Commissioner France Charbonneau opened the day's proceedings with a request for the news media to refrain from reporting the names of upcoming witnesses who may have particular security concerns.

It was a clear reference to widespread media reports about the anticipated appearance of mafia infiltrator, FBI agent Joe Pistone.

Commission lawyers then set the table for this second phase of the hearings, during which they will call on police and others who've developed an expertise on the inner workings of the mafia and how it infiltrates the construction industry, from the Cosa Nostra in Italy, to mafia families in New York City and here in Montreal.

But first, the commission must establish how the Quebec construction industry functions as part of the legal and legitimate economy, with testimony from economist and author Louis de La Grave.

Photo of Louis de La Grave: Claude Beaulieu (CJAD)