were absent without cause Tuesday, while others were granted exemptions that allowed them to be represented by their lawyer for the duration of the hearing.

The presence of so many co-accused along with nearly 40 lawyers made for cramped quarters, leaving reporters sitting in the jury box.

Vaillancourt quit politics in November 2012 after an uncontested reign of 23 years as Laval mayor.

He was among 37 people arrested in May 2013 by Quebec’s anti-corruption unit. One of the co-accused has since passed away.

Vaillancourt, former city manager Claude Deguise and ex-city engineer Claude Asselin also face gangsterism charges in addition to the conspiracy, fraud and corruption charges faced by the group as a whole.

The evidence being presented is under a publication ban.

News from © The Canadian Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Canadian Press

The Canadian Press is Canada's trusted news source and leader in providing real-time, bilingual multimedia stories across print, broadcast and digital platforms.

Related Articles

B.C. man cured of rare disease in world-first for new gene-editing technology | iNFOnews.ca
Ty Sperle is shown in this undated handout photo after receiving treatment. Sperle, a 19-year-old resident of Kelowna, B.C., has been cured of a rare disease called chronic granulomatous disease in the first use of a genetic technology known as "prime editing" as part of a clinical trial by U.S.-based Prime Medicine. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Sperle family (Mandatory Credit)

B.C. man cured of rare disease in world-first for new gene-editing technology